Taco Scoops

Are you ready for some football?!!!!! This past weekend not only did we celebrate traditional Sunday Super Bowl, but we also celebrated Madden Fest.  Yes, my husband and his friends have a Madden football league.  He even made it to the Final Four with his team!   There were big stakes on the line this year:  money, bragging rights, and yes a very large trophy with the winners name to be engraved.  Of course I wanted my hubby to win, but secretly I was praying that we wouldn’t be taking home the ‘beautiful’ trophy.   

Imagine my dilemma of deciding what to make for 2 Super Bowl parties!  Sure, the game is on TV, but what matters most to me are the commercials and snacks.  LOTS of snacks.  But if you’re going to a party you need to think outside of the box because everyone always brings a dip.  So what to make?  I decided for Super Bowl Sunday that I would make my Mini Boston Cream Pies since there probably wouldn’t be a lot of sweets.  But for Madden Fest I made one of my most popular appetizers….Taco Scoops.

The key ingredient - Tostitos Scoops

A lot of friends and family members reach out to me and ask if I can recommend any good appetizer recipes.  Well this is it!  This is THE one!  Not only is it easy, but they taste absolutely delicious!

Why do people love these appetizers so much?  1. Who doesn’t love tacos?  2.  Who doesn’t love tacos that aren’t messy?  That’s the beauty of this recipe.  The filling is simply taco meat and cheese.  But how do these transform into an elegant appetizer that’s not messy?  Tostitos Scoops.  The meat mixture is spooned into the Tostitos Scoops, sprinkled with cheese, and baked in the oven.  When they come out they’re topped with a dollop of sour cream that has been mixed with taco seasoning.  

The final stats!

Madden Fest 2012 Champion - Kevin Klockziem

Our guests tried these for the first time after one true Madden champion remained (congrats Kevin Klockziem!).   I made half a batch and in minutes these were gone and I quickly put another round in the oven.  The guys loved them!  These make for the perfect appetizer because they’re bite sized and contained in the scoop. No mess! 

Taco Scoops

Adapted from recipe# 265329 by Linda’s Busy Kitchen, food.com

Serves:  80-90 scoops

Prep Time: 20 mins.

Total Time: 30 mins.

Ingredients:

•     1 lb. ground beef
•     1 (1.25 oz.) package taco seasoning, divided
•     1/3 cup water
•     1 cup mexican blend cheese, divided
•     1 cup chunky salsa
•     1 bag Tostitos Scoops
•     1 (8 oz.) container sour cream

Directions:

1. In a large skillet cook ground beef over medium-high heat; break the meat up into small pieces.  Strain and drain grease.
2. Pre-heat oven to 350˚F. Mix sour cream and half the package of taco seasoning; return to the fridge.
3. Return meat to the skillet and add the remaining amount of taco seasoning and water. Continue cooking until the water has evaporated.
4. Add salsa and 1/2 cup Mexican cheese to the meat mixture. Stir until the cheese has melted.
5. Spoon meat mixture into Tostitos Scoops.  Place on a baking sheet and sprinkle remaining cheese over taco scoops.  Bake for 5 minutes.
6. Use a spoon to top with a small dollop of the sour cream mix.