I have a heavy heart. While I sit here planning my menu and shopping list, my thoughts and concerns are elsewhere. I am not going to post about food on social media right now, so if you see this, wonderful. I’m happy you are here. I am sending love to each and every one of you. 

MONDAY:

• Chicken Piccata
• Mashed Potatoes and Salad

TUESDAY:

• Simple Enchiladas

WEDNESDAY:

• Chicken Caesar Wraps

THURSDAY:

• Leftovers

FRIDAY:

• Local Takeout

SATURDAY:

• Local Takeout

SUNDAY:

• Ribs
• Green Salad, Potato Salad, Rice

If you would like to share your menu in the comments below, please do! Thank you and sending all the love I can muster through the ether!

I’m a little late with my meal planning today because I’ve been busy finishing up a fun art project…an international tour done with chalk on our sidewalk (it’s actually pretty cool)! Visit my main Instagram account for photos and my art Instagram account for a video tour. I’ve put the chalk away and am no ready to get planning!

MONDAY:

• Hot Dogs and Hamburgers on the Grill
• Potato Salad, Fruit, Baked Beans

TUESDAY:

• Chicken Piccata
• Mashed Potatoes and Salad

WEDNESDAY:

• Korean BBQ Beef Rice Bowls

THURSDAY:

• Leftovers

FRIDAY:

• Chicken Caesar Wraps

SATURDAY:

• Local Takeout

SUNDAY:

• Simple Enchiladas

Thank you for all the amazing menus last week! Keep it coming! Share your menus in the comments below!

Hi everyone! Let’s get down to business, shall we?

MONDAY:

• Rachel Sandwiches

TUESDAY:

• Tacos: Cora’s Meat Recipe + Homemade Crispy Taco Shells

WEDNESDAY:

• Stir Fry (using our fresh snow peas from the garden!)

THURSDAY:

• Lasagna Baked Ziti

FRIDAY:

• Leftovers

SATURDAY:

• Takeout Local

SUNDAY:

• Grill Night + Salad

Your turn! Share your weekly meal plan below! Stay safe and eat well!

Two years ago I finally got my hands on fresh masa and learned how to make fresh masa corn tortillas. I thought at that point I had outdone myself when it came to homemade tacos. Then COVID-19 lockdown happened and I wasn’t hitting the tortilleria every week for fresh masa. Because I only had access to already-cooked corn tortillas, I thought to myself, “Self, what could make these store-bought corn tortillas taste better?” And then myself was like, “Self, fry them.” And that is how I figured out how to make crispy taco shells and, honestly, I think it might even be better than fresh masa corn tortillas…and I do NOT say that lightly.  

(I must admit that Jack In the Box tacos also inspired me to make these crispy taco shells at home. I know, Jack the bobble head inspired me in the kitchen. I’m as surprised as you are.)

For real, please don’t ever buy crispy taco shells at the store ever again. Buy corn tortillas and fry them. They really truly are the most delicious crispy taco shells you will ever eat. And they are fast to make. And unlike most frying recipes, you don’t use that much oil so clean up is easy, too.

The photos above show the step-by-step process for how to make crispy taco shells, and the details are explained in the recipe below. Below is a photo of what they look like fresh out of the pan! Enjoy!

How to Make Crispy Taco Shells

 

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Author: Jane Maynard

Ingredients

• Corn Tortillas
• Oil for frying (something with a high smoke-point and neutral flavor: peanut and vegetable, for example; I used avocado oil and it worked great perfect)

Instructions

1. I find the tacos are at their most delicious when you add the taco meat to the taco shell immediately after frying. I like to set up my taco shell frying station like so: Stack of corn tortillas, tongs, pot with oil on the stove, large plate lined with paper towels, taco meat. (This recipe for Cora's Ground Beef Taco Meat is amazing, but you could put any kind of meat for tacos in here: steak, chicken, whatever!)
2. Add oil to a medium-large pot. It doesn't need to be that deep - it should cover the bottom of the pan and then add a bit more, probably about ⅛" - ¼" deep.
3. Heat oil over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes. A drop of water in the oil should sizzle.
4. Using tongs, place one tortilla into the oil and let fry on the first side for 5-10 seconds.
5. Flip the tortilla. Let it fry on the second side for just a couple seconds, then using your tongs sort of fold the tortilla in half. When I do this, I hold the folded half that is out of the oil up a little so you get kind of a flat bottom to the taco shell, if that makes sense. As it fries it will start to hold its shape on its own.
6. Once the shell is holding its shape (this happens quickly), flip it over. I kind of push the side of the shell that's in the oil down into the oil so that the inside of the shell is frying, too. Just keep flipping and pressing until the shell starts to brown lightly.
7. Once shell is done frying, remove form oil, let drip onto the paper towels, then set down on the paper towel-lined plate. Fill immediately with meat.
8. For each shell, frying time total is only around 30 seconds or so. They fry up quickly!

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Happy day after Mother’s Day. I made the conscious decision to relax and not post a menu yesterday and enjoy my day free of cooking, dishes and meal planning. But now it’s back to business! I have a lot of carry-over’s from last week’s menu because I just plain didn’t follow the menu. 

MONDAY:

• Chili

TUESDAY:

• Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks
• Salad and Fries (gonna pick up in the freezer section!)

WEDNESDAY:

• Nachos and Seven-Layer Dip

THURSDAY:

• Rachel Sandwiches

FRIDAY:

• Takeout Night

SATURDAY:

• Leftovers

SUNDAY:

• Grill Night + Salad

You know what to do…share your menu in the comments below! And remember we are looking for all types of menus – simple, fancy, everything! Have a good week!

I everyone! I’m having some technical difficulties, so I can’t create the image of this week’s menu right now. But I still want to get the menu plan published and out the door so you can all share yours. So, how about a photo of one of the recipes I’ll be cooking instead!

MONDAY:

• Local Takeout Night

TUESDAY:

• Chili

WEDNESDAY:

• Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks
• Salad and Fries (gonna pick up in the freezer section!)

THURSDAY:

• Homemade Pizza

FRIDAY:

• Rachel Sandwiches

SATURDAY:

• Leftovers

SUNDAY:

• Grill Night + Salad

You know what to do…share your menu in the comments below! And remember we are looking for all types of menus – simple, fancy, everything! Have a good week!