4 Mouth-Watering Recipes for Taco Tuesday (plus a shortcut you'll adore!)

With 8 people eating dinner at our place every night, it's not often that I can find a meal that pleases every single person. But tacos? Crowd-pleaser, every time. I've got a whole bunch of recipes at the bottom of this post if you're looking for a little inspiration for Taco Tuesday or Cinco de Mayo, but tacos are good any day of the week, so give these a try soon!

A couple friends recommended these taco boats and they were so adorable I had to make little sails for them, obviously! They were so, so much easier to fill than the regular tortillas I usually use, so I was able to have them assembled for the kids so that they could add any extra toppings they wanted. Such a simple shortcut, but definitely one we'll be coming back to.

Don't give toothpicks to little kids! We removed them before eating, of course.

I headed to Wal-Mart for some last minute Easter supplies and picked up a few fun new varieties of taco shell - I couldn't believe how much is available!



When I was a kid it was either hard tacos, or soft tacos. But now? Flavored shells, standing hard tacos, taco boats... There's something for everyone.

It's nice to have a meal where the whole family's happy with what's being served - no drama at the table means we can focus on each other! 

(You already know the trick to cubing avocado neatly, right? Cut it crosswise in the peel, *then* scoop it out - perfect every time!)

These sweet little mini taco boats made it easy for the kids to fill their own tacos, and they were so excited to eat them! Mary Claire says this is her favorite meal ever, and she wants it for her birthday. Can do, kiddo! We'll be picking some up for Cinco de Mayo too, and I'm sure we'll have to find more excuses to use them.

We all had to wait while John Paul (who is 7, and so needs a full-sized taco boat) made a jolly roger flag for his. Amazing, am I right?

Can I just say how much I adore these standing hard taco shells? I'm absolutely team hard taco, but they're so darned hard to serve if you want more than one at a time! Game changer, right here.

The mini taco boats ended up fitting perfectly in the kids' mouths, and there was ZERO mess on their plates afterwards - no spilling! I didn't even think that was possible!

Are tacos as big a hit in your family as they are in mine? Here are 4 recipes to add to your arsenal! Keep the pantry stocked with tortillas, shells, and adorable taco boats and you'll always have a meal ready to go - here are some of our favorites:

Easy Taco Seasoning:

Mix:

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp salt (plus more to taste)

1 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp oregano 

(Add cayenne pepper for more heat)

Good for 1 lb of meat

Turkey Tacos:

-1 green pepper, diced

-1/2 onion, diced

-3 cloves garlic, minced

-1 lb ground turkey

-1 tbsp olive oil

- Taco seasoning (recipe above)

- 1/2 cup water

1. Cook green pepper, onion, and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until softened

.2. Add turkey and cook until browned

3. Stir in taco seasoning and water, simmer 5 minutes

4. Serve in your favorite Old El Paso taco shells

If you're short on time, just brown your turkey (beef works great too!), and simmer with seasoning and water.

Want to switch it up? Try chicken tacos or black bean tacos!

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos:

-1 lb chicken breasts

-2 cups salsa

1. Place 1 lb chicken breasts on the bottom of a slow cooker.

2. Cover with 2 cups of your favorite salsa

3. Cook on high for 4 hours, low for 6-8 hours

4. Use forks or a stand mixer to shred and stir

5. Serve in Old El Paso Taco Boats with all your favorite toppings

Slow Cooker Black Bean Tacos:

-1 lb dried black beans

-6 cups chicken broth

-1/2 tsp cumin, garlic powder, paprika, oregano, salt, and onion powder

.1. Pour 1 pound dry black beans in your slow cooker

2. Cover with 5-6 cups chicken broth

3. Add 1/2 tsp cumin, garlic powder, paprika, oregano, salt, and onion powder

4. Stir, then cook on high for 4-6 hours

5. Serve with your favorite garnishes and Old El Paso Taco Boats