EASY DINNER: Taco Biscuits

The basic recipe comes from a Pillsbury calendar that is hanging in my kitchen right now.  But I have made several variations on this basic recipe that are equally delicious.  First, I will walk you through the basic recipe, and then I will tell you some of the creative ideas that I have tried.

Ingredients:
1 lb. Ground Beef or Ground Turkey
1 can of Pillsbury biscuits (Southern Style works best.  Don't get the store brand.)
1 cup of shredded cheese (cheddar, or colby/jack mixture)
1 McCormick Spice Cheesy Taco Seasoning packet
3/4 cup of milk (for taco mix)



Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare taco mix according to the instructions on the seasoning packet.  Usually, this amounts to browning the meat (draining if necessary) adding the contents of the spice packet and 3/4 cups of milk and heating until bubbling.  Once this is done, remove from heat to let cool while you work on the biscuits.

Flour a flat surface and roll out biscuits into 6-8" circles.  You could also use corn starch in place of flour if you wanted to.

Spoon the taco mixture onto the biscuit.












Then, top it with some cheese.

Fold the biscuit over and crimp with a fork to seal in the taco goodness.
















Arrange biscuits on a non-stick cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown.

Let cool for 2-3 minutes and serve with salsa or sour cream.






VARIATIONS:
Cilantro & Lime Chicken - Substitute chicken breast for beef or turkey in the above recipe.  Cook the chicken in some butter first, then shred it. Return chicken to skillet, and follow instructions on seasoning packet.  Add juice from 1/2 a lime and 1 cup of chopped cilantro to the taco mixture while cooking.

Chicken Fajita Biscuits - Use fajita seasoning instead of taco.  Use 1 lb. chicken breast, and shred when cooked.  Everything else stays the same.

Add Vegetables/Rice/Beans - Add a cup of your favorite frozen vegetables to your taco mix.  Mine includes corn, peas, and carrots.  Or stir in a cup of cooked white rice or black beans.

Chicken Cordon Bleu - Use chicken breast cooked in a skillet with butter.  Shred chicken and return to skillet.  Add 1/2 cup dry white wine, 1 tsp chicken bullion, and 1 cup of chopped or shredded ham. Wisk 1 Tbs of corn starch and 1 cup of heavy whipping cream in a small bowl and slowly add to skillet.  As sauce thickens, remove from heat.  Place this mixture into the biscuits and top with Swiss cheese before folding as usual.

Apples - Think caramel empanada from Taco Bell.  You can also skillet cook some finely chopped apples with butter, cinnamon and sugar and put this mixture into the biscuits for a desert.  You probably want to dust the tops of the biscuits with cinnamon and sugar in this case.