patching...
Update: Get Wyandotte Patch's top headlines delivered right to your inbox each day. Sign up here for our free daily e-newsletter. »
Welcome back, Patch Blogger!
Local Voices
A Busy Mom who LOVES to cook with her Slow Cooker(s)!

Walking Tacos in the Slow Cooker

I had my very first Walking Taco at my grandma's house!  Every year, we go to the Romeo Peach Festival and hang out with my family.  My grandma would make a giant batch of taco meat, buy a giant box of mini Doritos bags, lay out all the rest of the toppings and we would all feast on Walking Tacos!  They are incredibly yummy!

So, what is a "Walking Taco?"  It's a taco on the go!  Basically, you take a mini bag of Doritos, open it and crush up the chips, and add in all of your taco fixings!  SO much fun and super easy to do! 

I recently organized a Progressive Dinner in my neighborhood.  It was SOOOO much fun!  A Progressive Dinner is a dinner that "progresses" through the neighborhood.  We had appetizers at one family's house, salads at another's, the main course at my house and Desserts at our other neighbor's house.  We walked between houses and had tons of fun!  Since we had lots of kids in tow, I wanted to make sure we had something fun for the main course.  Walking Tacos it was!  They were a HUGE hit!!!

You don't have to throw a Progressive Party to have Walking Tacos though!  You can have them any day of the week.  What's even better, is you can make the taco meat right in your slow cooker.....without browning it in another pan first!!!!  (I hope this just made your night!!!!)  YES, you could come home to already prepared taco meat, and lay out a few toppings for your family, and everyone will be happy to be able to add what they like to their Walking Taco!

This would also make an awesome tailgating recipe, or Football Sunday feast!

For our gathering, I had tomatoes, onions, Mexican Blend Shredded Cheese, shredded lettuce, sour cream and, Mild Taco Sauce and Medium and Mild Salsa.  You don't have to get this complicated.  Just use what you have and what your family likes.

Walking Tacos - Slow Cooker Taco Meat

Ingredients:
2 lbs. ground beef
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. Cumin
2 Tbsp. Chili Powder
1 tsp. salt
1 small onion, minced (I used  1 tsp. of Tastefully Simple Onion Onion instead)
1 clove garlic, minced (I used 1 tsp. of Tastefully Simple Garlic Garlic instead)
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

Directions: (I used a 2 Quart Crock for this)
Place all of your spices in a bowl and mix it up. "Crumble" your raw ground beef into your crock.  Sprinkle your seasoning onto your beef and stir it up.  Cook HIGH for 1 hour to "brown" the beef a bit.  Stir it up and break it up a bit.  Then, cook it on LOW for 5-6 hours, or on HIGH for 2.5-3 hours.  I took out quite a bit of grease before serving.  My husband said "But that's where all the flavor is!"  but I'm here to tell you, it was STILL plenty flavorful!

From here, you open your mini bag of doritos, crush up the chips and add the meat and toppings you like into the bag.  Stir it up and enjoy!

For the original blog post, with step-by-step pictures and instructions, please click here.

For more great slow cooker recipes, please visit www.slowcookeradventures.com

Happy Slow-Cooking!
Hope 

Joyce Pitrone Hawkins

9:54 am on Sunday, September 16, 2012

Sounds great for tailgating, but do you need a fork or just use the Doritos to scoop?

By the way, Hope, you can't post a comment on your blog...the "prove you're not a robot" feature isn't working.

Reply
Comment_arrow

Hope Comerford

10:24 am on Sunday, September 16, 2012

Yes, you need a fork, because you crush the doritos up in the bag. :) Sorry, should have said that!

Hopefully the "comment" feature on my blog is a temporary blogger glitch! (Crossing my fingers anyway!) I just double-checked my settings and all is how it should be. I really appreciate you trying to leave a comment though!!! All comments are appreciated!

Dorothy

7:41 am on Tuesday, September 18, 2012

I was wondering the same thing.

Reply

Lana

9:33 am on Tuesday, September 18, 2012

It works great with Fritos too!

Reply
Comment_arrow

Hope Comerford

7:01 pm on Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Yes, I'm sure that would be delicious!

Comment_arrow

Clare Pfeiffer Ramsey

12:39 pm on Wednesday, September 19, 2012

I've seen them with Fritos at a local fundraiser. Lots of fun! Hope, I was going to make these at home but was trying to think of a healthy option instead of Doritos or Fritos. I've got nothing. Maybe this isn't the place for a healthy option.

macombresident

12:22 pm on Wednesday, September 19, 2012

These are a staple at any local horse show...terrific!

Reply

Gary M. Wilson, Esq.

1:01 pm on Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Also a classic school-lunch staple in southwest for decades. I remember childhood friends talking about the "Frito pies" that they were served in school.

Reply

Hope Comerford

9:56 pm on Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Clare,
Not sure a healthier option would be a "walking" option. You could make these with the baked tortilla chips in individual jars, etc.

Reply

Leave a comment