This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Smithfield®. The opinions and text are all mine. #RealFlavorRealFast @SmithfieldBrand
You guys know how much I love to cook. I mean, obviously, I write about food and take pictures of it and share non-stop on the interwebs, right? Right. The toughest time of year for me as a home cook AND food blogger is Back to School. You know, that crazy-hectic time of year full of lists and shopping and paperwork.
With not enough time to get everything done, and even less time to prepare meals, you need go-to recipes like this 30-Minute Taco Night to keep the family fed and connected. So grab a few grocery items and blow off some Back to School steam with a fun-filled family fiesta.
This fun & delicious 30-Minute Taco Night will bring the whole family together after a busy school day.
Our family has three big-time Back to School events this year. Our youngest is entering 6th grade. (She gets her first locker.) Our middle daughter is starting college, a huge new step in her life. And our oldest daughter is...Back to School in her FIRST YEAR as a teacher. (Yep, she's got the biggest task ahead.)
Back to School is a busy time of year for almost every family. We are happy to partner with Smithfield to make dinnertime a little easier.
One of our family Go-to ideas for creating fast and delicious meals is their line of marinated pork available at Kroger.
CLICK HERE for a coupon offer from Smithfield and Kroger.
Pick from your favorite marinade flavor:
- Roasted Garlic & Herb Fresh Pork Tenderloin
- Roasted Garlic & Cracked Black Pepper Tenderloin
- Slow Smoked Mesquite Flavor Fresh Pork Loin Filet
- Roasted Garlic & Cracked Black Pepper Sirloin
Smithfield's 100% fresh pork cuts are slow-marinated and perfectly seasoned to give you real flavor, real fast.
You can prepare your marinated pork loin in the oven, on the grill or in a skillet. Be sure to visit Smithfield.com for more recipes and inspiration.
To speed up the cooking process and get this taco night on the table in 30 minutes, we went with a skillet.
Cutting the pork into bite-sized pieces increases the surface area of the pork so it cooks faster. Plus, the bite-sized pieces are perfect for little mouths.
And big mouths, too.
Of course, you can't have just protein. You've gotta have all of the bright and colorful taco toppings to make your kid-friendly Taco Night a success. (Great time to review all of those colors with younger kids.)
Let them pick! Skip the fancy gourmet ingredients and go with what your family loves.
Our family? We are all about the cheese, green onions, salsa, corn and beans. Oh, and fresh pico de gallo.
BONUS:  Make your own pico in a few minutes. Stir together 1 cup chopped white onion, 1 cup chopped tomato, ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, ¼ teaspoon of salt and half of a seeded chopped jalapeno. Too easy.
You know what made this 30-Minute Taco Night fun for me? You see that paper? Yep, we laid out a table runner of parchment paper (anything will do), and let the kids scribble on it.
When mealtime is over, just move the dishes and roll up the paper and toss it in the trash. Spills and drips? Who cares?
Easy and stress-free clean up.
You can find these products at your local Kroger location: Kroger, Dillons, Food4Less, Fred Meyer, Frys, King Soopers, or QFC.
The juicy and tender pork is perfect for taco night. You don't have to worry about seasoning or spices. All of the work is done for you no matter what flavor you pick.
This 30-Minute Taco Night meal idea is a recipe with NO RULES. Think about it? Your kids have been at school all day...coloring inside the lines, getting to know new teachers, and walking the straight line. Shouldn't family time be fun and worry-free?
Yes, it should. Spend less time cooking and more time around the dinner table with this easy and fun twist on a classic family meal made with Smithfield Marinated Fresh Pork.
Now for the taco-building competition. My youngest is all about the pork, sour cream, corn and green onions. That's her combo of choice. On a crunchy white corn taco shell, of course.
Need another super-fast recipe? Try our Butter Basil Sweet Corn. Our Zesty Garden Tomato Salsa would be a great spicy addition to this meal, too.
Or how about a blue corn tortilla shell? So yummy and colorful, makes eating tacos even more fun if you ask me.
This taco night creation is loaded with yummy pork, cilantro, cheese and fresh pico.
That's the fun of using Smithfield Marinated Fresh Pork. You get a flavorful and fast meal that everyone can enjoy with little effort.
Check out more of our recipes using Smithfield (we told you, they are our favorite!):
Grilled Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches with Tangy Slaw
Bold Beer Bratwurst Skewers on the Grill
What are your go-to recipes for busy week nights? We would love to hear your best and try them at home. Feel free to comment below with your ultimate Back to School life-saving meals.
30-Minute Taco Night
Ingredients
- 1 Smithfield Marinated Roasted Garlic & Herb Fresh Pork Tenderloin
- 3 TB olive oil
- 1 can kernel corn drained
- 1 can black beans drained and rinsed
- Shredded cheese
- Chopped lettuce
- Chopped green onions
- Sour Cream
- Pico de Gallo
- Taco Shells prepared to package directions
- **Favorite taco toppings**
Instructions
- Remove the marinated pork tenderloin from the package. Cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Heat oil to medium-high in a large skillet. Add the marinated pork. Cook and stir until lightly browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- While the pork is cooking, prepare the toppings and ingredients. Heat the corn and beans. Shred the cheese, chop the lettuce and onions.
- Prepare the taco shells according to package directions.
- Assemble your tacos and have fun with the kids!
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