Taco Salad!

If you are anything like me then you enjoy a good taco night! I mean who doesn't? It does not require much time or ingredients and it is fantastic! When I was a kid taco bar night (which is what my mom calls it) was my favorite night... well that and cereal night! I know my mom thought she was  a bad mom when she would let us eat cereal for dinner but let me tell you some of my best memories are from coco pebbles for dinner night! Any who... I love frying up the taco shells but it is so unhealthy and creates so many more calories I don't do it often! Then I saw a way to cook the tortillas so that they were like a tostada but they are baked and have no added calories! I knew I had to try it out! It is so simple and makes you feel silly for not thinking of it sooner but glad that you now realized this quick and simple trick!

Start out with some tortillas!

Then get out your cupcake or muffin pan turn it upside down and spray it with pam. Put the tortilla between the cups and push down in the center so they are flat on the bottom and look like a tostada shell! On this first round I tried spraying the tortilla with pam but they got waited down too much and bubbled up too much that I opted to not do that on the others and they turned out better

Then bake them at 350 for about 12 minutes. You want them to be browned so you know they are going to being crisp. If you like them more chewy you can cook them less but because they are baked it is easier to eat when you leave them crispy!
While they are baking start your taco meat. I like to mix McCormick mild and hot taco seasoning so it is not too hot but not to weak!

I mix the powder with a fork with the water so that I can pour it on the meat and there are no seasoning clumps. It makes for an even mixture in with the meat.
While I was rotating out the shells I was cooking and while the meat was simmering I chopped up the veggies I wanted and grated the cheese for the taco salad.

Once the meat is done and your shells are cooked just assemble your taco salad in whatever way floats for boat!
Start with your empty baked shell

I then added some beans and thew on some cheese

I would like you all to know that Hubby came in the kitchen at this point and threw the cheese on and said "BAM! See I can cook too!!" haha but it is so easy and fun it would be a great dinner for kids!
I then added in the meat and the heat from the meat melts the cheese into the beans...

And if you notice yes the shell changed as Hubby stole his shell away to make his own and I had to start over with mine! Then I added on a little sprinkle of cheese tomato and onion

Finally I sprinkled it with a little freshly chopped cilantro and some avacado slices! YUM! I am a California girl ok and us Cali folks love us some avacado!

When I was in the ethnic foods isle of Wal-Mart I found these salsas and we tried out the one on the right. We were both a little hesitant of the other! haha but it was very good!

The finished product was so yummy! I broke apart my shell and ate it with the filling and it was the perfect crunchy compliment to all the spicy cheesey tastey insides! This as so fast so delicious and so yummy I know it will become a staple at our house and hopefully yours too!!

Have any of you tried this method before? Does anyone have any good tips to share?