Mini Taco Salads

Here it is, December and still 85 degrees and sunny. I am not complaining! What a blessing this weather is to me! It is strange though. As I have Amy Grant's "Winter Wonderland" blaring through my house, My back door is wide open and the smell of my Orange, Lemon and Lime trees is blowing through my house. We have started fun traditions here though. One of them is the parade of lights on   the San Diego Bay. It is so cool. We spend the day sailing and soaking up the sun. Then we have a nice dinner either that I have prepared on the sailboat, or we go to Peohe's on the water while we dock. At sunset the lights begin. Every sailboat and yacht parades by with lights, music and sometimes dancers. It is a Christmas parade on the water! The best part is I get to view it from my peaceful, crowd free sailboat. The City lights are the backdrop and it really makes for a fabulous SoCal Christmas experience. If you ever make it down to the San Diego bay during December, you gotta try it!

So who else is always looking for quick new ways to serve lunch? I saw these cute Tortilla cups From: Emily Bites and thought, Mini Taco Salads! How cute! Naturally Gluten Free, so you can't beat that! They actually are easy to make and they just add a little something extra to the normal boring lunch. Let me show you how I made them!

6 corn tortillas

Cooking Spray

1/2 lb ground beef or ground chicken 

2 TBSP water

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves minced

1 tbsp canola oil

1/4 cup shredded cheese of your choice

Shredded Lettuce

Salsa, Pico de gallo, guacamole, refried beans, sour cream

 Preheat the oven to 375.

 Get out your cupcake pans. Wrap tortillas in a moist papertowel and microwave for 45 seconds. Place the hot tortillas on the backside of your cupcake pans.

 Be sure to spray the cupcake pan so that it will come right off. Repeat with the 5 remaining tortillas, forming  bowls on each tin (as pictured above). Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes.

 While the tortilla bowls are baking, spray a large skillet with cooking spray and add the ground beef and brown. Add Cumin, Chili Powder, salt, pepper, onion and garlic and 2 TBSP garlic. Simmer for 5 minutes.

In a seperate skillet, heat up your favorite refried beans.

 Let the tortilla bowls cool for a few minutes after removing them from the oven. In each bowl, layer ¼ c meat,  1Tbsp refried beans, 1 Tbsp cheese, Salsa, guac or your favorite taco toppings. Add  some shredded lettuce and sour cream.

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