A friend of mine who is also a chef, sent me a similar recipe she had done at home with her kids. Naturally, I have to attempt to recreate it. She challenges me that way. The good thing about that is…she never holds back on the kuddos!
She went to culinary school while I was studying Dietetics and the intricacies of food science and human nutrition, so in working out substitutions and proportions, I get validation from her in what I’ve created thanks to that prior knowledge (along with my 30+ years of cooking/experimenting). I actually have two best friends who are chefs, but I digress.
The Taco seasoning, of course, I make at home saving from added preservatives or inexplicable additives you can’t pronounce incorporated during processing. I love these little Ball jars with shaker tops! They’re great for the extra spice mix or making bulk for multiple recipes!
Taco Seasoning:
2 T (tablespoons) chili powder
T ground cumin
½ t (teaspoons) garlic powder
½ t onion powder
½ t dried oregano
t paprika
2 t each sea salt and ground black pepper
Optional– ½ t crushed red pepper
Brown 1-1/4 lb ground turkey, drain fat. Sprinkle 3 to 5 tablespoons, depending on how spicy you like your Mexican food, over turkey meat. Allow to warm and release the oils (smells) of the spices. Remove from heat. Allow to cool so it doesn’t cook the pastry while you’re filling it.
Separate two tubes of refrigerator croissants. Overlap triangles into a ring. You may have to adjust it, but it will be okay as long as the dough stays cold. Stir cheese into meat and spoon onto overlapping sections of the croissant dough.
Gently wrap opposite end of dough over the meat and tuck the point under the inside of the ring. Cook according to croissant baking instructions.
Taco Ring ingredients:
2 tubes refrigerator croissants
1-1/4 lb ground turkey
3 to 5 T taco seasoning or one packet
2 cups of Mexican or Fiesta blend cheese, cheddar also works well
Sour cream, chopped fresh tomatoes, salsa, and cilantro to garnish
cookingupuneécrivaine 