Easy dinner - jacket potatoes

This isn't much of a recipe, more a reminder that it can be handy to make double batches of food so you have a spare meal in the freezer.

When you make tacos do you make a double batch of the meat mixture and freeze some of it?  That's what I do.  A few weeks ago we had tacos and I froze some leftover mince, and last night I didn't feel like cooking so I baked some large potatoes in the oven and filled them with the taco meat, added some grated cheese and sour cream and dinner was ready.

For those of you who live in one- or two-person households it's a great idea to make up a batch (or two) of taco filling and freeze it in small portions.  That way you can have tacos, or jacket potatoes, whenever you feel like it.


For those who like a recipe and detailed instructions on freezing and defrosting, here goes...



Taco filling

olive oil
1 onion, chopped
500g lean beef mince
1 packet (35g) of taco seasoning


Heat some oil in a large frypan over medium heat and add onion.  Cook for a few minutes or until the onion is translucent.  Push onion to the side, turn up the heat and add the beef.  Cook for several minutes or until the meat is browned, breaking up large clumps of meat as it cooks.

Add taco seasoning and 3/4 cup (170ml) of water and simmer for 5-10 minutes or until most of the water has evaporated and the mixture has thickened.  Allow to cool.

Note:
* you can add diced red capsicum (bell pepper) when you cook the onion
* you can add a 400g tin of kidney beans (drain and rinse first) when you add the water and taco seasoning.


Freeze:  Spoon the mixture into plastic containers or ziplock bags and store in the freezer

Defrost:  In the fridge or in the microwave

Reheat:  Reheat in the microwave or in a saucepan until piping hot.  Add some water if it's too dry.

Serve:  In taco shells with shredded lettuce, grated cheese, sour cream, guacamole, chilli sauce etc.  Or serve in jacket potatoes.



Jacket potatoes

Buy large potatoes and wash well.  Use a fork to pierce the skin in several places then place the potatoes directly on the oven rack.  Bake in 220C oven for about an  hour or until tender (use a sharp knife to pierce the potato to see if it's cooked through).

Remove from oven, cut open, spread a little butter on the inside of the potato then fill with the taco mince, grated cheese and sour cream.  Season with salt and pepper.