Graveyard Taco Bake

Halloween Themed Recipe #7- Countdown to Halloween!

Happy Halloween! We have reached our final day in this countdown to Halloween. 

Tonight's recipe brings us back to when we were kids. When we were younger we would dare each other to walk through cemeteries, especially since there was one really close to school. Cemeteries are creepy enough as it is, but on Halloween night they become even scarier. It's one of those places that is intriguing, but there is almost an invisible fence around it keeping you from entering. 

As I was putting dinner together, trying to figure out what spooky name to call dinner, I thought about this childhood memory all the while I was watching Tim Burton's A Nightmare Before Christmas. My boyfriend looks at me and goes it kind of looks like a graveyard with the meat and chunks of peppers on top. And walah! We had our name!

This recipe is extremely easy to make and perfect for Halloween night! Between getting home from work and getting the kids dressed up for trick or treating, you can throw this in the oven and in 20 minutes you have a healthy dinner to feed your family before getting out the door. What you will need is brown rice, ground turkey, multicolored peppers, an onion, and cheese. 

Cook the brown rice according to the package instructions. I made 4 servings of rice. You are going to want enough to cover the bottom of your pan. Next, in a skillet I drizzled olive oil and tossed in the chopped onion and 1/2 of a red pepper and 1/2 of a yellow pepper, just to give it more color. I sauteed the onions and peppers for a few minutes. Then I added in the ground turkey meat. Stir occasionally until cooked all the way. I like to use my stirring spoon and chop the meat into smaller pieces that way is spread evenly over the rice. Having big chunks of meat won't do the trick. 

Once the ground turkey is cooked I add in my taco seasoning and dried cilantro. Stir and let simmer for 2-3 minutes to allow for the meat to soak up the flavors, then remove from heat. Your kitchen will smell delicious by this point!

Using a 9x13 pan spread the rice out evenly on the bottom of the pan. Next, layer the turkey meat on top of the rice. If you are planning on eating this graveyard taco bake the same night as you are making it the next step is to top with a Mexican cheese blend and throw it in the oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. If you are prepping this meal the night before, allow the dish to cool before covering with aluminum foil and putting it in the fridge. When you are ready to bake it, remove the aluminum foil, top with cheese, and place it in the over for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. 

Serve with warm tortilla on the side and some roasted vegetables. Optional topping include: salsa, greek yogurt (or sour cream), jalapenos, extra cheese, avocado, etc. Serve immediately and enjoy! 

Ingredients:

1 package of ground turkey meat (or ground beef or shredded chicken)
2 cups of brown rice 
1/2 yellow pepper
1/2 red pepper
1 small onion
2 tbsp of olive oil
1 cup of Mexican cheese blend
2 tbsp dried cilantro
1 packet of McCormicks taco seasoning
Additional toppings. 

Directions:

1) Place skillet over medium heat with olive oil. Dice onions and peppers and add to skillet. Stir occasionally.
2) After 5 minutes, or until onions & peppers become translucent, add in the turkey meat. Stir frequently and use your stirring spoon to break up clumps of turkey meat. You want the meat to be in small pieces, kind of like Taco Bells' meat (don't worry this is just for visual purposes!).
3) Boil water according to the package instructions of rice to water ratio for cooking your brown rice. Follow the cooking instructions on the box.
4) Once rice is done, spread the rice out evenly on the bottom of your pan. Next, layer the meat mixture on top of the rice. Allow dish to cool before covering with aluminum foil and placing in the fridge.

On the day you are ready to bake this, preheat oven to 350. Top the dish with cheese and place in oven for 20 minutes. Serve with any additional toppings and serve immediately!

Recommendations:

~I found taco bake to be a little dry, due to the rice soaking up the moisture, top with a jar of salsa before placing in the oven, or while cooking the meat add a jar of salsa.
~Another idea is cover the bottom of the pan with a large can of refried beans, then layer the rice on top, and then finish by layering on the meat mixture. 
~If you want to make this dish scarier, cut gravestones out of tortillas. Bake on a sheet in the oven for 10 minutes at 350, or until edges are brown. Before serving stick the tortillas into the dish as if it was an actual graveyard. 

I hoped you enjoyed this healthy recipe countdown to Halloween! Thanks for following along and have a spooky evening!