Make Your Own Tacos

1/4 C. vegetable oil

3 onions, minced

3 lbs. ground beef

6 cloves garlic, minced

3 T. chili powder

2 T. ground cumin

1-1/2 t. salt, or to taste

One 29-oz. can tomato sauce

30 corn taco shells

Condiments:

Sour cream
Chopped onions or green onions
Shredded Cheddar cheese
Shredded iceberg lettuce
Pico de gallo salsa (see recipe, below)

To make filling: Heat oil in large frying pan over medium heat and saute onions until translucent. Heat a second large frying pan over medium heat and add half the ground beef to each, breaking up the meat with the spoon, cooking until no longer pink. Add half the garlic, chili powder, cumin and salt to each. Stir together and cook for a minute. Drain off any extra fat and combine in one pan.

Lower heat and add tomato sauce; mix thoroughly. Cook for another 10 minutes.

To serve: Spoon filling into the taco shells and offer an array of condiments to place on top of the filling.

Servings: 20

Pico De Gallo Salsa

24  ripe tomatoes, diced

2 C. diced onion

3 or 6 jalapeno chiles (or more), seeded and diced, if desired

1 C. chopped fresh cilantro

salt to taste

Combine the tomatoes, onion, jalapenos, cilantro and salt.

Servings: 16 cups

Note: This can be made up to a day in advance and kept in the refrigerator. Drain off any excess juice from the tomatoes.