If your taco nights consist of ground beef and a seasoning packet, we're here to help. Let this year's Cinco de Mayo celebration inspire you to master the art of the taco. Though taco parties are often a free-for-all, there's a serious method to the madness, and a great taco is all about one thing: balance. Crack the code for perfect tacos with this foolproof guide.
Related: 10 Sensational New Mexican Recipes
The Base
We won't take sides on the hard versus soft or corn versus flour debate. There's a time and a place for everything, so do what feels right. We only insist on one thing-warm them up! Bland, rigid tortillas will ruin any taco. Either wrap them in in parchment-lined foil and pop in a 400 degree oven for 5 minutes, or toast them over medium heat in a heavy skillet. We love to see few spots of char dot the surface. Even those crunchy tortillas need a few minutes to toast up in the oven. Really want to wow your guests? Make them from scratch.
The Protein (or Veg!)
Your
Blog Posts by Everyday Food
6 Easy Steps to the Perfect Cinco De Mayo Taco
By Everyday Food | Everyday Food – Fri, May 3, 2013 12:31 PM EDTMake it Your Own: 4 Ways to Homemade Muffins
By Everyday Food | In The Pantry – Wed, May 1, 2013 1:50 PM EDT
Read More »from Make it Your Own: 4 Ways to Homemade Muffins
ertgrd
Store-bought baking mix is a handy starting point for a batch of homemade muffins. Bake up a classic blueberry or raid your kitchen cabinets for a deliciously creative combo. Using applesauce and buttermilk in place of some of the oil cuts back on fat.
Related: 15 Kitchen Shortcuts That Will Change the Way You Cook
Lighter Blueberry Muffins
Cooking spray
1 3/4 cups all-purpose baking mix (spooned and leveled)
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup applesauce
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup blueberries
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 12 standard muffin cups with paper liners; lightly coat liners with cooking spray.
2. Whisk together baking mix and sugar. In a large bowl, whisk together applesauce, buttermilk, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Fold in dry mixture until just combined, then gently fold in blueberries.
Related: 31 Delicious, No-Fail Cookie Recipes
3. Divide batter evenly among cups, filling each to the brim. Bake until a toothpickA Healthy, Original Taco Recipe -- Perfect for Cinco De Mayo!
By Everyday Food | Everyday Food – Mon, Apr 29, 2013 4:33 PM EDT
A few key ingredients come together to make a flavorful, healthy taco filling. Everyday Food editor Sarah shows you how to make this Mexican-inspired meal.
Related: 15 Kitchen Shortcuts That Will Change the Way You Cook
Tacos with Tangy Cilantro Chicken
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, quartered
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium white onion, diced small
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
1 serrano chile, diced small (optional)
1/2 pound tomatillos, diced large
3/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
12 crisp taco shells
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack (6 ounces)
2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
Related: Favorite One-Pot Meals for the Family
1. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. In a large heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add onion, cumin, and chile, if using, and cook 3 minutes. Add tomatillos and 1 cup water, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon; season with salt and Read More »from A Healthy, Original Taco Recipe -- Perfect for Cinco De Mayo!Perfect Pork, Every Time: Your Cheat Sheet to the Other White Meat
By Everyday Food | Everyday Food – Fri, Apr 26, 2013 4:04 PM EDT
Cooking pork (and meat in general) is all about choosing the right combination of cut and cooking technique. We're taking away the guesswork by giving you a handy chart -- think of it as a dinner cheat sheet. Read on to get the scoop on pork.
Related: Quick, Delicious Pork Recipes
Read More »from Perfect Pork, Every Time: Your Cheat Sheet to the Other White Meat
Related: Bacon, 46 Ways to Cook and Eat It
Chop, chop!
More from Everyday Food:
15 Kitchen Shortcuts That Will Change the Way You Cook
Favorite One-Pot Meals for the Family
31 Delicious, No-Fail Cookie Recipes
10 Healthy and Delicious Smoothie Recipes to Try4 Secrets of Cooking Great Seafood (Hint: It's Easier Than You Think!)
By Everyday Food | Shine Food – Tue, Apr 23, 2013 5:36 PM EDT
Read More »from 4 Secrets of Cooking Great Seafood (Hint: It's Easier Than You Think!)
Don't be fooled by the rumors; seafood is not that hard to cook. And with so many types of fish and shellfish, you won't run out of ideas to add variety to your weekly dinner menu. Seafood lends itself well to different cooking techniques, which can help you mix it up even more. Hear are our top four tips to make your next seafood meal a winner.
1. Fish has very little connective tissue and fat, so there can be a fine line between perfectly cooked fish and an overcooked dinner. When cooking fish, a general rule is to allow 10 minutes of cooking time per inch of thickness-measuring at the thickest point of the fillet. The time can vary depending on the type of fish, so check on yours before the 10-minute mark.
Related: 15 Kitchen Shortcuts That Will Change the Way You Cook
2. Shrimp turn pink and become firmer when they cook. A sign of doneness is when the flesh becomes opaque throughout. It takes 2 to 5 minutes to boil or steam one pound of shrimp (it depends on the size).
3. ScallopsGreen Your Table: The 6 Best Dishes for Earth Day
By Everyday Food | Shine Food – Fri, Apr 19, 2013 10:50 AM EDTWhat better way to celebrate Earth Day than by eating seasonal spring vegetables like asparagus and radishes? Choosing in-season produce lets you take advantage of local offerings, helping you avoid fruits and veggies that were picked weeks ago and shipped halfway around the world. Read on for our top picks in fresh spring dishes.
More from Everyday Food:
Easy, Everyday Meatless Recipes10 Healthy and Delicious Smoothie Recipes to Try
15 Kitchen Shortcuts That Will Change the Way You Cook
Favorite One-Pot Meals for the Family
Read More »from Green Your Table: The 6 Best Dishes for Earth DayYour Kitchen Questions, Answered: What on Earth is Curry?
By Everyday Food | Shine Food – Thu, Apr 18, 2013 10:28 AM EDT
Read More »from Your Kitchen Questions, Answered: What on Earth is Curry?
Many recipes calls for curry powder, but what exactly is curry? The word can mean a variety of things depending on the context. Read on to learn more about this South Asian staple, and you'll be talking like a curry pro in no time.
The leaf: There are actual curry trees (really!); they're native to India and Sri Lanka. The fragrant leaves are used to flavor -- wait for it -- curries! Leaves are dried or roasted and then blended into a spice mix, or added to the oil at the beginning of cooking to infuse flavor throughout the dish.
Related: 15 Kitchen Shortcuts That Will Change the Way You Cook
The spice mix: Lots of recipes use store-bought curry powder, but in southern Asia, most home cooks are not grabbing a premixed box of spices. In this sense, the word "curry" represents a number of different spice concoctions used in that area of the world. In India, each region has its own distinctive curry mix, with home cooks personalizing the flavors even more. Most curry powders includeAround the World at Home: 6 Ways to Spice Up Your Soup Routine
By Everyday Food | Shine Food – Wed, Apr 17, 2013 11:19 AM EDTAfter a long winter of soup consumption, you may be tiring of liquid meals, but maybe you just need to step outside your comfort (food) zone. To stay excited about one of our favorite light lunches and dinners, we're looking to soups inspired by flavors from other countries. Read on for our global ideas.
More from Everyday Food:
Easy, Everyday Meatless Recipes
10 Healthy and Delicious Smoothie Recipes to Try
Spring Salad Recipes for Lunch and Dinner
Favorite One-Pot Meals for the Family
Read More »from Around the World at Home: 6 Ways to Spice Up Your Soup RoutineDinner for Breakfast: 5 Ways to Transform Your Leftovers
By Everyday Food | Shine Food – Tue, Apr 16, 2013 4:50 PM EDTIt's easy to rest on our breakfast laurels-after all, everyone loves a bowl of their favorite cereal with milk (any Cinnamon Life fans out there?). But we also love to mix it up in the morning with new and creative breakfasts ideas. The downside? Waking up painfully early to make them. Our solution is two-fold: take advantage of last night's dinner leftovers to reinvent this morning's breakfast in a flash.
More from Everyday Food:
Easy, Everyday Meatless Recipes
10 Healthy and Delicious Smoothie Recipes to Try
Spring Salad Recipes for Lunch and Dinner
Favorite One-Pot Meals for the Family
Read More »from Dinner for Breakfast: 5 Ways to Transform Your LeftoversOui, Oui!: 5 Classic French Desserts Made Easy at Home
By Everyday Food | Shine Food – Mon, Apr 15, 2013 11:28 AM EDTFrench desserts like crème caramel and tarte tatin have a certain je ne sais quoi. Even their names sound impressive! And the good news is that these classic French desserts only look fussy. In reality, they're no more challenging than your go-to everyday treats. So go ahead and make your guests think you're a pastry chef extraordinaire -- only you will know how easy it was!
More from Everyday Food:
31 Delicious, No-Fail Cookie Recipes
Bacon, 46 Ways to Cook and Eat It
10 Healthy and Delicious Smoothie Recipes to Try
Favorite One-Pot Meals for the Family
Read More »from Oui, Oui!: 5 Classic French Desserts Made Easy at Home
