Taco Salad

By Christy Rost

Ingredients:

4		burrito-size flour tortillas
		nonstick cooking spray
1 ½		pounds ground chuck or ground sirloin
1		small onion, peeled and diced
2		cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1		tablespoon taco seasoning
¼		cup picante sauce
		freshly ground black pepper
1		small head Romaine lettuce, chopped
1		15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
2		avocados, peeled, seeded, and cubed, or 1 1/2 cups guacamole
2		tomatoes, chopped
1		medium jalapeno pepper, sliced (optional)
½		cup sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray the tortillas on both sides with nonstick cooking spray and fit them into 7-inch diameter oven-proof bowls. Place a loosely-gathered ball of foil in the center of each tortilla and bake 8 minutes, or until the edges are light brown. Remove the tortillas from the bowls and place them on a cookie sheet. Remove the foil and bake them an additional 5 minutes, or until the centers are crisp. Transfer them to a wire rack and cool.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat until hot and add the ground beef and diced onion. Cook until the meat crumbles and is no longer pink and the onion is tender. Drain the fat and stir in the minced garlic, taco seasoning, picante sauce, and black pepper. Cook the mixture, stirring constantly, one minute more.

Fill the centers of the tortilla bowls with chopped lettuce and top with the beef mixture, black beans, cubed avocados, chopped tomatoes, sliced jalapenos, and a dollop of sour cream. Serve immediately.

Recipe makes 4 servings.