Easy Taco Bites

Tacos are always a hit in our house, but my kids are still at the stage where those regular hard taco shells end up becoming a crumbled mess on their plates. The other day, as it was already 6:30pm and we were all starving, I was scrambling for a FAST (and easy) dinner solution, I stumbled upon a solution so simple and yet so perfect, I couldn’t believe I had never thought of it before.

Taco Bites.

All the yumminess of a taco in a handy bite-sized package. I’m probably not the first person to ever come up with this idea, but I gotta tell ya, I was pretty darn proud of myself for this one! It didn’t hurt that my family gobbled them up like they had never seen food before and I was declared the best mommy ever. As usual, I used vegetarian protein crumbles instead of ground beef, but the directions are basically the same either way!

Here is what you need:

Step One: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in large frying pan over medium-high heat; add onions & sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add protein crumbles or ground beef; cook until meat is browned. (Drain fat if necessary). Add taco seasoning & 1/2 cup of water. Cook for 1-2 minutes more.

Step Two: Cover baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup. Arrange whole scoop chips on pan.

Step Three: Use a teaspoon to fill each cup with taco meat.

Step Four: Sprinkle shredded cheese over taco meat, then top each bite with a sliced olive or jalepeno. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 8-10 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Step Five:  Serve immediately with salsa, sour cream, & other toppings, if desired.