Mock Tacos - The Way We Eat

When I was a kid my mom would throw a pound of frozen hamburger on the counter before leaving for work. It would sit on the counter all day long and when she got home she would turn it into something for dinner. When one of my sisters and I got older we would come home to a note on the table or a phone call from my mom telling one of us to make dinner using the meat on the counter and one of the Lawry's season packets in the cabinet.

One item that was a favorite in our house was Mock Tacos. I think my mom got the inspiration from a meal we would have at Camp Shiwaka, a day camp through the Camp Fire Girls (back when it was only girls). When I was a kid I went to day camp, then when I got older my mom would sign me up to be a DCA (day camp aide).  I hated being a DCA. All I wanted to do was hang out with my friends at the Bull 'n Bun and watch the cute guys who lived near my friend's dad's house play their guitars. But anyways, Mock Tacos. I had them all the time growing up.

Take some frozen hamburger meat and put it on the counter before going to work or school in the morning.
Cook up the hamburger and add Lawry's Taco Seasoning Packet. Follow the directions on the packet except for the draining the fat part. Don't drain the fat.

Put a few handfuls of Fritos on a plate. Use regular Fritos. Don't get fancy and get the big kind, the scoop kind or a flavored kind. Get the regular ones.

Add a scoop of meat to the top of the Fritos pile. Follow that with a handful of shredded lettuce, cheddar cheese, tomatoes and a dollop of sour cream. If you want it to have a little kick, go to your junk drawer and search through it for old packets of taco bell hot sauce. Del Taco hot sauce works better with this dish but not everyone is so lucky to have a del taco in their backyard. Taco Bell will work just fine.

When I was a kid I LOVED this dinner. "Hooray! It's Mock Taco Night!" I would exclaim. Sometimes when we had regular tacos for dinner (same recipe except substitute hard taco shells for fritos), I would crush up my taco shells so I could have Mock Mock Tacos. Today I can't imagine making it for my family. I have to admit though that thinking about this meal right now is making me both hungry and horrified. My kiddies wouldn't eat it if I served it to them and my hubby would flip out if I made something so bad for us. To be honest, Hubby and I would both eat it, and enjoy it, but then curse dinner as we fight over the lone bathroom in the house dealing with the gastric distress I'm sure it would cause.

I grew up loving food. I knew how to cook.  I grew up not being afraid to try new foods. I did not however,  grow up knowing how to make the best food choices.  I liked fruit, but I liked poptarts and fried pies better. I liked broccoli but I liked it better when it was covered in cheese sauce. Water was stupid. Coke was better.

One of the things I am most proud of in raising my kids is that they have better eating habits than I did when I was their age. If there is one thing I've done right, it's offer them vegetables and fruits plentifully (if that's a word) and frequently. They are happy to have fruit for dessert or a carrot for a snack. Sure, they like ice cream and sure they like chips, but those two items are not top of mind when they think about what to have for a snack. They've been programmed to go for the good for you stuff first. I'm trying to reprogram myself to think the same way.

I wish I had an updated Mock Taco Recipe that I could adapt for how we eat today. It would be the perfect thing to end this blog post. Oh well, another time.