The number one way to enjoy a game with (or without) company is to have some
good food and drink, preferably something that works well with a crowd.  Let them
serve themselves, keep it out for a while..don't be cleaning up around your guests
while they are still settling in to a meal.  Have you ever had the plate taken away
from you before you were finished???  Plan your parties, especially where people
are watching something like a game, on as little of you in the kitchen, and more
of you eating with your guests...pretty simple.  The girls wanted Tacos last night,
pretty simple.  Of course, I started thinking, new blogpost...something for  a
SuperBowl party.  You can make it ALL ahead of time, just reheat the taco meat
and lay out the condiments.  Again, simple and fun.  

    This recipe is for your basic beef taco bar...certainly, you can change it up by
using ground turkey, ground chicken, ground pork, ground veal....plus I made a
thin cut Rib Eye, Al Carbon, simply put, a grilled rib eye that is rubbed with
chili powder, salt, garlic, black pepper., oil.  Grill the steaks to medium and slice into
strips.  Pile the warm spicy strips of beefy goodness onto a plate and add a
squeeze of fresh lime....maybe of sprinkle of finely chopped cilantro, and use the
steak in the same fashion as you would the ground taco filling. 

   The smell coming off the grill is fantastic...

Ok, now let's tackle the ground meat filling recipe.  I always have a hard time not turning this into just another
chili meat recipe.  Or, you can buy the taco seasoning and follow the directions...still, very good.  Or, roll your
sleeves up and just put out the little bit of extra effort to create your own signature taco filling.  Here's how I
do it:  2 lbs. of ground beef, go lean on this or you will have greasy tacos...90% lean works.  Saute in a large
pan, 1 onion finely diced, vegetable oil here...let this get translucent, about 8-9 minutes, do not let it brown.
Browning the onions in this will give a bitter taste...keep stirring.  Now add the meat, breaking it up with a
wooden spoon.  Season the meat with kosher salt, 2 tbs. chili powder, 1 tsp. chipotle powder, 1 tbs.
oregano which you have rubbed between your hands (releases their oils...really works), 1 tsp. black pepper,
1 tsp. chili flakes, 1 tsp. brown sugar, 2 tsp. paprika, 1 tsp. granulated garlic, 1 tsp. cumin.  Blend well.  You
should start to smell the seasoning. Now add 1 cup of crushed tomatoes, 2 tsp. red wine vinegar, 1 cup of
water, and 2 bay leaves, 2 crushed cloves of garlic.  Let this simmer for 45 minutes, stirring frequently.  I
encourage you to taste this before you finish to check on all of the seasonings.  This is where you may feel
it needs more of this or that, or it is just perfect.  Continue cooking until the liquid is cooked out of the meat.

This was about 1/2 way through....

Make your own salsa....the combinations are endless, just try something on your own as a
change from the pasturized all tastes the same bottles.  Not knocking them, but a fresh
salsa really changes the "taco experience".  Try this:  seed and chop 5 roma tomatoes, mix
in a bowl with a nice splash of olive oil, 1 minced clove of garlic, 2 tsp. minced red onion,  2
tsps. fresh slices of jalapeno, kosher salt, pepper, afew dashes of tabasco, 1/2 tsp. of chili
flakes, 1 tsp. cumin, 2 tsp. fresh chopped cilantro, 1 tsp. fresh lime juice, 1 tsp. brown sugar,
1 tsp. red wine vinegar, 2 tbs. chili powder.  , 3 tsp. chopped celery.Let this sit at room temp for 2 hours before
serving.
Make a pickled red onion topping instead of just plain, chopped raw onions.  Finely mince a medium
sized red onion, add 2 tbs. red wine vinegar, 1 tsp. oil, 1 tsp. crushed oregano, 1 tsp. cumin,salt.  Let
this sit at room temp for 2 hours.   This allows all the flavors to combine and season the salsa and
the onion.
Now, just place all of these items in bowls for your guests:  Shredded Pepper Jack Cheese,  Shredded
Cheddar, the pickled onions, sliced black olives, sour cream, shredded iceberg lettuce, shredded red
cabbage, sliced jalapenos, hot sauce, cilantro and parsley leaves, you could go on and on.

Set the taco shells of your choice out as well.

 Add some chopped tomatoes too!!  In case someone
doesn't care for salsa...

    So, a little of Pete's taco history now...First taco this boy ever had was at a boardwalk stand in Seaside Heights.
I must have been around 10 or 11...I fell in love with the corny, musky, and spicy flavors   Every so often Mom would
make them.  It wasn't until recently that my family decided they liked them and wanted them for dinner, occasionally.
Last night was one of those nights, and it gave me a little time on a Sunday to tool around with some recipes.  If
you stick with the basic flavor pallette of a dish, you can experiment and come up with some winning combos of
your own, and really score big on Game DAY!!