Taco Tuesday was a phrase originally coined in the 80s to help a popular Mexican restaurant gain more business on its slowest day of the week – Tuesday! It didn’t take long for the phrase to be picked up by other restaurants and then eventually make its way into meal planning for parents across the country; officially making Tuesday nights exciting everywhere!
This month’s Dinner’s Ready recipe is brought to you by the Arevalo family from Pensacola.
“We all love tacos,” shared Megan. “My husband Alex has many taco-themed shirts! Our family could eat some version of tacos every night…burritos, tostadas, fajitas, taco salad, etc.”
Alex is originally from El Salvador. He and Megan met while attending high school in Tallahassee in 1996 and married in 2008.
Alex is a pediatric cardiologist and Megan is a veterinarian for local shelters. Together, they have eight-year-old twins, Aaron and Elise. Aaron is very athletic and loves to be on any type of field, but excels at soccer, and Elise loves theatre, choir, and most things artsy.
“We are in that busy season of life with work and kid activities,” Megan shared. “One of our biggest joys in life is supporting the kids while doing the activities they love.”
While the family loves to cut loose and eat out on the weekends, most weeknights are spent at home having dinner together in the kitchen.
“Alex and I share cooking duties but Alex cooks more often because it is his best stress reliever and hobby to be in the kitchen. He loves to pair his meals with a specialty or signature cocktail,” Megan light-heartedly shared. “I also tease that he likes to cook because if I cook we will all eat vegetarian. In our house, it is not just meatless Mondays, but meatless any day I cook!”
Cool Ranch Crockpot Chicken with black beans is a favorite in the Arevalo home because it is easy to make for meat lovers and vegetarians alike. Megan chooses to sub black beans for her protein while the others enjoy them as a side or even a topping.
From the Arevalo house to yours… live any day like it’s Taco Tuesday using this recipe!
Cool Ranch Crockpot Chicken Tostadas with Instant Pot Black Beans
Cool Ranch Chicken Tostadas
Ingredients:
- 4 chicken breasts, about 1.5 lb
- 1 packet of taco seasoning
- 1 packet of ranch dressing seasoning
- 1.5 cans of chicken broth
- Tostadas, 1-2 packages
- Toppings of choice: We use 1/2 purple onion chopped, warmed corn, 1 tomato chopped, 1 avocado sliced and crumbled cojita cheese
- A garnish of choice: We like uses sliced jalapeño, cilantro and lime wedges
Instructions:
- Place chicken breasts into a crock pot.
- Add package of ranch dressing seasoning and package of mild taco seasoning. Then completely cover the chicken with broth for 5 hours on the low setting.
- Lightly toast the tostada shells.
- Shred the chicken in the crock pot and leave it there to serve.
- Assemble tostadas with the desired toppings and garnish with lime, jalapeño and cilantro.
Instant Pot Black Beans
Ingredients:
- 12-ounce can of black beans, rinsed
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 32 oz vegetable broth
Instructions:
- Add beans, seasonings, and vegetables to the Instant Pot. Pressure cook on high for 25 minutes. Then let the beans rest in the pot for 20 minutes so the steam can dissipate naturally.
- Carefully remove the lid once steam has fully escaped. The beans should be tender and perfectly cooked, but if not, seal the lid again and pressure cook on high for an additional 10-20 minutes, or until they’re tender.
Gabriele has been married to her husband Daniel for 17 years. Together they have three incredible children – two boys, ages 16 and nine, and a sweet girl who will be two in August. Gabriele is a full-time Sales Director for Mary Kay Cosmetics. When she isn’t spending time with family or building her business, she supports her husband who is the Lead Pastor and Planter of Forward Church in Gulf Shores.
