National Taco Day is Oct. 4. Taco pie is a delicious new spin on normal tacos.
I love how easy this pie is to whip up. The crescent roll crust comes from a can. Besides a few utensils and measuring cups, the only other dish other than the pie pan is the pan used to brown the meat. There is no right or wrong way to arrange the crescent rolls to form the crust; the goal is just to cover the entire bottom and sides of the pie plate. I usually use tortilla chips, but other corn chips like Fritos will probably work, too.
This pie is very easy to reheat and still tastes great. The original recipe said to reheat this pie at 325 degrees for 30-40 minutes. However, I usually just reheat it at 350 degrees until it is warm.
At first glance, this recipe might seem strange. Whoever heard of taco pie?. This delectable pie is a great comfort food. The crescent roll crust provides a unique flavor, the chips on the bottom soak up any moisture to ensure that the crust cooks completely, and the spicy meat is perfectly complemented by cool sour cream and cheese. And, it can be topped with any toppings you like. Beans, lettuce, tomatoes, taco sauce, salsa, more cheese — the possibilities are endless.
Carrot bars are a new family favorite. As I’ve mentioned before, we have a lot of carrots in the garden this year. Although every member of the family likes carrot cake, I wanted to find a more healthy and not so sweet recipe to try. I found a carrot muffin recipe and changed it up slightly.
The original recipe called for a whole cup of raisins. I thought that a bit much, so I only did about 3/4 cup. Also, I let my raisins soak for 20-25 minutes while I mixed the rest of the batter. Soaking the raisins really makes a difference, so although it sounds weird, do not skip this step.
To make these bars lighter, I replaced half the oil with drained applesauce. If you have very thick applesauce, you can skip this step. Draining the applesauce just helps keep excess moisture out of the bars.
Finally, I increased the amount of cinnamon and added a little cloves.
These bars are delicious. They are light and fluffy with plump, juicy raisins interspersed throughout, and with just a hint of spice. You can make these into muffins if you prefer, although the amount of baking time will probably vary. If you want to make these carrot bars into desert, while keeping them light, you can frost these bars with a cream cheese frosting made with Neufchatel cheese.
Francesca Ullmer, the second child of a large homeschooled family, is from the Krakow area. She enjoys baking, reading, knitting, raising goats, and entering numerous items in the Oconto County Fair.
TACO PIE
1 lb. ground beef
7 1/2 oz. can of tomato sauce
1 envelope of taco seasoning
1 tube of refrigerator crescent rolls
1 cup corn chips, crushed
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
1/3 cup corn chips, crushed
Brown ground beef; drain if needed. Add the tomato sauce and taco seasoning; stir well. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Press crescent rolls together to form a crust in an ungreased 9-inch pie plate. Sprinkle the 1 cup of corn chips on the bottom. Spoon the beef mixture on top. Drop dabs of sour cream here and there over the beef mixture. Spread as evenly as you can. Sprinkle with both cheeses. Top with the 1/3 cup of corn chips. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until the crust is browned. Top with desired toppings such as lettuce, tomatoes and taco sauce.
CARROT BARS
3/4 cup raisins
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 to 1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup applesauce, drained
3/4 cup brown sugar
4 large eggs
3 cup grated carrots
Soak raisins in 2 cups of water for at least 15 minutes, then drain. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line one or two baking sheets with parchment paper. Spray very lightly with cooking spray, if desired. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cloves together in a bowl. Beat oil, applesauce, brown sugar and eggs in a large bowl until well combined. Gradually mix in the flour mixture, then fold in the carrots and the drained raisins. Spread the batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove bars from pan (leaving the parchment paper on the bars). Place on a cooling rack, and let cool.
