But close. Every year at this time we begin singing the praises of TV Dinners. It’s National TV Dinner Day. While Swanson’s Frozen Foods coined the phrase “TV Dinner”, it was an every changing society that bought into the idea.
I grew up in a time when many women stayed home, raised the children, tended to the house and made life in the outside world more tolerable for their husbands. It didn’t take two paychecks just to keep the lights on. Those few suburbanite women who chose to earn some extra money sold Avon or Tupperware to their neighbors. Anyone who thinks for even a moment that being the little lady of the house was easy has never tried it. You are the referee, the chauffeur, the chief cook and bottle washer. Church committees and the PTA relied on these women. They knew how to raise money for a cause, make their own curtains and throw pillows, and capture the magic of home for the holidays. These were multi-taskers extraordinaire.
I don’t know if economic times changed, forcing women to seek work make ends meet or if keeping up with the Kardashians took center stage or if, as some claim, women were brainwashed into thinking they needed an existence outside the home in order to exist at all. Whatever the reason, as more women joined the workforce, the more the convenience of TV Dinners were embraced. Not only were these fully self-contained meals, but by pulling up a TV Tray in from of the television set there was no table to set or clean, and conversations were reduced to commercial time.
Today our frozen food zap-it-in-the-microwave selection of TV Dinners is immense. From manly appetites to diet foods with only a few hundred calories, we can pick and choose to our hearts content. TV Dinners not your thing? Yeah, I get that, and I feel the same. Oh but there is something to be said about the convenience of pre-packaged foods. Many an amazing meal has been born with just a few corners cut.
Chorizo-Pork Al Pastor Taco
1 tablespoon Spicy Olive Oil
1 large Jalapeño Pepper
16 oz package Pork Al Pastor
1/2 lb Chorizo
1 cup Iceberg Lettuce
3 Roma Tomatoes
12 Taco-size Corn Tortillas
1 cup Jalapeño Quesadilla Cheese Blend
3/4 cup Sour Cream
3/4 cup finely grated Cotija Cheese
Heat a large skilled over medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of spicy oil to the pan, swirl to coat the bottom.
While the oil warms, stem and finely dice the Jalapeño pepper. Set aside.
Once the oil is hot, add Pork Al Pastor, chorizo and diced Jalapeño to the skillet, breaking the meat into smaller pieces as it cooks, for about 10 minutes or so, stirring often, until cooked through. Keep warm until ready to assemble.
While the filling cooks, stack lettuce leaves, roll tight and shred. Seed and dice tomatoes, set aside.
Heat a little oil in a flat skillet. Lightly fry taco shells, drain on paper towels. Keep warm until ready to build the tacos.
To assemble place a line of the shredded cheese blend down the center of a tortilla, top with pork, shredded lettuce, a sprinkling of tomatoes and a dap of sour cream. Finish with a dusting of Cotija Cheese.
Serve with Refried Beans and plenty of Margaritas.
Truly You have formed my inmost being;
You knit me in my mother’s womb.
I give You thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made;
wonderful are Your works.
Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Welcome to Rosemarie's Kitchen 