Add olive or vegetable oil to a large straight sided sauté pan with lid or Dutch oven. Heat and then add chopped onion. Sauté until the onion is translucent, about 2 minutes*. Add the ground beef and brown until the beef is well cooked, about 5 minutes.

Fresh Taco Seasoning method:

Place the dried chile guajillo and dried chile ancho in a 2-quart saucepan and fill halfway full with water. Heat on the stove and bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes. Remove the stem and seeds.

Add the cooked chiles to the container of a blender, along with garlic, cumin, cilantro, tomatoes and water. Puree until smooth. Pour the pureed sauce into the pan with the ground beef. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Allow to simmer uncovered for 10 minutes or until the liquid reduces slightly.  Cover and keep on a very low simmer until ready to serve.

Dry Taco Seasoning Method:

Add olive or vegetable oil to a large straight sided sauté pan with lid or Dutch oven. Heat and then add chopped onion. Sauté until the onion is translucent, about 2 minutes*. Add the ground beef and brown until the beef is well cooked, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, onion flakes, ground cumin, salt and pepper in a small mixing bowl. Stir to combine well.

Once the ground meat is browned, add half of the dry taco seasoning to the ground beef. Reserve the remaining dry seasoning mix for another batch of taco filling at a later date.

Stir the seasoning into the ground beef and then add the can of crushed tomatoes. Stir to combine well. Allow to simmer uncovered for 10 minutes or until the liquid reduces slightly.  Cover and keep on a very low simmer until ready to serve.

Serve with your favorite taco shells and toppings.