Sheila Dye came in first for the Food Truck Favorites category with her homemade taco bites recipe. (Photo by Amber Phipps)

Sheila Dye came in first for the Food Truck Favorites category with her homemade taco bites recipe. There were two recipes in the category and Dye’s appetizer was the judge’s favorite.

Dye is a resident of Wirt County and has been a participant in the contest for about 20 years.

“I always collected the cookbooks and I have all of my mom’s from when we were going through the stuff in her house,” said Dye. “We look forward to it once a year with everybody’s recipes.”

Her taco bites consisted of baked shells filled with ground beef and an assortment of toppings like freshly chopped lettuce, sour cream, salsa, juicy tomatoes and various selections of cheese.

The dish offered variability for those to pick and choose their toppings to make the taco bites to their liking.

Dye said she submitted a recipe in all of the categories and she liked this one in particular because it’s such a good appetizer.

“I do a lot of sampling when we go camping,” she said. “I test a lot of my recipes during those times.”

She said she likes making easy recipes for when she and her family go camping.

“I enjoy the Cookbook Contest to see where I place in it and I enjoy cooking and fixing different kinds of foods,” she said.

Taco Ranch Bites

Ingredients

¯ 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

¯ 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or Mexican blend cheese)

¯ 1/2 cup ranch dressing (homemade or store-bought)

¯ 1/2 lb ground beef (or turkey for a lighter option)

¯ 1 packet taco seasoning (or homemade blend: chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper)

¯ 1/4 cup water (for the taco meat)

¯ 1 (8-count) tube refrigerated crescent roll dough (or sheet dough for easier handling) or use Wontons (I use Wontons)

Optional Toppings:

¯ Shredded lettuce

¯ Diced tomatoes

¯ Sliced black olives

¯ Sliced jalapenos

¯ Sour cream or extra ranch dressing for dipping

¯ Chopped green onions or cilantro for garnish

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. If using wontons, position in a muffin pan.

2. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until browned and fully cooked (about 6-8 minutes).

3. Drain any excess grease, and then stir in the taco seasoning and water. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. Unroll the crescent roll dough and separate it into triangles (or rectangles if using sheet dough).

5. Arrange the triangles on the prepared baking sheet, pressing the perforations together to form a solid base. Or is using Wontons, place in muffin pan

6. Spread the softened cream cheese evenly over the crescent roll dough, leaving a small border around the edges.

7. Drizzle the ranch dressing over the cream cheese layer.

8. Sprinkle half of the shredded cheese evenly over the ranch dressing.

9. Spoon the cooked taco meat over the cheese layer, spreading it out evenly.

10. Top with the remaining shredded cheese.

11. Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the crescent roll edges are golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly.