Walking Taco Casserole

I will admit I have not made many new things during our quarantined time.  I think we just wanted some familiar comfort foods.  I am beginning to find recipes that are new that I want to try.  Yesterday I brought you the sopapillas and today I am bringing you the main dish that I had the same night.  This is a variation of a regular taco salad that I make a lot.  So this was a welcome change. 

You can add all your favorite taco toppings to the casserole.  I don't like tomatoes so mine doesn't have any.  I will say I think it was a fan favorite because there was nothing left.

Use chili cheese fritos but if you don't like those or can't find them you can use regular fritos.

The recipe did not call for onions but I have to put onions in everything.  Use don't use them it is up to you. Sauté them until they are soft.

Add the ground beef and brown.  I always drain the ground beef well.

Add two packages of taco seasoning.

Add the amount of water that your package of taco season requires.

Mix well.

Put the bag of fritos in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.

Top with the ground beef mixture.

Cover with Fiesta blend shredded cheese.  Place in a 350 oven for 15-20 minutes or the cheese is nice and bubbly.  I didn't get a chance to take a picture fresh from the oven because we were ready to dive in.

Then top with your favorites: tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream, taco sauce, or salsa.

Walking Taco Casserole Recipe

1 9.25 ounce bag of chili cheese fritos
2 lbs ground beef
onion
2 packets of taco seasoning
2 cups shredded fiesta blend cheese

Preheat oven 350 bake for 15-20 minutes

New Mexico Style Sopapillas

I have searched for a long time for a recipe for sopapillas like I remember as a child.  We would go to El Palacio here in town and they had these great sopapillas that you would bite into them and they would be hollow on the inside and you could pour honey inside. Well I found that recipe.  They are easy too which is a plus. I will be making these again sometime soon.

You can dust them with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar then drizzle honey on them or just do one or the other.  I wish I had a picture to show you the inside.

All you need are a few simple ingredients you probably have on hand.

I made half a recipe.  So keep that in mind. If you need more just use the regular recipe.  But I am sharing the half recipe.  2 cups all purpose flour.

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons shortening.  I had butter flavored shortening.

Cut the shortening into the flour mixture.

You should not see any pieces of shortening.

3/4 cup warm water.  I used 110 degrees.  This is what I use for making bread.

The dough comes together.

Knead the dough a couple of times.

The ball up, cover and let rest for about 20 minutes.

Start heating you oil on medium high.  I am almost afraid to heat oil on high.  I used a dutch oven because it is heavy.  Roll the dough out, I cut mine in half and did two batches, you want it to be about 1/8th inch thick.

Then cut in squares.  Mine were not uniform size square but you can cut them about 4 inches.

The first batch ready for the oil.

I originally put a small piece in to test the oil.  You want the oil to be really hot so they puff up.

When they start expanding you can hear them.

Ready for cinnamon sugar and honey

Ready to dive in.  I will say they do make a mess.  But it's a good mess.

New Mexico Style Sopapillas Recipe
Full recipe
4 cups all purpose flour
4 Tablespoons shortening
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 teaspoon salt