Sometimes, nothing beats the taste of a good, hearty homemade sandwich for lunch. And, especially in this economy, saving a few bucks where ever you can, is ideal. However, after a while, that sandwich can become a bit mundane. If you feel like adding a little variety to life, turn that everyday hoagie into a delicious and portable taco bar.
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Take-To-School Taco Bar
Ingredients
4 thin slices of roast beef (about 3 ounces)
4 (6-inch) soft flour tortillas
1/3 cup shredded Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or "Mexican blend" cheese
1/4 cup Quickie Guacamole, recipe follows, or store-bought fresh guacamole
1/4 cup Speedy Salsa, recipe follows, or store-bought fresh salsa
2 tablespoons sour cream or plain yogurt, optional
Mini bottle hot sauce
Multi-compartment lunch box
Directions
Fold 1 slice of roast beef inside each of 2 soft tortillas and sprinkle with cheese. Pack in the biggest compartment of the lunch box. Pack other compartments with guacamole, salsa, sour cream, and other favorite toppings. Seal and send off to school.
Speedy Salsa:
2 ripe tomatoes (about 1 pound), halved
1/4 small red onion or white, halved
1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin Olive oil
Kosher Salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves or fresh mint leaves, optional
Grate tomatoes on the largest holes of a box grater into a bowl all the way down to the skins. Discard the skins. Grate the onion into the tomato. Stir in olive oil. Season with salt, to taste. Serve with cilantro leaves on the side, or stirred in, if desired.
Quickie Guacamole:
1 ripe Hass avocado, halved and seeded
1 lime, halved
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup diced tomatoes, mango, or quartered seedless grapes, optional
Scoop the flesh from the shell with a spoon into a medium bowl. Squeeze the lime juice over the avocado and stir to coat evenly. Add the salt. Use a fork to stir and mash into chunky guacamole. Stir in tomatoes or fruit, if desired.