Day 2: Slow Cooker Tacos

Love Tacos, but hate how greasy they can be or having to pan fry the hamburger meat? You're not alone. I couldn't sleep tonight after I put my daughter down and my fiance went onto his thrid consecutive hour of sleep so I started looking in the fridge again to get idea's for lunch tomorrow since my fiance works third shift tomorrow night. We had made spaghetti the other night and due to a lack of Ziplock baggies or aluminum foil we set the remaining hamburger in the fridge. Because of this I had an idea: "What if tacos could be done quicker than normal? What if the meat could be done and ready when you wanted it without turning the burner on?" Thus, I've decided to try slow cooking the hamburger meat the night before on the lowest setting possible and seeing how the meat would turn out the next day around noon-ish. This could be done with frozen hamburger meat as well, you would just need to take a spatula to it the morning of making the tacos so it's all ready to go by lunch/dinner time.

When researching slow cooker ideas that included hamburger meat, I did NOT see anything like this SO I'm hoping that it turns out great. If it does then it will be the most convinent way to make tacos. This was all done for under $15. REMEMBER: All prices are based on local stores, prices in your city may vary.

Ingredients:
1-1 1/2 lbs Hamburger Meat. ($5.97/lb -Walmart)
1 Pack Taco Seasoning. ($.90 -Walmart)
1 8oz or larger bag of Shreded Cheese, your choice. ($1.95/8oz -Schnucks)
1 Sweet Onion. ($.85 -Walmart)
1 Red Tomatoe. ($.50 -Walmart)
1 2lb or larger bag of Shreded Lettuce. ($2.39/2lb bag -Schnucks)
1 Box/Bag of Hard Shell/Soft Shell Tacos. ($2.35 -Walmart)
Seasonings of your choice.
Slow Cooker. (Mine is a Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker)
Price of meal total---------------------$14.91

SLOW COOKER INSTRUCTIONS:
1) Mix hamburger meat and 1 1/4 cup of water in slow cooker and turn slow cooker onto lowest setting (if doing the night before, if doing in the morning set it on medium). Add more water through out cooking as needed/as desiered.
2) Add the taco mix packet and your seasonings, stir and let cook over night stirring periodicly. (I used seasoned salt, chili powder, a dash of cinnamon powder, and the taco seasoning packet.)
3) Dice up the sweet onion (or whatever kind of onion you choose to use) and add into the slow cooker and stir. (IF you want spicy tacos, add a dash of hot sauce and/or a chopped up pepper of your choice into the slow cooker.)
4) Turn the heat up to high toward the afternoon (if serving for dinner, and if serving for lunch turn to high in morning or if starting in the morning and serving for lunch start on high heat).

PREPERATION FOR TACO INSTRUCTIONS:
**This is meant to be done within an hour of serving tacos.**
1) Dice up tomatoe, place in a bowl with a little cold water and place in refridgerator until ready to serve.
2)Take shreded lettuce out of bag and place in a bowl. Add water to the bowl, then drain the water and place back in refridgerator until ready to serve.
3) Prepare taco shells as you prefer, rather it'd be heating them up or just letting them sit on the counter or in the refridgerator until ready to serve.
4) Leave shreded cheese in refridgerator until ready to serve.
5) Drain any luquids left over in slow cooker, and place hamburger meat in a bowl.
6) When ready to serve, pull everything out (draining the tomatoes), serve, and enjoy! =)

I hope everyone enjoys it! If you've tried it then upload a picture of your turn out! Didn't like it? Tell me why! Please remember: This is my first time tring this as well and I haven't found any recipies like it online so I'm hoping it turns out great for everyone who tries it. =)

This is the hamburger meat, water, and seasonings first put into the slow cooker:


Hamburger Meat in the morning (7:35 A.M.):


Tacos for dinner, enjoy!: