Taco Crunch Ring

Taco Crunch Ring Recipe

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large white onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced (Optional Replacements: Sliced black olives, green or yellow peppers)
1 jalapeño, seeded, diced
1 lb. ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
1 lime, juice
10 flour tortillas
nonstick cooking oil spray
3-4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup tortilla chips, crushed
Garnishes: Salsa, sour cream and green onion for serving.

Laurie’s Tip: I do not care for bell peppers, so I substituted a can of slices black olives

Directions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C).

Step 2: In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally until caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add the red bell pepper (if you choose) and jalapeño. Cook until softened, about 3 minutes.

Step 3: Add the ground beef, breaking apart with your spoon, and mix into the other ingredients. Brown ground beef until no longer pink. Add the taco seasoning and the lime juice. Mix thoroughly, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Step 4: On a cutting board, place the stack of tortillas. Cut off two round sides of the tortillas, leaving a 4-inch (10-cm) wide middle section. Cut the middle section in half vertically.

Step 5: Generously spray a bundt pan with nonstick spray. Place the middle strips of tortilla in the bundt pan in a fanning pattern. Each tortilla strip should slightly overlap the previous strip.

Step 6: Sprinkle 1/4th of the cheddar cheese on top of the tortillas.

Step 7: Spread half of the ground beef mixture on top of the cheese. (If you choose, sprinkle tope of beef with black olives.)

Step 8: Place a third of the round strips of tortilla on top of the ground beef mixture in a fanning pattern.

Step 9: Sprinkle another 1/4th of the cheddar cheese on top of the tortillas. Sprinkle the tortilla chips on top of the cheese.

Step 10: Place another third of the round strips of tortilla on top of the chips in a fanning pattern. Spread the rest of the ground beef mixture on top of the cheese (as well as black olives if chosen.) Sprinkle the rest of the cheddar cheese on top of the ground beef mixture. Place the rest of the tortillas on top of the cheese in a fanning pattern.