Spicy Taco Egg Cups

Woohoo! It’s Cinco de Mayo! And we’re still on lockdown! No drinking margaritas in the cantina for the Husband and I. Nope – looks like it might have to be shots of tequila on the couch. I guess we better get some food on the stomach if that’s the way it’s gonna go today. And I have just the thing: Spicy Taco Egg Cups!

These little firecrackers pack quite a punch! At least they do when I make ’em, ’cause we do love our spicy food. But don’t despair if you don’t – you can tame them down accordingly. Just don’t use any cayenne and use a very mild salsa. They will still have tons of flavor, just not as much of the “burns so good-ness” that we love.

While I’ve got you here I’d like to take the opportunity to remind you of some other great recipes that would be perfect for today such as my favorite Guacamole (there is a secret ingredient in it!)

Or how about this Tres Leches Cake with Dulce de Leche Glaze

And who could forget the Double Decker Taco Cupcakes

But let me get back to these little Taco Egg Cups. Here is another fantastic piece of information – they can actually be pretty low in calories if you concerned with the Covid 19 pounds that I’ve mentioned gaining while in quarantine. Just use lean ground beef and reduced fat cheese. There you have it, low calorie (around 100 -ish per cup) and tasty! They come together pretty quickly as well. So while you’re making a batch of these, have your quarantine buddy fire up the blender for some frozen Margaritas. Nine in the a.m. isn’t too early to start with the festivities is it? Cinco de Mayo will turn out just fine at home after all!

• Servings: 12 Egg Cups
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

recipe slightly adapted from: Food Faith Fitness

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 lb. ground beef
• 1/2 Tablespoon Taco Seasoning
• 3/4 Cup Salsa (your choice, but I love Green Mountain Gringo)
• 6 Eggs
• 4 Egg whites (or 3/4 cup store bought prepackaged egg whites)
• Pinch of salt, pepper and cayenne if you like it spicy!
• 1 Cup Mexican Cheese Blend or Pepper Jack Cheese

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 375°F and GENEROUSLY spray the wells of muffin tin with cooking spray.

In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.

Add in the ground beef and cook, breaking up, until no longer pink. Add in the taco seasoning and stir until well mixed.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the salsa. Set aside.

In a large pyrex measuring cup, whisk together the eggs and egg whites with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Pour the egg mixture in the wells of the muffin tin, trying to distribute equally among the wells.

Spoon about 2 Tablespoons of the beef mixture into the muffin wells.

Finally, top each muffin cavity with 1 slightly heaping Tablespoon of the cheese.

Bake until the eggs are set and lightly golden brown, about 20-23 minutes.

Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes and them carefully remove them from the muffin pan to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Enjoy!

Spicy Taco Egg Cups brought to you today by: Runcible Eats (www.leaandjay.com)

Links for Helpful Kitchen Tools & Ingredients for Spicy Taco Egg Cups:

OXO Good Grips Medium Cookie Scoop

Pyrex Glass Measuring Cup

Cupcake & Muffin Tin

Green Mountain Gringo Salsa – here is an Amazon link, though you can likely get this at your local grocery store.

Double Decker Taco Cupcakes

I had to get your attention with that title huh? Double decker…Taco…cupcakes?!! How much more goodness could you pack into four little words? I’m happy to report that these little fellas didn’t only sound good, they really delivered on taste as well. Back in February, I had tried out a recipe for Lasagna Cupcakes  which I had seen on the Girl Who Ate Everything blog. They were a huge hit. A couple of months later, I noticed that she had posted a recipe for Double Decker Taco Cupcakes. I have just been itching to try these out since then and finally had an occasion to make up a batch. I’m glad I did ’cause let me tell ya…folks went wild for them!

These Taco Cupcakes are quite similar to the Lasagna version, baked in cupcake tins with wonton wrappers, but this time filled with all kinds of taco-y ingredients like seasoned ground beef, refried beans, crushed tortilla chips and cheese. Once they’re out of the oven, you can sprinkle your favourite taco fixin’s on top such as sour cream, onions, jalapeno peppers, cilantro and avocado over the tops. They come together very quickly and easily. I assembled them earlier in the day and then baked them right before my guests turned up. They were great for dinner and would serve wonderfully as “finger food” at a larger party (perhaps a Cinco de Mayo gathering…). But don’t wait until May! Find a reason to make these soon!

Double Decker Taco Cupcakes

recipe from: The Girl Who Ate Everything

yield: 18 Taco Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 1 1b. ground beef
• 1 package Old El Paso Taco seasoning mix
• 36 Wonton Wrappers
• 1 can (16 ounces) refried beans
• 36 tortilla chips
• 2 cups shredded Mexican Blend or Cheddar cheese
• Optional Toppings: sour cream, diced tomatoes, diced onion, diced jalapeno peppers, cilantro, salsa, avocado

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350° F. And spray 18 wells of muffin tins with cooking spray.

Brown beef in a skillet and drain the fat. Add the taco seasoning mix and water called for on the package and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Set aside.

Place one wonton wrapper in the bottom of each muffin cup. Layer about 1/2 Tbsp of refried beans on top of each wonton. Crush one tortilla chip on top of the beans. Top with 1 Tbsp of taco meat and 1 Tbsp of shredded cheese. Repeat the layers again with a wonton wrapper, refried beans, tortilla chips, taco meat, and cheese.

Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown.

Gently remove from muffin tin and top with your favourite taco toppings.

Enjoy!