Quick and Easy Taco Dip

Ever want something quick and easy? Here is a super easy meat, tomato and chili dip that can also be used to make taco salad or used in a taco pie bake. I made this for the first time today and plan on putting it in a taco pie bake some time this week.

I am watching my salt and have been experimenting with finding ways to make foods quick, easy and low in sodium. I thought it was a challenge when I had to start watching sugar and carbs for my husband, but let me tell you if you are watching your sodium it is almost impossible especially if you are used to treating yourself to eating food out every once in a while. There is literally nothing out there for the low sodium eater! Even some salads are bad.

Another great thing about this recipe is that it is really inexpensive. The main ingredients are readily available at Walmart and Kroger's. When I shopped earlier today I got the meat for $3.08, the tomatoes were in my cupboard [.68 cents each]. I already had the chopped onion; from Walmart $1.00 and it can be used dozens of times in meals. The crushed red pepper and the celery flakes I already had; I generally pick these up at Kroger, store brand, especially when they are on sale. They are usually just $1.00 per shaker. The small amounts of cheese and sour cream are nominal in price if you purchase store brands or comparison shop. I especially love to shop at Aldi's for staples like sour cream because they have excellent prices on dairy items and pantry staples like beans and veggies as well as pasta and fresh veggies. Even their cereal and bread are excellent values.

I have recently started frying my own tortilla chips in peanut oil. My daughter does not do well with canola or corn oil so I have been frying things with peanut oil and cooking with olive oil.

These chips are very easy to make and economical as well. The greatest bonus is that they taste excellent without salt! It may be the peanut oil that makes them taste good, or the fact that I am getting used to no salt. I absolutely abhor salt substitute. It is like having a metallic tasting glass of water. It just tastes wrong! It leaves a bitter taste in my mouth so I only use it when cooking eggs because, for me, eggs with no salt is intolerable. Additionally, I find that the no salt chips available in stores are bland and tasteless.

But, I digress, all you need is a 2 quart pan, preferably with a heavy bottom, but use what you have. Set the stove burner at medium [this is 4 on my stove] and let the oil heat for a couple of minutes. Drop a test tortilla in the oil. If it gets brown rapidly, the oil is ready. Drop enough tortilla pieces in the oil to completely fill top of oil. For me it was around 10-12. The size you cut will determine how many you cook at once. Corn tortillas [small] make great triangle chips. I cut them in 1/8th pieces. The large flour tortillas I cut in four strips, stacked the strips and cut them in half then three strips each from the halves.

You should stir the chips while they are frying with a frying spatula or wooden spoon. Pulling them out of the oil works best with a frying spatula because it is slotted. You can also use a salad serving fork or slotted spoon in a pinch. The chips only need to stay in the oil for 1-2 minutes. The first batch will get brown very quickly but subsequent batches will take slightly longer due to the change in oil temperature after the initial batch has dropped the oil's temperature.