Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Southwest Roasted Yam and Caramelized Onion Tacos

This is a sponsored review from BlogHer and Kraft.

roasted yam and caramelized onion tacos

I remember the first time I ate tacos. It was in the ‘70s, and my mom bought a box of hard U-shaped corn tortillas that she and I diligently filled with spicy ground beef, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and salsa.

I thought they were perfect. That is, until I tried to eat one. I opened wide, took a big bite out of one end, and the shell cracked in half. Panicked, I tried to hold it together with two hands, but the pressure of my fingers made it crack more. Tiny pebbles of ground beef littered my plate, salsa splashed my shirt, and shredded lettuce tumbled to the ground. It was awful. I was a taco failure.

It wasn’t until years later, that I discovered soft taco shells. Soft? Weren’t all taco shells hard? Didn’t they all splinter in your mouth when you bit into them? Blissfully, no.

I have never gone back to the hard shells since. But I have gone back to this recipe, and I hope you will too. These Southwest Roasted Yam and Caramelized Onion Tacos drizzled with PHILADELPHIA Santa Fe Blend COOKING CREME are addictive. The Cooking Creme is a spoonable, easily meltable cream cheese seasoned with Mexican herbs and spices. It’s ideal for nachos, pizzas, eggs, and, of course, tacos.

My recipe for Southwest Roasted Yam and Caramelized Onion Tacos is part of a collection of blogger's recipes you can find at The Real Women of Philadelphia web site. That’s where Paula Deen and PHILADELPHIA CREAM CHEESE have joined forces to find their next big cooking star.

The finalists have been chosen, and the winner will be announced at The Live Event at the historic Lucas Theatre in downtown Savannah, Georgia on June 30th (visit the site for more details). The event will be live streaming from 8pm EST and 5pm PST. The winners will contribute to a cookbook, star in cooking videos, make publicity appearances, and become $25,000 richer!

Want to find more great recipes like this one? Go to the Real Women of Philadelphia site and check out the finalists’ recipes. There are some great ones there -- then come back here and tell me which one(s) you liked most or want to try. I’m always looking for new ideas!

Southwest Roasted Yam and Caramelized Onion Tacos
Makes 8 tacos
Printable recipe.

Philadelphia Santa Fe Cooking Creme

2 to 2 1/4 pounds yams, peeled and diced
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced
8 (6-inch) white or yellow corn tortillas, warmed
1 1/2 cups of your favorite spicy salsa, such as chipotle-lime
1 tub of PHILADELPHIA Santa Fe Blend COOKING CREME, warmed
Several sprigs of fresh cilantro
Shredded Cheddar cheese, optional
8 lime wedges

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

2. In a large bowl, toss dices yams with 1 tablespoons olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and black pepper. Place in the center of the oven and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned and tender when pierced with a knife.

3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add onions. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes, then reduce to a simmer. Cook onions, stirring occasionally, for 25 to 30 minutes, until soft and caramelized. Add potatoes to the pan and toss.

caramelized onions

4. To assemble, place a warm tortilla on a plate. Fill the center with the potato and onion mixture, and top with 1 to 2 spoonsfuls of salsa. Drizzle with 1 to 2 spoonfuls of Phildelphia Santa Fe Blend Cooking Creme. Garnish with a couple of sprigs of fresh cilantro, some shredded Cheddar cheese, and serve with a lime wedge.

To check out more wonderful blogger's recipes, visit the BlogHer Round-Up page!