Gourmet Trailer-Trash Tacos

Our friend Joe Sib says he likes to starve all day if he knows he's coming over for dinner.  The Sibs are vegetarians, we are are omnivores.  I bought a vegetarian cook book years ago and never tried any of the recipes (the meals didn't seam substantial) so I have no real experience in cooking with 'meat substitutions'.  My daughter Bean tried to be a vegetarian over the summer, it lasted one evening.  Generally if I make a vegetarian dish, it just has no meat and tofu is just 'tofu'.



Okay note to Self:  check out more photos of food and learn from the pros, this is not a very good composition...

 

Fortunately my sister turned me onto the best (and only) 'meatless ground' for tonight's meal.  Through out the cooking process Peter and Biebs were assured that  the 'real meat' is for "us, right?!"  So there you have it tonight's dinner with our dear friends:  veggie tacos for The Sibs and sirloin-turkey tacos for 'us'.  I mixed in frozen succotash for flavor into the ground meat/meatless and it's another way of getting vegetables into my family's diet.

Tonight's dessert was inspired by the triple digit (102 F on Miracle Mile!) heat wave.  We are took advantage of the warm whether and celebrated the last days of Summer: Strawberry Shortcake.    

We had store bought taco shells and ground meat for a festive and glamorous version of "loose meat" tacos (...my husband hates those words).  More shortcuts: store bought salsa and re-fried beans, I 'doctor' the beans with garlic and olive oil. I also combine sirloin and turkey ground meat because I think it's a little bit healthier. 

Food Rookie Note:  Make it easy and fun for a casual dinner with friends and have your guests pitch in with dessert, everyone feels helpful if they can contribute.  I have the Monkeys (my kids) help assemble the dessert: store bought angel food cake, vanilla bean ice-cream, fresh glazed strawberries, fresh blueberries, and whipped cream (spray can or home made is fine).  The Sibs brought all the dessert fixings (and drinks!) for tonight's meal.  Love breaking bread with friends.