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Dinner’s Ready: Marie McGarry’s Crunchwrap Tacos

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With the start of a new school year upon us and many families getting back into their dinner time routine, we’re thrilled to share another fabulous recipe with you!

This month we sat down with Marie McGarry, and had the pleasure of getting to know the McGarry family and Marie’s love for cooking.

Marie and her husband, Jason, have been married for 17 years. They have two children, Jasmine (16) and Jaxon (8). Marie is a native of the Philippines, born and raised, and her husband is a native of Brunswick, Georgia. They met in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, where their story began. Marie tells us, “The life of a chef is tough, especially if you work in a hotel or resort because you get no holidays off. Thankfully, Jason and I finally found a workplace, Central Restaurant, where we can balance our work and family time. Being there for four years now, we call it home sweet home.”

Though cooking was a pastime in Marie’s family, she never got a chance to learn much growing up. When she married her “chef” husband, she knew she had to step up and learn how to cook. She humorously admits,

“He taught me so much that I can now say I’m better with at home cooking than him. His specialty is fancy meals, which is a treat for the family.”

She goes on, “I was 21 years old when I learned how to cook. I would call my mom and ask her how to cook “Filipino dishes.” And when my husband and I got married, I pretty much learned the basics of cooking from him. Ever since then, I enjoy and love cooking. The kitchen is our favorite part of the house.”

Also, she shares, “Being a chef is a privilege, and I’m thankful for my gift from above. You’re not only cooking good food, but hearing from your family, friends, neighbors, and comments from people who dine at Central that they had the best meal. It makes us very proud of what we do.

We have a few young cooks at work who are very eager to learn, and we use the best of our knowledge to teach and mold them to be chefs one day. Not only teaching them how to be a great chef, but teaching them how important this role is. ”A meal the entire McGarry family enjoys is Crunchwrap Tacos. Marie says,“Nowadays teenagers love going out for fast food, so we’ve tried to teach our kids that it tastes better to make the same dish at home, and it’s a lot healthier. The kids enjoy building their own Crunchwrap because they can choose any filling they want to put in it. Just like making a personal pizza.”

Crunchwrap Tacos

Taco Meat
1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon each of chili powder, coriander, smoked paprika, cumin, and oregano
Salt, to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
2 tablespoons tomato sauce
1 tablespoon cilantro chopped

Crunchwrap Filling

shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, large flour tortillas, tostadas or Doritos, sour cream, nacho cheese, shredded Mexican cheese blend, oil or mayonnaise

Directions:

1. In a skillet add 1 tablespoon olive oil, cook the ground beef along with all the dry ingredients/spices.

2. When it is no longer pink, drain the grease and add 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook it for a few minutes. Add cilantro to your cooked meat and set aside. 

3. Warm up the nacho cheese sauce in the microwave and set it aside.

4. Place the flour tortillas on a plate and warm in microwave for about 20 seconds.

5. Lay one tortilla on a flat surface. Spread a couple of tablespoons of nacho cheese in the middle of the tortilla.

6. Place ½ cup of your cooked meat on top of the nacho cheese. Next, add the Tostada or Doritos, a thin layer of sour cream, lettuce, and tomato. And lastly, the shredded cheese.

7. To fold into the actual Crunchwrap, start with the bottom of the tortilla and fold the edge up to the center of the fillings. Keep doing that, folding as tight as possible working your way around the tortilla.

8. Spray another skillet or cooking pan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Place the Crunchwrap, seam-side down onto the skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown, flip over, and cook the other side for another 2-3 minutes. 

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Kimberley Carter Spivey is a freelance writer, blogger, author, and entrepreneur. When she’s not working as an Instructional Systems Designer and copy-editor on Maxwell AFB, she’s busy freelancing, blogging, or toiling away at her next book. Her debut book Bloom: How to Get from Good Enough to a Life You Love can be purchased on Amazon and girlyou-write.com.
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