Easy Ways To Jazz Up Taco Night

Homemade salsa is easy and so much tastier than what comes from a jar!

And it's so easy to make, too. Just combine fresh tomatoes,onions, cilantro, jalapeno, salt, pepper, olive oil and lime juice for a classic "salsa fresca". Or get creative and try a fresh mango, papaya, peach or plum salsa, depending on what's at the market or in season.

Read my article Fresh Salsa: Easy, Fast and Delicious! for more ideas on ways to make salsa: its basic components, different flavor combinations, and different ways you can use it besides on tacos and with tortilla chips.

Image: Three different homemade salsas: plum, tomatillo, and roasted tomato. Photo by sockii.

Tacos are a great way to use up leftover cooked chicken, turkey, or even roast pork. Just shred the meat and warm it in a pan with the taco seasoning until bubbly and thick. (I always end up making turkey tacos after Thanksgiving!)

Ground turkey and ground pork are great alternatives too, for something different - just always be sure to drain the fat after browning the ground meat before adding the seasoning mix! I like to use a small strainer to pour off all the fat.

For the adventurous chef, try making tacos with sauteed ground venison or grilled venison steaks instead of ground beef. It's a much leaner alternative and a spicy, rustic salsa can ease some of the "gaminess" you might expect from venison.

And don't forget seafood, too! Shrimp, crab and white fish like tilapia and snapper work great in tacos. Leave the heavy seasoning off delicate fish, however; try just a quick light marinade in lime juice and season only with salt, pepper, and perhaps a dusting of chile powder.

Vegetarian options are great as well! Load up your tacos with black beans, guacamole, sauteed mushrooms or spicy tofu and you won't even miss the meat.

Image: Shrimp tacos. (Photo credit: JadedCore at morguefile.com)

How about some guacamole for your tacos?

It's easy to make with fresh avocados and very rich in nutrients and healthy oils. I like Alton Brown's classic recipe.

Another great creamy topping for tacos is a Cilantro Lime Mayo - it's especially good on fish tacos but can work with just about any meat.

Romaine, shredded carrots and red cabbage mix is great for tacos. Or for something more delicate and fancy, try spring mix baby greens. This is a great way to get kids to eat some more green and raw vegetables, and there are lots of good salad mixes in bags to use and try.

Have a variety of small bowls or a plate of special toppings out on the table when serving the tacos, like pickled jalapeno slices, thin radish slices, black olives, fresh cilantro, or chopped onion (to make the raw onion milder, soak slices or chopped pieces in cold water for 30 minutes before serving). This helps make it especially easy for everyone to season and top their tacos exactly as they want. It's great for kids, too, who love to play with their food and may be fussy about the toppings they like or don't like.

What's your favorite kind of taco? Do you ever make them at home, or only get them when eating out?