Tacos with Gypsy Peppers, Corn, and Summer Squash

I had some gypsy peppers, corn, and summer squash in my refrigerator along with some Bulgarian feta cheese. And, I thought these ingredients would make a good taco.

I am also currently obsessed with making tortillas at home. I really enjoy making them and they elevate this recipe from just another thrown together meal to something delicious.

My secret to making tortillas at home is not much of a secret. I just follow the instructions on the back of the MASECA bag.

I tried many times to make tortillas, consulting many sources, and just failed miserably. Then, one day I was at the supermarket wondering if I had it in me to try to make tortillas again and that's when I saw the back of the package. I followed these simple instructions and now I can have homemade tortillas any time I want by just adding water and salt to the dry masa and following the instructions.

Of course, you don't have to make the tortillas at home to enjoy these tacos. I topped the sauteed peppers, squash, and corn with some chopped avocado, cilantro, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Yum! Dinner in less than 20 minutes. Just make sure you make a lot of these because everyone will want seconds, thirds, etc.

Tacos with Gypsy Peppers, Corn, and Summer Squash

Ingredients

6-8 homemade or store-bought corn tortillas

2 gypsy peppers, seeded and cut into strips

1 ear of corn, kernels removed

2 small summer squashes, chopped

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 cup of cilantro, chopped

2 avocados, chopped

1 tablespoon of lemon juice

kosher salt

1. Melt butter in a non stick pan over medium high heat. Add peppers, corn and squash. Cook for 5-10 minutes until softened. Sprinkle with lemon juice and season with salt to taste.

2. Meanwhile make tortillas according to MASECA bag or heat store bought tortillas.

3. Top tortillas with sauteed veggies, avocado and cilantro.

Zucchini & Corn Tacos

As I was perusing my CSA box, I noticed that I had some zucchini this week and I realized that I have not made my favorite taco recipe in awhile. This taco recipe is a good base for any seasonal vegetable you feel like eating. You can top the sauteed veggies with any cheese (I have used cheddar, monterrey jack, colby jack, and goat cheese) and then just add garnishes -- cilantro, avocado and salsa are some of my favorites.

I learned this method from my son, Simon, who learned it at school from his friend's mom (and my good friend), Juanita. Juanita made these for our kids as their pre-school for snack. When I picked Simon up from school he demanded to make them at home. He rattled off all the ingredients and when we got home he showed me how to make them. Juanita's recipe is for quesadillas. As Simon remembered it -- she put the corn tortillas on a baking sheet, spread a bit of melted butter on them, sprinkled cheese on them and then let the children add other toppings. Simon had olives on his quesadilla. Then, Juanita put them in the oven to melt the cheese. I told Juanita that this has become a family favorite and she told me that this is the way the taquerias in San Jose (California) make their quesadillas.

I have modified the recipe by adding more veggies and toppings and so what I make resembles a taco. You can call this a taco or you can call this a quesadilla. Either way, this is just plain good and a quick, delicious way to use a variety of seasonal veggies and locally produced cheeses. If you check out CSA girl later in the fall you will probably see this recipe using squash or sweet potatoes, greens and goat cheese.

Zucchini & Corn Tacos

Ingredients

1/2 large yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 large zucchini, chopped

1 ear of corn, kernels removed

1 tablespoon olive oil

2-3 limes

kosher salt

8-10 small corn tortillas

1 tablespoon of butter, melted

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or other cheese you like)

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

2 avocados, chopped

salsa (optional)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until softened. Add zucchini and corn cook until softened. Squeeze the juice of lemon over the veggies and cook for about 2-3 minutes.

3. Place 6 tortillas on a baking sheet. Brush each tortilla with melted butter. Sprinkle veggie mixture and cheese on top. Bake in oven for 3 minutes until tortilla is warm and cheese is melted.

4. Top each taco with cilantro, avocado and salsa (if using). Serve with lime slices.