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Beef and Cheese Tortilla Towers

Piled high and chock-full of nutrients, this tower of beef and cheesy tortillas  with a fresh fruit salsa is sure to please everyone in the family.

Cook Mode

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound Ground Beef (95% lean)
  • 1 jar (16 ounces) thick-and-chunky salsa
  • 3/4 cup canned black beans, rinsed, drained
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 7 small whole wheat tortillas (6 to 7-inch diameter)
  • 1 cup shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend
  • Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Cantaloupe-Mango Salsa:
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped ripe mango
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped cantaloupe
  • 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Cooking:

  1. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add Ground Beef; cook 8 to 10 minutes, breaking into 3/4-inch crumbles and stirring occasionally. Remove drippings. Stir in salsa, beans and cumin. Cook 3 to 5 minutes or until heated through and most of liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat.
    2. Cook's Tip: Cooking times are for fresh or thoroughly thawed Ground Beef. Ground Beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160ºF. Color is not a reliable indicator of Ground Beef doneness.
  2. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Place 2 tortillas in single layer on pan. Spoon generous 1/2 cup beef mixture on each tortilla; sprinkle each with 2 tablespoons cheese. Repeat layering of tortillas, beef mixture and cheese twice. Sprinkle remaining cheese over tops of tortilla towers. Cut 8 small stars from remaining tortilla with cookie cutter; arrange on towers. Bake in 350°F oven 12 to 15 minutes or until heated through and cheese melts.
  3. Meanwhile, combine salsa ingredients in small bowl. Set aside.
  4. Cut each tortilla tower into 4 wedges. Garnish with cilantro, if desired. Serve with fruit salsa.

Nutrition Information

Safe Handling Tips

Beef Checkoff

Bourbon Blueberry & Brie Bacon Cheeseburger

Brian Capps of Louisville, KY, has been crowned the 2021 Derby Burger Champion in the 10th Annual Derby Burger Challenge. Capps’ burger, made with 100% Kentucky Cattlemen’s ground beef is packed with flavor. The patty is topped with brie, thick-cut bacon, a blueberry bourbon sauce and arugula - all on a brioche bun.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Kentucky Cattlemen’s Ground Beef
  • 4 Slices Bacon, thick sliced
  • 1/4 inch Sliced Brie Cheese, rind removed
  • 1 pint Fresh Blueberries
  • 1 Lemon, halved
  • 1/8 cup White Sugar
  • 2 tsp. Cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 tsp. Bourbon
  • 2 Brioche Buns
  • 2 Tbsp. Salted Butter
  • Arugula 
  • ¼ tsp. Kosher Salt
  • ¼ tsp. Black Pepper

Recipe

1. Form Two Patties and Set Aside.

2. Preheat your skillet over medium high heat. Add butter, and sliced buns. Cook until golden brown, set aside.

3. Salt and pepper both sides of the burger patty, cook over medium high heat. Cook until internal temperature of 160°F (USDA recommended), add cheese before taking off heat until melted.

4. Add blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice into a small pot. Cook on medium to low heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix cornstarch with water to make a slurry. Slowly add your slurry mixture to thicken blueberry sauce. Remove mixture from heat and stir in your bourbon.

5. Build your burger. Place your burger patty with melted cheese, cooked bacon, blueberry sauce on the bottom bun. Top the burger with arugula and add the top bun.

6. Enjoy!

Find more delicious recipes and other ways to be involved in the Derby Burger Challenge HERE!