Tarantula Tostadas Or Tacos Food

TARANTULA TOSTADAS (OR TACOS)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F.
• Heat tostada or taco shells in oven as directed on box, usually just a couple of minutes.
• In a 10-inch skillet, cook ground beef over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain.
• Stir in taco seasoning mix and water.
• Reduce heat to medium and cook uncovered about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until water has evaporated. Remove from heat.
• Spoon beef mixture into heated tostada or taco shells. Top with cheese, lettuce and tomato.
• Spoon sour cream into small resealable food-storage plastic bag. Seal bag; cut VERY tiny hole in corner of bag. Pipe sour cream over top of each taco to resemble spider web.
• For each spider, top taco with 1 olive, pitted end down. Cut second olive lengthwise into 8 pieces; place around whole olive for legs. For eyes, squeeze 2 dots of sour cream onto top of olive.
• BOO!

TARANTULA TACOS

Steps:

• 1. In 10-inch skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown; drain. Stir in taco seasoning mix and water. Cook over medium heat 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• 2. Heat taco shells and flour tortillas as directed on packages.
• 3. Spread 2 tablespoons heated refried beans on each flour tortilla. Place hard taco shell on center of flour tortilla and gently fold tortilla sides up to match taco shell sides.
• 4. Spoon 2 tablespoons beef mixture into each double-layer taco shell. Top with salsa, lettuce and cheese. Serve immediately.

BEEF TOSTADAS/TACOS

Steps:

• Sprinkle steak with salt and pepper. Place 3 tablespoons of the lime juice, garlic, jalapeno, onion, chili powder, cumin and cayenne pepper in a slow cooker. Place beef on top and cook on high for 6 hours or low for 8 hours.
• Remove beef to a cutting board and when cool enough to handle, shred and place in a large bowl.
• Strain remaining liquid and add the strained liquid and remaining 1 tablespoon of lime juice to beef and stir to combine.
• Warm shells in oven according to directions. While Tostadas are baking, heat refried beans in microwave for 1 1/2 minutes on high or until warm.
• Top shells with beans, meat, lettuce, cheese, and salsa and enjoy.

JALISCO-STYLE TOSTADAS (OR SOPES)

Steps:

• Pico de Gallo: In a bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, jalapeños, cilantro and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. The salsa is best prepared for optimum flavor 1 hour in advance.
• Meat: Cook *beef and chorizo in a heated skillet, breaking chorizo meat into small pieces, until browned and cooked through. Set aside. *Although the chorizo is wonderfully seasoned, my husband added a little more spices and such to the meat mixture: chipotle powder, cumin, part of a small cinnamon stick or small pinch of ground cinnamon, Mexican oregano, very small amount of salt-free garlic powder and black pepper -- that I can remember.
• Heat up the refried beans and simmer on low until ready to serve. Add more cooking liquid if the beans start to dry out.
• For the thick tortillas, mix masa and salt in a bowl. Add 1 1/4 to 11/2 c of water and knead for 1-2 min until dough comes together and is pliable. (A food processor works well for this step.) If the dough seems too dry, add more water, a tablespoon or so at a time.
• Divide dough into 8 equal portions and form into balls.
• To Make Sopes: Press the dough with your fingers from the center outwards to create a shallow, flat bowl approximately 5" in diameter. Heat 1" of vegetable oil in a skillet to 350° and fry tortillas approximately 2 min each side, until golden brown. Remove from oil and place onto paper towels.
• To Make Tostadas: Take each portion/ball of dough and flatten either with a tortilla press or with a rolling pin to about shy 1/2" thickness. Fry the same way as indicated in Step above.
• To assemble, place a tortilla onto a plate, top with refried beans, ground beef and chorizo mix, pico de gallo, cheese and shredded cabbage/lettuce and radishes. Add a dollop of crema and garnish with cilantro and lime.
• Serving suggestions: I placed the garnishes on a large platter for a "Build-Your-Own" Tostada Bar. Best part of this recipe? LEFTOVERS! Our sides: Recipe #117892 and Recipe #12740 (subbing strawberries, Texas Red Star grapefruit and Valencia oranges for the melons.).