Chips Caused Cheers at Taco Bell by Lisa Messinger on Creators.com

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Chips Caused Cheers at Taco Bell

The current story at popular fast food chain Taco Bell has undoubtedly played out many times in your own busy kitchen. You'd like a touch of gourmet fare and work hard creating it, only to find the kids — and maybe even your spouse — would prefer more casual fare, perhaps even "junk food."

Taco Bell spent a fortune contracting with acclaimed chef/TV host/cookbook author Lorena Garcia, and featured her slaving in the kitchen in commercials to produce items for their "Cantina Bell" menu. A bowl featuring citrus-herb marinated chicken breast, black beans, freshly made pico de gallo and guacamole, roasted corn and pepper salsa and creamy cilantro dressing over "premium" Latin rice is one of the star items.

Naturally, though, it's the ground beef taco stuffed in a shell made from Doritos snack chips on the regular menu that caused all the stir and lines and sell-outs. First was the Nacho Cheese Doritos Locos Taco. Due to popular demand, the new item is one with a shell made from Cool Ranch flavor Doritos.

The Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Taco was so popular even before its introduction, in fact, that it caused a virtual social media riot (an avalanche of anxious and complaining online comments that made the national news) in early March when some of the restaurant's outlets didn't have the tacos a day early for an advertised sneak peek bite.

Since neither Taco Bell nor the rest of us need any focus group studies to prove how popular tortilla chips are, give your family a treat and serve either of the tasty recipes featuring them below. If you want lines for seconds, a la Taco Bell, consider substituting Nacho Cheese or Cool Ranch flavors of Doritos chips for the plain tortilla chips:

TORTILLA CHIP CASSEROLE

1 pound lean (at least 80 percent) ground beef

1 (15- to 16-ounce) can (preferably spicy) chili beans in sauce, undrained

1 cup chunky salsa, plus more for garnish

2 cups coarsely broken tortilla chips

4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)

1 medium tomato, chopped (3/4 cup)

1 cup shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

Tortilla chips, for garnish

Shredded lettuce, for garnish

Yields 4 servings.

Heat oven to 350 F. In 10-inch skillet, cook beef over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown; carefully drain.

Stir in beans and 1 cup salsa. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally.

In ungreased 2-quart casserole, place broken tortilla chips. Top with beef mixture. Sprinkle with onions, tomato and cheese.

Bake uncovered 20 to 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Arrange tortilla chips around edge of casserole. Serve with lettuce and additional salsa. —BettyCrocker.com

TORTILLA CHIP SOUP

1/2 cup each 1/2-inch diced vegetables: yellow onion, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and tomato

1/2 cup roasted green chile, cut into a small dice

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for frying

4 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic

1/4 teaspoon ground (cumin)

2 cups enchilada sauce

3/4 cup cooked shredded chicken breast

3 tablespoons cornstarch

Chopped cilantro leaves, to taste

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Salt, to taste

Yields 8 to 12 servings.

Begin with a large pot. Saute the vegetables and chile briefly in about 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. When the vegetables are limp, add the broth and add the garlic and cumin and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add enchilada sauce and chicken and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

To finish the soup, you've got to make some slurry. This will add just a little body to the soup. With the cornstarch in a cup-sized container, mix as little cold water as possible to form a thin paste. Bring the soup back up to a boil; stir with 1 hand and pour the slurry in slowly with the other. Continue to cook on high heat for a minute and then reduce to low.

The soup will look cloudy at first but will clear up and thicken slightly. Remove from heat.

Add cilantro, lime juice and salt. Fill 8 to 12 cups or bowls about 1/4 full of crushed tortilla chips. Ladle soup on top. Place a handful of broken chips on top of each and serve. —Adapted from FoodNetwork.com —Photo courtesy of BettyCrocker.com

Lisa Messinger is a first-place winner in food writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the author of seven food books, including "Mrs. Cubbison's Best Stuffing Cookbook" and "The Sourdough Bread Bowl Cookbook." She also writes the Creators News Service "Cooks' Books" column. To find out more about Lisa Messinger and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.