Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Low-Carb Love for Your Leftover Taco Meat from Cleo Coyle #LowCarb #Leftovers #Keto

Waste not!

Do you have leftover love? Like chefs running a busy restaurant, my husband and I can't stand to waste good food. And, to be honest, second day meals are often as good (or even better) than the first.

Case in point: Taco Day.

We often make extra taco meat and use the leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day. Do you do the same? If so, let us know in the comments how you like to make use of your leftovers. Today we're sharing two of our many "Leftover Love" solutions...

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A Note from Cleo

Our first leftover idea (pictured below) is one Marc and I originally shared back in 2011 and again in our 11th Coffeehouse Mystery, A Brew to a Kill.

Our recipe for Mini Taco Cups requires only 1/2 cup of the meat for every six treats, an economical way to "waste not" in your kitchen. Because these cups can be filled in many ways, the method is a keeper for creating nutritious snacks and pretty appetizers for party trays, so keep them in mind for the upcoming holidays.

Our second idea (The Taco Salad) is a common one, but also a clever solution for those looking for low-carb (and keto) meal options.

The key to making any Taco Salad really great (in our opinion, of course) is our sour cream-lime dressing. So easy and so good. Read on for the details and...

May you eat with (leftover) joy!

~ Cleo

Leftover Love Idea #1

Click here to read our full recipe
blog post on Mini Taco Cups.

To read our *full post* on this recipe,
originally published in our 2011,
click here or on the image above.

🍴

To download a free PDF

of this recipe that you can

print, save or share, click here.

Click for Free Recipe Guide.

Leftover Love

Idea #2

This idea is especially wonderful
for those of you looking for low-carb and
keto meal options. It's incredibly tasty, and
(believe me) you will not miss the tortilla!

DIRECTIONS:

Start with fresh, cold, crisp romaine lettuce (which not only delivers good flavor but also great nutrition). Chop the lettuce and fill a large bowl, as shown in the photo below.

Core, de-seed, and chop a vine ripened tomato (be sure to de-seed for the best texture in your salad). Scatter the chopped tomato over the lettuce.

Dice a bit of green bell pepper and add it to the bowl...

Microwave some of your leftover taco meat. Make sure it's piping hot and spoon it over the cold lettuce, chopped tomato, and diced pepper.

Sprinkle shredded Colby Jack cheese over the hot meat...

As you wait for the cheese to melt (as shown below), prepare the taco salad's Sour Cream-Lime Dressing...

CLEO'S SOUR CREAM-LIME DRESSING

This simple dressing is what really makes this salad amazing.

Add a nice helping of sour cream to a small bowl (as shown below). Squeeze in two wedges of lime, splash in a bit of white vinegar (I use rice vinegar), and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk well and pour over your taco salad...

Finish the salad with chopped, fresh cilantro.

If you like, add a dollop of fresh guacamole, and...

🍴

To download a free PDF of this

Taco Salad recipe that you can
print, save, or share, click here.

Click for free Recipe Guide.

☕

Eat with (leftover) joy!

~ Cleo Coyle

New York Times bestselling author
of The Coffeehouse Mysteries &
Haunted Bookshop Mysteries

Alice and Marc in Central Park.

Together we write as Cleo Coyle.

Learn more about us here.
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Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Mini Taco Cups or What to do with 1/2 cup of Leftover Taco Filling by Cleo Coyle

For almost ten years now, my husband and I have been full-time professional fiction writers; and, believe me, any New York City household that makes its entire income on building castles in the air had better be pinching pennies on the ground. :)

My husband, Marc, in our little Queens (NY) kitchen.
Who says tough guys don't do dishes?

Marc and I don’t have a car. We don't have a dishwasher - at least, not the electric kind.

We schlep our groceries (like any determined Italian nonna) with a hand-push cart. Sure, it's a pain when it rains, but even Michelangelo would covet my husband’s calf muscles.

We bring coupons to the register. We cook at home almost every day; and, of course, when it comes to using leftovers, we’ve got game.

Tacos make quick, easy meals for us, as I’m sure they do for many of you. So...

What do we do with the
leftover filling from these?

We make six of these...

The technique is very basic, which means you can adapt it to any kind of mini quiche. For instance…

Replace the taco filling with crumbled bacon and shredded Swiss and you have a mini quiche Lorraine. Or go vegetarian with sauteed mushrooms and onions and a bit of Gruyere. Try shredded chicken and sharp cheddar; chunks of ham and green pepper with Monterey Jack…

The only limit is your imagination...and the leftovers in your fridge. :)

Cleo Coyle, leftover lover
and author of the long-running
(10 books as of August!)
Coffeehouse Mysteries

Cleo Coyle's
Mini Taco Cups

Makes 6 Mini Taco Cups
or Muffin Pan Quiches

🍴

To download a free PDF
of this recipe that you can
print, save or share, click here.
Or use the printer friendly
button at the end of this post...

You will need:
1 six-cup muffin pan
6 paper cupcake liners

Ingredients:
2 soft flour tortillas, about 8-inches in diameter (e.g. Mission brand “medium taco” size)
2 eggs
1/3 cup low fat milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of ground pepper (I use white pepper)
1/2 cup filling (taco filling or see more veggie and meat filling ideas at the end of this recipe)
1/2 cup shredded cheese (cheddar or see ideas at end)
Additional garnishes/toppings (salsa, guacamole, sour cream, etc.)

Step 1: Prep oven and tortilla crusts - Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut each tortilla into quarters. Place paper cupcake liners into each of the 6 muffin cups. Tuck each tortilla quarter into each cup.

Step 2: Fill cups - Divide your taco filling (or the meat or veggie filling of your choice) into each of the six muffin cups. On top of each cup, place a bit of shredded cheese.

Step 3: Finish with egg-milk mixture - Whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper. Divide this liquid evenly among the muffin cups. (During baking this mixture will rise and inflate like a popover so the liquid should fill only about half of each cup.)

Step 4 - Bake in your preheated oven for about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove and garnish with your favorite toppings, such as sour cream, salsa, guacamole.

Alternate filling Ideas:

Meat: Traditional taco fillings (ground meat, chicken, or shredded pork); crumbled bacon; chopped sausage; cubed ham; pepperoni; shredded smoked salmon.

Veggie: Sauteed onions and mushrooms; sauteed spinach and garlic; chopped steamed broccoli; sweet bell peppers and onions sauteed in olive oil

Cheese ideas: Swiss; cheddar; Monterey Jack; Colby; queso blanco; Gruyere; Asiago, mozzarella; provolone (or a combo of 2 or more)

Additional Suggestions:

Mini Quiche Lorraine cup
(crumbled bacon and shredded Swiss)

Mini Spinach Quiche cup
Mini Broccoli and cheddar cup

Mini Cheeseburger Cup

Mini Pepper and Onion Cup

Eat (your leftovers)
with joy!

Cleo Coyle, author of
The Coffeehouse Mysteries

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