Turkey Taco Bowls with Mexican Street Corn
Taco night has been the fall back for tired moms scrambling to feed their families since the 90's. Watching a frozen log of ground beef and a packet of taco seasoning transform into my favorite dinner felt like magic to an 8 year old little girl. Strangely enough, my kids aren’t fans of beef tacos, they do, however, adore ground turkey tacos. Thankfully I always keep a couple of pounds in the freezer for dinner emergencies. A jar of homemade taco seasoning is usually lying in wait in my pantry, but if not, I keep a stash of Siete taco seasoning packets! We love making taco nights a “make-your-own” adventure and add as many toppings and sides as we can muster. This Mexican Street Corn Dip is my favorite taco night addition that I picked up from my sister in law, who’s been feeding a family for eight years longer than I have! Once she taught me how to make it, frozen corn is always found in my freezer. Oh, the secret to it all? Lime juice! Don’t skimp on the fresh stuff, it makes a world of difference. I love my “taco night” all piled together in a bowl and scoop it right into my mouth with a tortilla chip!
Ingredients:
Makes 8 servings
Taco Meat:
2 pounds ground turkey (or beef if your family prefers)
1 tablespoon butter
2 heaping tablespoons of taco seasoning (either homemade recipe below or storebought)
juice of 2 limes
Mexican Street Corn:
2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon high quality mayo
a handful of cilantro, finely chopped
the juice of 1 lime
a dash of chili powder
a pinch of salt to taste
Homemade Taco Seasoning:
Makes enough for a few taco nights, but you can always double, nay, triple the recipe!
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon coconut sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon arrowroot powder
½ teaspoon chili powder or chipotle (use more or less depending on heat tolerance ;)
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions:
Heat a wide skillet over medium heat. Plop your butter in and let it melt. Add the ground meat to the pan and use the edge of a wooden spoon to chop it into little bits as it browns. You’ll probably need to pop back to the pan every few minutes and do this as it comtinues to brown. Once the meat is nice and browned and in little bits, grab a small bowl and mix the taco seasoning with the lime juice. Give a good stir and pour it over the cooked meat. If it seems too dry to mix through, don’t be afraid to add another splash of water. Stir until the seasoning is mixed through. Set it on low and let it chill while you make the corn.
Grab another skillet and heat it up to medium. Melt the butter and drop the frozen corn in. Let it sit until it starts to really brown and caramelize, like longer than you feel comfortable HA! Give it a stir and let it caramelize a bit more. Pour it into a bowl and immediately mix through the other ingredients. Taste for seasoning and serve!
(If you’re making the taco seasoning, just add it all to a jar and give it a good shake :)
