My cheap little chicken taco dinner from Costco

[Jenise]

Bob and I had to run into town late yesterday afternoon and while there, stopped at Costco for something only Costco carries. While there, we fell prey to the aroma of their rotisserie chickens, and I said, why spend all the money on going out to dinner? Let's just have some soft chicken tacos, for which a nice hot fresh roast chicken needs only a fresh pico de gallo for embellishment, at home. "I think they have everything we'll need here."

1 rotisserie chicken: 4.99
6 dozen tortillas: 2.79
4 lb bag of limes 4.99
10 lb bag Vidalia onions 8.49
3 lb box of tomatoes 6.99
Cilantro from my garden: free
____

Cost for 6 tacos 28.25

Wow! That's over 1 1/2 lbs. of onions per taco.

Yeah, but it's Vidalia onions - the best in the world!

Cost for 6 tacos 28.25

Heck, Jenise, I know a place in Santa Fe where you can get them for just about that price!

(But you ruined the entire thing with the soapweed.)

Yeah, but it's Vidalia onions - the best in the world!

Uh Oh! This could start a whole new thread. I don't believe there is such a thing as a "best" onion. There are different onions for different applications. Red or white in potato salad, white in 3-bean or macaroni salad, green for dipping or making scallopine, yellow for meatloaf, soups and roasts (but I use Vidalia and yellow in Onions Soup) and Vidalias sliced on hamburgs and for onion rings.

Uh Oh! This could start a whole new thread.

He's new to these here parts. He'll catch on!

Ok, "best" is indeed dependent on the use they are intended for. But they ARE the sweetest, no matter what Walla Walla, Maui, or Texas says! And thay are protected by appellation - not unlike the great wine regions - from imposters trying to cash in on the name.

I can't believe that I missed this thread! I was going to say, "Wow, those must have been some BIG tacos!" But it won't be funny now. You did ruin them with the flavorless flour tortillas, though. Corn, baby! CORN!!!

As for the onions, there is no "best onion" folks. Each onion has its place in the pot.

rwj

[Jenise]

ExCUSE me? Who ruined what with flavorless flour tortillas? I apparently didn't specify corn above, but that's because I'm a Mex food fan by way of Los Angeles and in El Lay if it isn't in a corn tortilla it's not a taco, simple como eso!!

You know what flour tortillas are good for? Peanut butter sandwiches. Spread PB & J, roll it up, eat. We call these Gorditos, referring to our body shapes if we ate as many of them as we'd truly like to.

Speaking of flavorless flour tortillas, I was stuck in town yesterday with extra time between appointments so I picked up a Food & Wine mag to relax with in a park. There was a Campbell's soup advertisement with a recipe for their idea of skillet tacos: canned tomato soup, half a cup of salsa and ground beef into which you stir--you guessed it, cut up flour tortillas. El barfo!

[/code]

ExCUSE me? Who ruined what with flavorless flour tortillas? I apparently didn't specify corn above, but that's because I'm a Mex food fan by way of Los Angeles and in El Lay if it isn't in a corn tortilla it's not a taco, simple como eso!!

You know what flour tortillas are good for? Peanut butter sandwiches. Spread PB & J, roll it up, eat. We call these Gorditos, referring to our body shapes if we ate as many of them as we'd truly like to.

Speaking of flavorless flour tortillas, I was stuck in town yesterday with extra time between appointments so I picked up a Food & Wine mag to relax with in a park. There was a Campbell's soup advertisement with a recipe for their idea of skillet tacos: canned tomato soup, half a cup of salsa and ground beef into which you stir--you guessed it, cut up flour tortillas. El barfo!

[/code]

O.k. Jenise, put the gun down. I just re-read the post and it turns out I made a horrible assumption. I made said assumption because Austin has been ruined with yuppies that eat nothing but flour tortillas. Nowadays you have to specify that you want corn (except for a few select places that know better).

My mistake, babe. Please don't hate me.

rwj

[Jenise]

I'm unarmed! But I am passionate about my corn tortillas, so there. Try wrapping a soft, warm corn tortilla spread with Dijon around an all beef hot dog sometime--you'll never go back to buns.

So, let's talk about preparing our tortillas for a taco gig. What's your favorite method--do you fry?

I make my own from scratch. Usually I do soft because I don't want to deal with the mess. But if I simply MUST have fried then I will do it. I'm good either way. I'll have to try the hot dog thing...sounds good.'

How's about you? Do you fry?

rwj

[Jenise]

Nope, no fry. Mind you, I grew up on hand-fried taco shells, so it's a flavor I love. But I can't justify the calories so I go a variation of soft that puts back some of the crispness I miss in the fried taco shell. Takes more time but it's sooo worth it--I basically heat two at a time (I want two-ply shells here) in a dry hot iron skillet. You need to get both sides, and typically 3/4 of the cooking time is spent on one side till it gets some golden spots, then flip to take the rawness out of the other side. The heat fuses the two tortillas together and keeps the interior exquisitely moist, and the more-cooked side stays semi-crisp when it's the exterior shell. In addition to the semi-crisp texture and moisture-barrier benefit of the fused tortillas, there's a third and important benefit in that the dry cooking also imparts a great grilled flavor.

Each shell takes a minute, minute and a half, to make. As they come off the skillet, I just stack them in a warm oven until I've made enough, then return them to the warm skillet for a self-service buffet.

Jenise...are the finished corn tortillas flat or do you manipulate them into a folded taco?

[Jenise]

Maria, they're flat. No need to shape. They're crispy enough to have a little crunch when you bite into them in places but soft enough, because you've really only grilled it on the one side and just softened the other, to fold around a filling.

Yes Jenise, I tend to make my tortillas similarly. But I like how you do it with two and fuse them together. I'll try this. You are a goldmine of cool ideas!

My favorite filling is slow roasted pork butt in a New Mexico (or Pasilla, Guajillo, etc.) chile crust with sliced radishes and cilantro.

rwj

You know what flour tortillas are good for? Peanut butter sandwiches. Spread PB & J, roll it up, eat. We call these Gorditos, referring to our body shapes if we ate as many of them as we'd truly like to.

Speaking of flavorless flour tortillas,...[/code]

Harumph! I'm a fan of corn tortillas, soft or hard, but flour tortillas have their place, too. A bowl of green chile stew and warm flour tortillas is a hard combo to beat. And a quick lunch is some green chile, chopped onions (Walla-Walla?), and cheese wrapped in a flour tortilla and zapped in the microwave.

OK, Jenise...so you grill them, and then fill them, and then kinda roll them up?

I have used corn tortillas for enchildas before...but otherwise, I always buy the pre-made crunchy ones for tacos...but I would like to try your way. Sounds yummy!

[Jenise]

Yes, almost. The order would be grill them, fold them in half, then fill them like you would those store bought kind. These taste much better and they're healthier too--it's a win/win.

[Jenise]

Yes, almost. The order would be grill them, fold them in half, then fill them like you would those store bought kind. These taste much better and they're healthier too--it's a win/win.

OK, Jenise...so you grill them, and then fill them, and then kinda roll them up?

I have used corn tortillas for enchildas before...but otherwise, I always buy the pre-made crunchy ones for tacos...but I would like to try your way. Sounds yummy!

Maria, no offense but you need to get down here and eat some tacos, pronto.

If you fry, then just take your corn tortilla (store bought is fine) and hold one side of it with a pair of tongs. Dip the free side in hot oil, going halfway up the tortilla. Put the now crisp side in the tongs and lay the other side in the oil so that the whole thing make the shape of a taco shell on its side. When this side is crisp you just put it on a paper towel and let it cool. It will taste better than any preshaped shell you could buy.

rwj

Amen.