more than 9 to 5...my life as "Mom": Taco Tuesday!

We love Chipotle. It is so sad that we haven't lived near one in the last 6 years. It's true, when we take trips, we always stop at Chipotle if we're near one. One positive of our upcoming move is the fact that we will be within an hour's drive from one! Woohoo! Another positive is that without Chipotle in our lives, it has forced me to find items to make my own yummy creation at home...which was a very good thing! The following is one incredible taco, and I'd put it up against a Chipotle burrito any day. For real. This recipe may look a bit intimidating with all of the ingredients, but it really isn't difficult, and doesn't have to be time-consuming either. If you want to save a good deal of time, I've found a good alternative to making my own tortillas. Kroger sells a package of tortillas in their refrigerated section that aren't cooked, but already formed, so all you need to do is quickly cook them. They are almost as good as homemade, and I've used them several times to save myself some precious minutes. :)

Orange Dijon Pork Tacos

(serves 4 people)

Ingredients:

Flour tortillas (see recipe here)
Shredded orange Dijon pork

1-2 lb pork tenderloin
3 Tbsp Cajun seasoning
6 oz Dijon mustard
2/3 cup orange juice
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Cilantro lime rice

1 3/4 cups water
Dash of salt
3 tsp vegetable oil
1 cup jasmine rice
1 Tbsp lime juice, or the juice of 1/2 lime
3-4 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Sautéed veggies

2 red bell peppers
1 red onion
1 Tbsp EVOO

Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions:
To save time getting dinner to the table later, I make my pork in my crockpot. You can alternatively marinade, then grill, the pork tenderloin, but it's also really good after cooking it all day in the slow cooker, and it's much easier, too. So, to begin, just place the pork in the crockpot and sprinkle evenly with the Cajun seasoning. In a small bowl, mix together the mustard, orange juice and Worcestershire sauce. Pour this mixture over the seasoned pork and set it to cook for 4-6 hours on high, or 8-10 hours on low. When it's done, you should be able to easily shred it with 2 forks and it is ready to go!!

To begin prep before dinner, make your flour tortillas first. See the link above for how to prepare these. They are really good when warm, so I try to make mine while preparing the other items, but if you want, you can have them completed before starting the other items.

Next, get your rice going. Add 1 tsp of oil to the water and salt and bring to a boil. Add the rice, reduce the heat to a simmer, and allow it to cook until all of the water has evaporated. I follow the package directions, which calls for 10-15 minutes. Once it is finished, add the remaining oil, the lime juice and cilantro and mix well.

While the rice is cooking, slice your bell peppers and onion into thin strips. Heat a sauté pan to medium heat, add the EVOO, and once warm, add your veggies. Sauté the veggies until they are softened, about 10-15 minutes.

That's it! Now it's time to prepare your tacos. Layer the shredded pork, rice, veggies and cheese on your tortilla, roll it up and enjoy! :)