Inspired by my friend Ritu and her family’s weekly tradition of “Taco Tuesdays”, we decided to make our own. Ritu gave me a McCormick Taco seasoning mix packet which is pretty good but if you want to save
some money, you can make your own “taco seasoning” with cumin,
coriander, chilli powder (optional), oregano, salt and pepper. Kids
enjoy assembling their own food and this could be a fun birthday party
food idea, followed by make-your-own ice-cream sundaes. That’s my kind
of party . Maybe we can do this for MY birthday party – why should Ria have all the fun?

Tacos are all the rage these days, and you can put almost anything in a taco – even Indian or Chinese food. Tacos are a great vehicle for almost any kind of leftover. I am dying to try the Kogi Korean Taco Truck
in Southern California. May have to make them at home soon since SoCal
is a ways away. Just need a good recipe for bulgogi, kimchee and some
Asian slaw……

To get Ria interested in meals we sometimes call a regular meal a “party”. All you need is a catchy name for the party, some music (Bollywood music in our case), silly dancing to work up an appetite and
enthusiasm! Here are some ideas for fillings which I made recently for
a “Taco Tuesday Party”.

• Ground turkey fried with taco seasoning
• Sauteed spinach/chard
• Sauteed cubed zucchini with onions & oregano, topped with parmesan cheese
• Sauteed mushrooms with chilly flakes, salt & pepper. (Ria doesn’t eat mushrooms so we can make this one spicy)
• Black beans (out of can) made with onions, garlic, taco seasoning and a bay leaf
• Guacamole – I make ours out of cubed avocado, oregano, salt, pepper and lots of lemon/lime juice
• Queso fresco – my new favorite cheese. You can use feta but queso fresco is available at most regular grocery stores
• Sour cream or yogurt
• Salsa. Our current favorite is from Papalote in the Mission. This stuff is GOOD!! Even Bobby Flay thinks so. It is making its way into everything. Think grilled cheese sandwiches
  with this salsa. You can make your own or use any store-bought
  favorite you fancy. Another, item Ria does not like so we can have it
  spicy. Here’s a photo of the Papalote salsa to get your mouth
  watering. If you live in the Bay Area – you have to get some.

Go ahead and throw your own taco party and let us know how it goes!