Mama's Picadillo

Mama doesn't use recipes. She believes cooking should come from the heart, and should be altered depending on your mood. This is especially true when preparing picadillo. If you are feeling spicy, add more jalapenos. If garlic and onions make you happy, double up on them. If you want to make Papa mad, add more carrots. Papa always joked that this traditional Mexican dish was called picadillo because it forced him to pick through vegetables to get to the good stuff. I've attempted to take Mama's picadillo and turn it into a recipe. Be prepared for lots of chopping!

Ingredients:
1 can pinto or black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 small red potato chopped
1 small yellow onion chopped
1/2 a cup of carrot chopped
1 bell pepper chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
A couple of jalapeno slices
1 pound ground beef
4-5 tablespoons spice mix (recipe below)
Olive Oil
1/2 Cup of Water
Lots of Corn Tortillas

Taco Seasoning Mix
2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon cumin
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper

Make in bulk and store in a jar for a healthier more natural taco seasoning mix! 3-4 tablespoons is equivalent to one store bought taco packet.

Directions
1. In a large stock pot, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Saute garlic, onion and red pepper until onions are transparent. Transfer onion mixture to a bowl and set aside. In the same pot, heat the remaining olive oil and brown the ground beef.
2. Return garlic, onion and red pepper to the pot. Add potato, carrot, taco seasoning, jalapenos, and water. Simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Add the beans. Try not to stir too much so they don't get mushy. Simmer for another 5 minutes.
4. Serve with warm tortillas.