Slow-Cooked Spicy Beef Tacos ((Part 1 of 3 “Tasty Meals for Tired Travelers”))

If you have been following me on Instagram or Facebook, you may have caught a glimpse of our recent Spring Break family ski trip to Sipapu. We LOVE the family friendly nature of that fun, compact resort. It has a little something for everyone :: perfect for the little learning ones, challenging enough for the “men-folk” boys ((and “boy-folk” men too, haha)) who are breaking limits & barriers with every turn & great for cautious mommas who need to see their chicks at least every 14 minutes.

Now “cautious momma” doesn’t mean I sat at the base and counted heads. No, I was up there, moving, turning, flying & loving the life — feeling the burn like never before. You know what that means – come dinnertime, I was sore, exhausted and HUNGRY.  And I wasn’t alone. 

I don’t know about every ski resort, but in my experience, there are not a lot of dinner options that are :: 

• Quick
• Close
• Cheap
• Tasty

All 4 are a must for a family of 6 ((on a budget)) – who are tired & hungry ((and picky)).

Before heading west, I planned out 3 meals that would check off all 4 of our family feeding requirements and then scavenged through my pantry to see what I had on hand. Bringing what we already have is a favorite trick of mine for a few reasons ::

• food always seems to cost less in my own neck of the woods ((probably because I know where the best prices can be found))
• I can use up produce that would otherwise spoil
• I save time not having to search through an unfamiliar grocery store looking for suitable substitutes ((yes, when on vacation – I like to avoid grocery shopping))
• less $$ flying out of my pockets

For this recipe, I pre-packed ::

• onion
• garlic
• fresh ((spicy)) peppers
• jarred salsa verde 
• a bottle of locally brewed beer 

With all the items from home, all that was left to gather was a 3-4 lb roast, a block of sharp white cheddar & some locally made tortillas.

I cubed the roast ((into large, 3″ chunks)), potatoes & onions. Added garlic, chopped fresh peppers and the jarred salsa verde & poured in the bottle of pale ale. Last, I added a teaspoon or 2 of salt & pepper, covered and cooked on low for 8-10 hours.

As we headed home from a long day on the slopes, I knew we would be greeted by something tasty – but as I walked through the door the aroma said it all. Oh my – talk about cozy comfort. I could smell the spicy roast and knew it was “gonna be good”.

As I shredded the beef, I got the idea to top the spicy beef tacos off with a few perfectly fried eggs. ((Eggs were necessary for making Brod’s birthday brownies — I will tell you all about that later)).

Now, if I were home, you may see some fresh chopped cilantro and a pile of pickled onions – but since this was a tasty meal for tired travelers, garnishes were not on the menu.

But the flavor – a bit spicy, perfectly seasoned and very tender ((thanks to the beer, I think)) and the cubed potatoes were a perfect partner to the spicy shredded beef. It was just the meal we needed after a long, cold day of skiing our booties off. Oh and clean-up was a breeze as well – thanks to spraying the crock pot before adding the food.

Minimal cooking & cleaning?? If that isn’t a vacation I don’t know what is!

Stay tuned for two more tasty meals for tired travelers and a bonus dessert idea that is sure to make everyone HAPPY!