Mexican Bar

Sometimes, I make Mexican bar style food (think salad bar). It takes about 25 minutes to get everything ready. I usually make this at the same time I'm cooking something different for tonight's dinner. We'll eat this for dinner for 3 or 4 nights. Its good for quick lunches or dinners when we're busy.

Basic Ingredients
cheddar cheese
cornstarch
hamburger
taco seasoning
1 large onion
lettuce
tomatoes (optional)
sour cream
salsa
canned refried beans
corn tortillas
taco shells
flour tortillas
tortilla chips
avacados (optional)
garlic powder
chili powder
salt
lemon juice

To Prepare ahead: Start by grating the cheese and adding about 2 tsp of cornstarch to each pound of cheese. The food processor is best for this...I can grate 5lbs of cheese in 5 minutes. Store in a ziptop baggie. Next, dice the onion. If you like fresh onion on your mexican food, set aside about 1/2 a cup in a ziptop baggie and place the rest of the onion in a large skillet. Add the hamburger. Brown the hamburger and drain off the fat. Add taco seasoning and a little water to the hamburger. Cook about 5 minutes. Cool and place in a ziptop baggie. Wash, dry, and shred lettuce and place in a ziptop baggie.

When ready to eat: Cut tomato and make guacamole. To make guacamole, cut avacado and remove pit. Use a spoon to scoop out avacado into a bowl. Sparingly, sprinkle with salt, chili powder, and garlic powder. Add lemon juice and use a fork to mash...leaving a few chunks. Taste and add more seasoning if necessary, serve immediately. Use the ingredients to make:
tacos
burritos
chips and salsa/guacamole
taco salad
quesadillas
cheese crisps
nachos
chimichangas
For tacos: Lightly fry corn tortillas and drain on paper towels OR use premade taco shells. Heat taco meat and assemble.
For burritos: Spread refried beans on a flour tortilla. Add cheese and roll up tucking in one end. Microwave 15 seconds.
For taco salad: Heat the taco meat and add to a bowl with chips, sour cream, salsa, tomatoes, lettuce, and cheese.
For quesadillas: Place cheese on 1/2 of a flour tortilla, add salsa. Fold over and fry until golden brown...OR grill.
For cheese crisps: Place a flour tortilla on a plate, sprinkle with cheese and microwave for 15 seconds. Cut into wedges and add salsa.
For nachos: Place chips in a bowl, sprinkle with cheese and microwave for 15-25 seconds.
For chimichangas: Place refried beans and or taco meat in a flour tortilla. Roll up tucking in both ends. Deep fry until golden brown.