Tasty Thursday: Taco Ring and Dump Cookies

I know, I haven't done an Mmm ... Monday post in a while, so I thought I'd make up for it a little bit today. I actually did some cooking and baking the other night after having had a busy couple of weeks (Cape Cod then the wedding in Chicagoland).


First off was the taco ring. Now, we call it a taco ring because you are supposed to shape it into a ring, but lately we've been doing a taco straight line because I only do a half batch otherwise we'd have TONS of leftovers.


So, what you do is make taco meat like you usually would (1 lb. ground beef, taco seasoning, and water), add some cheese (either Mexican blend or cheddar, and as much as you like), then set it aside. Heat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Meanwhile, take crescent rolls and lay the wide ends together in either a line or a ring shape (the narrow ends should alternate left and right if you're doing a line, or all point outwards if you're doing a ring), mushing them together as you go. Take your taco meat and spoon it into the wide area of the crescent rolls (you'll probably have a little left over; my husband uses this for nachos later on), and then fold the pointy ends over the meat. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes or until it looks like this ...



We usually just slice it as we go through the meal, serving it with extra cheese, lettuce, salsa, sour cream, etc. It is wicked good!


So I also made Delicious Dump Cookies for my father-in-law that night. The name is less than appealing, if you ask me, but they sure turned out well! Here's the recipe!


Delicious Dump Cookies (from Downing Cafe in Downing, Wisconsin)

1 cup butter, softened (though you can use my mom's trick and use 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup shortening)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups rolled oats (not quick-cooking oats)
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup flaked coconut

1. In a large bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer for 30 seconds.

2. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Beat the mixture until creamy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until combined.

3. Add the all-purpose flour and beat until the mixture is combined. Stir in the rolled oats, milk chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, chopped walnuts, and coconut.

4. Drop the cookie dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in a 375 degree Fahrenheit oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Remove baked cookies from the cookie sheets and cool on wire racks. Makes 60 cookies.



While I was baking the cookies, my son was playing in the living room with my husband. Occasionally he would crawl to the French doors and give me kisses through the glass. Here's one for you!