Happy 4th of July Reader!

I've been working like crazy mad on all kinds of new recipes and doing lots of testing and tweaking to get them just right.

None of them have made it to the blog, yet, but I decided to share one with you guys exclusively for now. I only have a quick photo I snapped with my phone, but I think you'll get the idea.

Taco Potato Bowls

This easy and delicious recipe will be one of your most requested Taco Tuesday dinners! It's filling, nutritious, easy and gluten-free using my homemade taco seasoning. It easily serves 4 to 6, comes together in about 30 minutes, and makes a perfect weeknight dinner option. And of course, you can use your favorite taco toppings. I'm showing you the ones we have loved in this dish.

Ingredients:

For the Taco Potatoes

• 2 lbs. yellow potatoes, cut into bite-size chunks
• 1 Tablespoon avocado or olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons taco seasoning, (Use your favorite or my homemade.)

For the Taco Meat

• 1 lb. ground beef (I use 85/15)
• 3 Tablespoons taco seasoning
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
• salt and pepper, to taste

Taco Toppings To Build the Bowls

• Cheddar Cheese, freshly grated
• Sour Cream
• Salsa
• Fresh Pico de Gallo
  • 1 lb. tomatoes, (Roma or slicing tomatoes)
  • 1/2 to 1 cup red onion, minced (Measure according to your taste preference.)
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
  • 2 Tablespoons lime juice
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Cut the yellow potatoes into bite-size pieces. You want them small enough to cook in around 30 minutes. I don't peel them. So, it's a quick and easy chop. Aim for 3/4" to one-inch pieces.
3. Put the potato chunks onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil and sprinkle on the taco seasoning. Use your hands to toss the potatoes in the oil and seasoning and to evenly coat them.
4. Roast in a 425° oven for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
5. While the potatoes cook, brown and drain the ground beef.
6. In the same skillet, stir together the ground beef, taco seasoning, water and tomato paste. Heat over medium heat until everything is evenly combined. Reduce the heat to low and let the meat simmer and keep warm until the potatoes are done.
7. Now, make the pico de gallo by small-dicing the tomatoes. Place them in a bowl and add the minced onion, cilantro (or parsley) and the lime juice. Stir to combine. Taste, and then add salt and pepper to your personal preference.
8. Remove the potatoes from the oven and build your bowls. Place a layer of potatoes on the bottom. Then add a layer of taco meat.
9. Top with grated cheese, sour cream, a drizzle of salsa and then a generous mound of pico de gallo.

Enjoy! I hope these Taco Potato Bowls become a quick favorite at your house the way they did at ours.

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4th of July Favorites

I hope your holiday weekend is fun and exciting. We're celebrating hard here in Nebraska's Fourth of July City which means good food is a must.

Click over to the middle of my homepage and go through all my ideas for great 4th of July Recipes, or stick with these tried and true favorite side dishes and desserts that will be a hit at any potluck, without taking lots of prep time or cash.

• ​Easy 10-Minute Taco Dip​
• ​Quick & Easy Italian Salad (Cabbage Salad)​
• ​Best Easy Chickpea Salad​
• ​Broccoli and Mandarin Salad with Grapefruit Vinaigrette​
• ​10-Minute Strawberry Cottage Cheese Salad​
• ​Green Beans and Potatoes Recipe, an Updated Classic​
• ​Asian Cucumber Salad​
• ​Easy Coleslaw with Homemade Coleslaw Dressing​
• ​Bell Pepper Salad​
• ​Bean Salad | Simple and Delicious​
• ​Magic Cookie Bars​
• ​Banana Pudding Cups: Easy, No-Bake and Delicious​
• ​Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust, Easy and Delicious​
• ​Easy Cheesecake Recipe (No Water bath needed, and can be baked in a 9x13 pan or a spring-form pan. Super unique crust!)

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Have a wonderfully blessed weekend, Friend! I hope you'll find some budget-friendly pasta recipes in this list that'll make your dinners delicious and easy next week. And I hope you get to share them with the people you love most!

What's For Dinner?

This is the part of the newsletter where I share recipe ideas from some of my best blogging friends and myself to inspire you with what's for dinner at our houses this week. That gives you seven days worth of new recipes to inspire you for your own delicious meal plan. Enjoy!

• ​Slow Cooker Philly Cheesesteak Tortellini from Laura at Little House Big Alaska
• ​Grilled Sausage and Peppers from Gen at Two Cloves Kitchen
• ​Easy Chicken Tetrazzini from Glenda​
• ​Peri Peri Chicken Breast from Rupali at Caramel and Spice
• ​Grilled Chicken Leg Quarters from Sue at Sula and Spice
• ​Air Fryer P.F. Chang's Mongolian Beef from Lori at A Reinvented Mom
• ​Zucchini Noodles with Creamy Avocado Sauce from Kristin at Dizzy Busy and Hungry

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Favorite Kitchen Tools for Summer Dinners

These are Amazon and Walmart affiliate links to some of my favorite kitchen tools and pasta brands for making quick, affordable and easy pasta recipes. I may earn commissions on qualifying purchases. You can read my affiliate disclosure here.

• Pyrex Mixing Bowls I use these daily. Of course, they're great for stirring together the ingredients for a recipe. But they're also perfect for storing leftovers and serving dishes like this scrumptious Broccoli Cauliflower Salad. Another great feature is that they come with lids, so leftovers can easily go straight to the fridge. For potlucks, I can toss together a quick salad, snap on the lid and go.
• My Deep Dish 9x13 Ceramic Baking Pan is perfect for casseroles, Magic Cookie Bars, cakes and more.​
• I have fallen in love with these Clear Glass Casserole Dishes with Lids! It was the gift I never knew I needed, but I'm so glad now that I received them. They come as a set of two oval baking dishes. I love that the small one is perfect for cutting a recipe in half when it's just the two of us eating.
• ​Taco Holder Rack I LOVE these and I don't even own a Blackstone. They are oven-proof, with silicone grip handles and I can make up to six tacos at once in them. I don't have to worry about shells flopping over and spilling. And I can take them straight to the table. I own two and I am considering adding to the collection. lol They're great for setting up a taco bar.

Visit my Amazon Storefront to explore more of the tools and ingredients I love cooking with at home.