Taco-Tuesday-on-Monday Night

Our family likes tacos, but my 6-year-old loves tacos.  We have a friend who grew up having tacos every Tuesday, and the idea intrigued me.  It sounded great and easy, but I was unsure if the fam would go for it.  Well, I made the decision for us; however, Tuesdays didn't work out with our schedule. So each Monday my oldest child starts salivating around 4:30 p.m., and I owe a huge part of that to this recipe.

Taco Seasoning (no MSG, Gluten, or other unknown ingredients)

1/2 cup chili powder
1/3 cup cumin
1 T paprika

2 T sea salt (or to taste)

2 T black pepper

2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp red pepper flakes

1.  Pour all ingredients into a jar and shake!  Use 3 tablespoons per pound of meat, and it lasts through 9-10 Taco-Tuesday-on-Monday Nights.

I also use this on vegetables and popcorn popped in coconut oil.  The recipe is easily reduced down if you want to try it before committing to so many spices.  A friend and I split bulk Starwest spices from Vitacost to help cut costs in our grocery budget while still using organic ingredients.

Whole Wheat Tortillas

My family absolutely loves these tortillas. When I make them I know to make a double batch, because they disappear so fast!

Ingredients:

* 2 3/4 whole wheat flour
* ½ tsp of salt
* 1 tsp baking powder
* ½ cup of olive oil
* 1 1/4 cup of hot water

Directions:

- Mix the flour and salt.
- Mix in the oil by hand until the mixture resembles small peas.
- Add the water slowly until you have a soft elastic ball. You may need to add a little more or less water, but do it slowly. You may not really need as much water as you think you do.
- Knead until smooth.
- Cover with a damp towel and then let rest 1-8 hours.

- Make about 16 golf ball sized balls.
- Flatten and roll each ball into a flat round disk.
- Cook on a very hot skillet. No oil is necessary.
- Flip when bottom side is golden, the top should be bubbling slightly when ready. Use a spatula to lift the edge and check for doneness before flipping completely.
- Keep the cooked tortillas warm by covering with a damp towel while you continue to cook.

Makes 16 tortillas @ 141 calories each

Cost:

Flour: $.25
Olive Oil: $.23
Salt/Baking Powder: >$.10

Total for 16 Tortillas: $. 58