Mini Taco Bites Week 5

Mini Taco Bites

Bite-sized taco treats filled with refried beans, seasoned ground beef, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, and avocado.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• ¼ teaspoon garlic salt
• ¼ teaspoon chili powder
• 1 package (10-inch) flour tortillas
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• ¼ cup diced onion
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon garlic salt
• ¼ teaspoon oregano
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 (8-ounce) tomato sauce
• salt and pepper
• ⅓ cup refried beans
• ¼ cup shredded Mexican cheese
• ½ cup finely shredded lettuce
• 1 plum tomato, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon finely diced red onion
• ½ avocado, finely diced
• cilantro for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Mix together melted butter, garlic salt, and ¼ teaspoon chili powder.
3. Cut tortillas with a 3-inch biscuit cutter or cookie cutter. You should get 3-4 circles per tortilla. Stack tortillas, wrap in a moist paper towel, and microwave for 20 seconds to soften.
4. Brush both sides of tortilla circles with butter mixture and press into cups of a mini muffin pan so that they take the shape of the muffin cup.
5. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Cool in pan 5 minutes and then remove to wire rack to cool completely.
6. In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. When most of the pink is gone add onion. Cook 2 more minutes.
7. Add chili powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Stir for 30 seconds and then add tomato sauce. Simmer until thickens and then season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. Place refried beans and cheese in a small microwave safe bowl. Heat 30 seconds and stir. If cheese is not fully melted, heat in 20 second increments until cheese melts.
9. Place a small amount of bean mixture on bottom of each taco shell. Top with small spoonful of meat mixture.
10. Sprinkle with lettuce, tomato, red onion, avocado, and cilantro. Add small dollop of sour cream.

Wonton Pepperoni Pizza Week 4

Pepperoni Pizza Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

•   18 small wonton wrappers (about 3-4" in width)

•   1 1/2 cups finely diced pepperoni

•   1 cup finely diced red bell pepper

•   3/4 cup pizza sauce

•   1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

•   mushrooms

•   cilantro

•   red onion

DIRECTIONS

1   Spray a muffin pan with non-stick spray and preheat the oven to 350 degrees

2   Combine pepperoni, pepper and pizza sauce in a bowl.

3   Lay one wonton wrapper in the bottom of the tin. Press the wrapper in right to the edges so that it sticks to the non-stick spray.

4   Place about 1 TBS of filling in the bottom of each wrapper, spreading filling to cover the bottom. You want to use half of your filling this time around.

5   Place another wonton wrapper on top of your filling (on all 9 cupcakes), staggering the edges so that they don't overlap your first wonton (this is not a big deal, but I like to put the second wonton in slightly different direction to get more crunchy edges). Press the second wonton wrapper down onto the filling gently and up the sides of the pan.

6   Place about 1 TBS filling on top of your second wonton wrapper, spreading evenly across the top. Divide all of your filling among the remaining cupcakes.

7   Top with cheese and bake about 15 minutes until edges are golden and cheese is bubbly. Let cool slightly before eating.

*Note: I made a small batch, just enough for my family of 3. The ingredients are easily reduced or increased to make more to suit your own needs. If you are going to add more veggies, just reduce the amount of pepperoni and red pepper.

**I have tried placing both wrappers right in the bottom and then filling. It cuts out an extra step and works just as well! You do what you prefer