Post #156: Tasty Tortilla Shell Treats

From tortilla tasties

I made these little babies for my Tapas dinner held a few weeks ago for my COF's (circle of friends) August birthdays, which I am included in, so I had a particularly vested interest in its success.  My hubby helped me make these little treats. Here is how we did it:

We used store bought pre-packaged raw tortillas (found in freezer section of the grocery store). Then, we decided on what ingredients we would like to fill the shells with, because the possibilities are endless. We used reduced-fat pork breakfast sausage and reduced-fat fiesta blend cheese. Then, follow these simple steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Lightly spray mini-muffin pan with canola or any light cooking spray.
   
3. Use a 2-inch biscuit or round cookie cutter to cut as many circles as you can get from each raw tortilla round.
4. Fit tortilla circles into each muffin tin, pressing down on bottoms and up the sides. 
5. Once all circles are in, lightly spritz the shells with canola or any light cooking spray.
6. Then, and this is very important, lightly press fork tines into the bottom of the shells a few times BEFORE baking. This keeps the tortilla from puffing and helps the bottom stay flat for filling. 
7. Bake for 5-7 minutes. Times may vary, so for the first batch, take sneak peaks until you see shells are to your desired crispiness. 
8. Remove shells. 
9. Fill with toppings of choice (remember all raw meats must be cooked in advanced and drained of fat). 
10. Then, place shells back into the oven for 2-4 minutes, until cheese(s) melt. 
11. Remove from oven.  Cool mini shells for a few minutes, until cheese(s) sets. 
12. Ready to serve! 

These shells would also be perfect filled with dips, sauces, or guacamole. You could also sprinkle them with a cinnamon-sugar mixture. Then, fill them with sweet creams, fruit, or even ice cream!

A healthier version would be to use reduced-fat tortillas or whole grain tortillas with reduced-fat toppings.

These are very easy and can be made just before guests arrive or while you are mingling.

Well, time for me to say goodbye to the computer. There is some laundry with my name written all over it! Such a glamorous life I lead.  Later, vacumming. Ah, exciting stuff!