Zero-Time Meal – Beef Tacos

---

I ain’t got time for this!

Zero-Time Recipe: Beef Tacos

• Just after you’ve served your kids breakfast (8 or 9am) put fresh or frozen ground beef in the slow cooker. Do not brown it first. That would involve standing at the stove, watching it, which would make it a short-time meal, not zero-time.
• While your kid says, “Watch me, watch me!” Set on high for four hours. Now you can look at your kid.

• Just after lunch (At around 12:30 or 1:00pm) the beef will look like this:

• Tell you’re child you will help them find their monster truck in a second. Now, take the beef out of the slow cooker, drain the fat and liquid, then put meat back in and break up into pieces.

• Add chopped peppers and green onions. I usually do about 2 cups peppers and 1 cup green onions.
• Note: You can buy precut frozen peppers and onions. I like to use green onions in recipes because they don’t require sautéing first. You can hold them overtop and just snip them with scissors. I pre-chop my peppers with a pampered chef tool when I have a few minutes, then throw them in a freezer bag so I can sprinkle them on things. I do the same with green onions when they’re in season.
• Let it slow cook on low until you have time to come back to it after school or shortly before dinner.

• While your child says, “Mom, I’m trying to tell you something!” Add Spices.
• You could easily use a packet of taco seasoning.
• Here is my Jacquified seasoning for three pounds of beef. I usually I just throw them in, but I have tried to measure:
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 tsp each chili powder and cumin
  • 4 tsp Italian Seasoning
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • Juice from half a lime
  • 1/2 cup salsa
• Set slow cooker to “keep warm.”

• 

• Cook taco shells in oven (follow package instructions), while the kids sit at the table, pounding it and saying, “We want food! We want food!” The extra crispy shells are totally worth it. You can use the time to let some of the beef cool down in a bowl.
• I don’t have time for a million toppings. It’s flavourful as it is. It’s great just with salsa. Adding grated cheese is even better!

---