HEB/ConAgra Meal Maker Challenge Week #1: Salsarific Taco Skillet...Featuring HEB Smoky Citrus Salsa #HEBMeals

Welcome, everyone, to Week #1 of the H-E-B/ ConAgra Foods Meal Maker Challenge. For the next five Sundays, ten Texas food bloggers -- including yours truly -- will be sharing lots of great easy family meal ideas. All featured recipes contain no more than seven ingredients and are ready to eat in 30 minutes or less. These recipes are ideal for the upcoming back-to-school rush, easily feeding a family of four. Each week's recipes are built around a theme ingredient that's an H-E-B or ConAgra product. Just wait until you see what I have for you this week!

This week's theme ingredient is H-E-B Salsa. There are several different flavors to choose from, but the Smoky Citrus immediately caught my eye. Flavored with smoky chipotle chile and lime, I knew it was just the flavor profile I was looking for. I knew that I wanted to make a skillet meal, because they are ideal for busy cooks since you can cook and serve the meal right from your pan. That means fewer dirty dishes during the cooking process and less time cleaning up later...a win-win scenario in my book! I came up with my quick-cook Salsarific Taco Skillet, which combines all my favorite Tex-Mex flavors in one bite!

Lean ground beef is flavored with the salsa, then pre-cooked Spanish rice and flavorful canned borracho beans are added. Then the mixture is topped with cheese and crunchy, colorful tortilla strips. A ramekin of cooling sour cream is served right in the skillet for those who want to top their serving with sour cream. I also like to serve the remaining salsa on the side for those who want to spoon more of it on top. Wait until you see how simple this dish is to whip up!

Salsarific Taco Skillet

A Weekend Gourmet Original

 Ingredients:

1. 1 cup H-E-B Smoky Citrus Salsa
2. 1 lb. 93% lean ground beef
3. 1 package H-E-B frozen pre-cooked Spanish rice
4. 1 can H-E-B Borracho Beans with Shiner Bock
5. 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese blend
6. 1 cup Fresh Gourmet tri-color tortilla strips
7. 8 ounces light sour cream

Directions:

1. Spray a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray over medium heat. Add the ground beef and salt & pepper to taste. Cook until the meat is browned, then add the salsa. Stir to combine and cook the mixture for 2-3 minutes, until thickened.
2. While the meat and salsa cook, prepare the Spanish rice according to package directions. Add the rice to the skillet, along with the can of borracho beans. Stir well to combine all ingredients, and cook until heated through.
3. Turn off the heat. Make a well in the center of the pan for a small ramekin; place the ramekin in the well. Sprinkle the perimeter of the skillet around the ramekin with the cheese and the tortilla strips.
4. Remove the skillet from the heat. Just before serving, spoon the sour cream into the ramekin. To serve, spoon some of the taco mixture into bowls. Top each serving with sour cream and more of the salsa, if desired.

We really loved this quick meal! The spice level is quite moderate, but those who like a more pronounced heat can simply spoon more of the reserved salsa on top. The cheese and sour cream provide a nice cooling effect to the salsa, and the crunchy tortilla strips provide texture and an earthy corn flavor. Add it up, and you've got a meal that the whole family will love. This meal will easily feed four, and you're likely to have some left for lunch the next day too.

The H-E-B/ConAgra Meal Maker Challenge is a lot of fun, but it's also a contest. So...if you like my recipe, I would certainly appreciate it if you visited the H-E-B voting microsite and repinned it via Pinterest. Anybody can take part in the voting process, but my Texas readers will receive an added bonus: weekly coupons to save on the featured ingredient at your local H-E-B. At the end of the contest next month, the two food bloggers with the most votes will win some really cool prizes. I'd be honored if you voted for my Salsarific Taco Skillet! Be sure to come back next Sunday for another speedy family-friendly recipe.

Disclosure: I am being compensated for participating in the H-E-B/ConAgra Meal Maker Challenge. However, all opinions expressed are solely my own.

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