Arriba! Four ways to repurpose leftover taco fixings
By Sharon Miki, Humour Editor
It’s taco night. You’ve slaved over the preparations: chopping vegetables, frying meat, arranging stand-and-stuff taco shells. If you’re anything like me, you enjoy the meal, and then leave the bits and pieces chilling on the counter—just in case you might want more. After a few hours, you’re totally sick of tacos, and you throw the broken shells and remnants of your fiesta in the trash. What a waste… why not repurpose those bits into new meals and save a bit of cash?
Taco Salad. The easy way to turn your leftovers into a fun new meal is to literally throw everything onto a big bed of lettuce. Bonus? It’s a healthier alternative to traditional tacos, while still getting those flavours in your mouth.
Fiesta Casserole. Have some leftover ground beef, cheese, tomatoes, and veggies? Cook half a package of your favourite pasta al dente, and mix it all together with a bit of tomato sauce. Pop it in the oven for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees until it’s all hot—then crumble some leftover or broken shells on top for crunch.
Taco Bell-Style Fried Rice. This is basically a fancy Asian fusion dish: cook a cup of rice, then add it to a frying pan with an egg. Throw in your leftover taco ingredients and fry until the flavours are blended to your liking. The mix of the taco seasoning with the rice is muy bien!
Soup à la Tacos. If you don’t have much time and are feeling the strain of your budget, use your leftover taco fixings to spice up a plain ol’ can of tomato soup. Mix it all together in a pot until warm—and, again, it never hurts to sprinkle some taco shells on top for garnish.
