Family Tex Mex Recipe
What is Tex Mex food exactly? In this context, the Tex Mex recipe is a style of cooking that includes a blend of Mexican and southern American influences, taking its name from the bordering Texas and Mexico.
Mexicans are credited with the introduction of tortillas and corn chips, while the Texans are the proud suppliers of beef, and loads of cheese, calls queso.
This Tex Mex recipe is by no means an authentic Mexican dish, but is inspired by the flavors we know and love. For this recipe, I’ve held back on the beans and jalapeños which are a welcome addition. In my house however, the texture of beans is enough to draw tears, thus their omission. And as for jalapeños, my 8 year old has not yet acquired a taste for them.
If you have a favorite ground beef recipe that you use for easy beef cottage pie or spaghetti Bolognese, that will work here too, as long as it’s not too saucy. A thicker consistency is much easier to work with.
This is a quick and easy Tex Mex recipe and uses ingredients that we commonly have around the house. The whole family loves it, so it’s one of those no-brainer meals that you can throw together in 15 to 20 minutes. As you eat Tex Mex with your hands, since it includes tortillas, it’s an enjoyable family meal that’s just the right amount of messy to be fun food.
This Tex Mex Recipe makes 6 to 8 servings.
Ingredients:
Minced Beef
1-1/2 Pounds (700g) Ground Beef. 80/20 is best.
1 x large onion, finely chopped
1 x Tbsp Vegetable stock powder
1 x 8 – 10 oz (250g) Tin of tomato & onion mix
Optional: 30ml Sweet Chili Sauce
For Serving:
Nachos and/or Tortilla Chips
Whole Wheat Wraps
Cream Cheese or Cheese Spread
1 package grated Cheddar or Gouda Cheese
1 jar Salsa or Tomato & Onion Relish
Guacamole or fresh Avocado
A few drops of Tobacco Sauce, for those who like a little bite
(Nachos, wraps, salsa & guacamole can be home made, but in this case, you can use store bought for convenience)
Directions:
Using a large pan or pot, fry the onions in a little coconut oil on Medium heat until they are translucent. This is a healthier fat than Canola oil.
When the onions are ready, add the minced meat and season with the powdered vegetable stock. This is a shortcut to seasoning and adds great flavor to the dish.
Mix together and allow the meat and onions to brown. Drain fat.
Once the minced meat is a cooked, add the tomato and onion mix. If you prefer a hint of sweet in the meat , add about 2 tablespoons (30 ml’s) of sweet chili sauce to the mix.
Mix and serve.
Serving Suggestions
The wraps, nachos, mince and other serving ingredients in this delicious and easy Tex Mex recipe can all be placed in individual serving bowls, each with a spoon. Dish up individual servings or let everyone help themselves as they custom create thier favorite combination.
This is a great meal to eat around a table or in a family friendly patio space where clean up is easy. Everyone should have easy access to the ingredients bowls. It’s a creative process, and combines a great collection of different flavors and textures.
Tex Mex food offers a lot of sensory play for children, with the added bonus that they get to put it in their mouth, feeding themselves at the same time.
The nachos or tortilla chips can be dipped or layered with ingredients, depending on what you prefer.
For the wraps, spread a layer of the cheese spread or cream cheese, then add a tablespoon or three of mince, followed by guacamole, salsa and grated cheese.
Add a dash of Tabasco sauce to taste, kids will most likely skip this step.
Don’t overfill the wrap, or your last few bites will be a disaster as the back spills out the excess.
Create a fold at the bottom of the wrap before rolling it closed to help keep everything together.
This Tex Mex dish is a great warm-up meal for the next day if you have any leftovers.
Add a South African Twist
Like Americans, South Africans are a big meat eating nation. Lots of space, means lots of grazing land for cattle, so they have an abundant supply of beef.
If you want to give this recipe, or any other, a hint of a South African flavor, heres how.
Use Chutney
Chutney is a sauce that has its origins in Indian cuisine. Typically, it is made with peaches and preserved with vinegar, a savory sweet version of jam. Add it to the ground beef instead of sweet chilly to give this Tex Mex meat a fruity flavor.
Adding fruit to a beef recipe may sound strange, but this theme carries through to another popular South African dish called Bobotie. This is a meatloaf like dish that is made with raisins.
Definitely worth a try.
Mielie Pap
This is the South African version of what’s known to the rest of the world as corn flour. Mielie Pap is a coarse flour made from corn. It can be used to make nacho’s, but is traditionally made into a firm mash.
The consistency is similar to a thick porridge or mashed potato). It is eaten with meat dishes as well as relishes and chutney.
With the many cultural influences that shape South African Cuisine, comes a weird and wonderful collection of foods that are mouth wateringly delicious.
If you still have space in your belly for dessert, look up a recipe for Milk Tart, Koeksisters or Vetkoek. Not kind on the hips, but unforgettable on the lips!
Author Bio:
Bianca was born in South Africa to a family of food lovers. Her father was a chef, and having traveled extensively, he introduced her to a wide range of tastes and flavors from a young age.
Although the pace of life does not always allow her much time in the kitchen, food has remained a creative outlet and a way for her family to come together.
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