Birthday Supper for a 10 Year Old

Today my oldest turns 10. As was the tradition in my house growing up, he got to pick whatever he wanted for supper. Some years I have had to spend all day cooking for him, but this year is pretty easy. Tacos!

I bought a box mix for the tacos, soft and hard shell, with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, re fried beans, sour cream, black olives, salsa and ranch. I have an easy recipe for a tex-mex ranch that we like and I am also making cheesy tex-mex potatoes (think taco bell). They are both easy to make and help round out the meal.

Ranch Dip

1/2 c mayo, 2 T minced onion, 2 T chopped tomato, 1T milk, 1T vinegar, 1 t chopped green chiles, 3/4 t paprika, 1/2 t sugar, 1/4 t salt, a generous pinch each, dill, cumin and cayenne. Mix well and let sit for a bit so the flavors can blend.

Cheesy Potatoes
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, 2 lbs large white potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes, 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper, to taste, 1 1/4 cups cubed Velveeta cheese, 1/4 cup of your favorite salsa, 1/2 cup sour cream, divided, and 1/4 cup chives, chopped.

Directions

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. In a zipper bag, mix the garlic powder and cumin together; add the cubed potatoes, seal the zipper, and toss it all together until potatoes are coated evenly. In a large, heavy skillet over medium heat melt the oil and butter together. Add the seasoned potatoes and cook, stirring frequently, until they're a nice, golden brown, about 10 minutes; cover and cook an additional 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender then season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the sauteed potatoes to a non-stick baking sheet and bake at 475 degrees F for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are nice and crisp. When potatoes are almost done baking, place the cubed Velveeta, salsa, and Tabasco into a microwave-safe bowl (I use a large Pyrex measuring bowl) and microwave for 1 minute; stir and microwave another minute; stir again and microwave for 1 more minute, then stir until smooth. For each serving, place some potatoes in a bowl, then pour over 1/4 of the melted Velveeta cheese sauce, top with some sour cream, then sprinkle with chopped green onion.

Enjoy your yummy Mexican supper and Happy Birthday Stephen!