If you like Mexican food but can’t always work your favorite restaurant into your budget, try these tasty American style Mexican treats. Your family will enjoy them and they won’t hurt your budget a bit.
Mama’s Tamale Bake
Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground beef or turkey
- 1 jar salsa or picante sauce
- 1 cup cheddar cheese
- 2 packages cornbread mix (eggs and milk if directions require)
Directions:
Crumble and brown ground beef. Drain excess fat and stir in salsa or picante sauce and cheese. Prepare cornbread mix according to package directions. Pour half into a greased 13” x 9” baking pan. Bake according to package directions. When cornbread is done, top with meat mixture and cover with remaining cornbread mix. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until top layer of cornbread is soft but done. This recipe serves 6-8 people for less than $1.00 per person.
Tasty Taco Pie
Ingredients:
- 1 package of crescent rolls (or 2 cans of canned biscuits if rolls are not on sale)
- 1 pound of ground beef, chuck, or turkey
- 1 envelope of taco seasoning
- 1 can of refried beans
- 1 bag of store brand corn chips
- 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
Directions:
Press crescent rolls or biscuits into a greased 13” x 9” pan. Spread refried beans over rolls. Crumble corn chips and pour over beans. Brown and drain ground beef and stir in taco seasoning. Spoon over the corn chips. Top with cheddar cheese and bake according to crescent (or biscuit) directions or until cheese is melted. This recipe also serves 6-8 for less than $1.00 per person.
*You can serve both dishes with sour cream, shredded lettuce, diced tomato, onion, etc. if you desire. These toppings will bring the total cost to about $1.00, or just over $1.00 per serving.