From the Keepin’ it Simple kitchen, we bring you another rousing rendition of the Fat Man Cookith.
But first, I’d like to thank my daughter for taking time away from YouTube to create the caricature for the logo. Although, I must admit, while my shoulders are that broad, the real-to-life shape is far more spherical. But hey, I’ll take it.
Getting back to today’s creation, I’m a single dad with a full-time job and numerous side hustles. Hey, bills are expensive. So, while I like to create tasty food, the less time it takes, the better.
Most Tuesdays, without fail in our household, are Taco Tuesdays. I long ago quit using pre-made seasoning as it lacked a quality of flavor.
For my meat, I’ll use anywhere from ground beef or pork, to shredded beef or pork, the latter two of which require cook time in the crock pot.
No, this week, I opted for ground pork. One, because it’s tasty and two it was a few days from payday, so shelling out $15 plus for a 5-pound container of ground beef was not an option. Frugality, you are my friend.
Let me preface this by saying if you want authentic Mexican-style tacos … this is not the place for you. I happen to love Mexican cuisine. Actual Mexican cuisine. There are a couple of great examples of it here in the valley.
No, this is my Americanized version, further dumbed down because one of us in this household, who shall remain nameless, is a picky eater.
Ingredient List
- 1 pound of ground beef/pork or shredded beef/pork
- 1 block cheese
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoons cumin
- ¼ teaspoon onion salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic salt
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 bag of either soft shell tacos or nacho/tortilla chips
Optional ingredients
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Frank’s Red Hot
The Process
After thawing the meat, I place it into the pan, mash it up into small bits and start letting it cook on medium heat. I try to keep it lower to allow time to handle the other steps.
While the meat is cooking, I then mix all the ingredients using my mortar and pestle. As stated above, if I’m making this just for me, I add in the red pepper flakes and cayenne. My daughter isn’t a major fan of spicy food—yet—so I normally leave it out.
After that’s done, I’ll turn back to the meat, continuing to mix it up a few times to ensure even cooking.
Once again, divert your attention this time to the cheese. Do not, I repeat, do not be lazy and buy pre-shredded cheese. And for the love of everything that his holy, don’t save a buck and buy imitation shredded cheese product. The difference in taste is noticeable … and it’s bad.
No folks just shred your own cheese. Your taste buds will thank you for it.
After that’s done and the meat is ready, add the seasoning and mix. Now this is personal preference, but I prefer to leave some of the cooked fat in the pan in order to help mix the seasoning around with the meat. Some people drain the fat and use water. It’ not for me.
“Plating” Options
On this day, again pay week, we opted for an individual bag of Doritos to serve as the bed for my daughter’s meal. I evenly spread the chips around the bowl, poured the freshly cooked and seasoned meat atop, and then sprinkled with cheese.
I took mine carnivore style, meat, and cheese only … with a liberal helping of Frank’s Red Hot and chipotle sauce. Watch those carbs people.
Other times, I’ll use soft shell tacos. I’ve even used larger burrito-style shells, sprinkled the ingredients in the center, added some crushed chips, folded it over and lightly browned the outside like a crunchy wrap. Healthy? No. But this isn’t the Healthy Nutritionist Cookith. I figured the warning was in the title.
I’ll most likely rejoin you for another segment as the holiday season grows near when I channel my German heritage mother and fill my kitchen with the sounds of Christmas and the smells of every spice imaginable.
Until then, happy eating.
