Flour Tortilla Fun!

Back during my Super Cool EA days, my friend Gary would come over and make us the yummiest stuff . My favorite was when he made Homemade Tortilla chips. Since then I will occasionally make my own corn tortilla chips, but recently my SIL Suzy introduced me to El Rey's ( from Globe) Flour Tortilla chips. Well they are freaking awesome, so I found out how to make those and made me up a batch . and what better a meal to go with it than Taco Salad in a Homemade Taco bowl! This smart idea was from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. So if you want a super easy way to impress some dinner guests, your husband or kids try this meal.

Taco Salad

Ground beef

Black/Pinto Beans

Lettuce

Tomato

Salsa

Sour cream

Cilantro

Avacado

Cheese

El Pato

Throw this and anything else you can think of into a Bowl and enjoy

Flour Tortilla Chips

1 package flour tortillas cut into strips or triangles

canola/vegetable oil for frying

salt

Let the tortillas dry out for about 10-15 min. in a single layer,before frying. Fry on med-high, they fry very fast. They will need to turn almost immediately after they get dropped in. You want them to brown and bubble up but not to much. Also do not overcrowd the pan. Place them on a paper towel to drain. Sprinkle with salt.

Serve and enjoy - can store in an airtight bag. Even better the second day.

Homemade Taco Tortilla Bowls

*Serves 6

6 burrito-size flour tortillas
Olive oil or Canola oil
6 oven-safe cups or canning jars

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, place the cups or jars upside down, evenly spacing them to make room for the tortillas that will be draped over them.

Microwave the tortillas for about 30 seconds, until they are soft and pliable. Rub a teaspoon or so of oil on the front and back of the tortilla. I used my fingers so that I could make sure to coat the entire surface of the tortilla. It doesn’t need to be a heavy coating of oil, just enough to help the tortilla crisp up and not stick to the jar or cup. Drape each tortilla over a cup or jar (I found that the tall jelly/jam jars I had sitting in my cupboard worked great, but my friend Lesli uses oven-safe tea cups and gets great results, too). I softly pressed the sides down a bit to help them form more of a bowl shape.

Bake the tortilla bowls for about 8-10 minutes, checking often so they don’t burn, until the tortillas are nicely browned and crisp. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the tortillas cool for a few minutes before gently removing them from the cups or jars.