Recipe - Mexican Stuffed Tomatoes

6 lg Firmripe tomatoes
1 pound Ground chuck
1 lg Onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 Clove garlic, minced
1 pack (1 1/8 ounce) taco seasoning
mix
1 One half teaspoon Salt
Three fourths teaspoon Chili powder
Three fourths cup Water
One half cup Shredded Cheddar cheese
3 cup Shredded Iceberg lettuce
1 pack (6 One half ounces) taco chips

1. Cut a thin slice from top of each tomato. Scoop out centers with
teaspoon, being careful not to break shells. Turn upside down on paper
toweling to drain. Coarsely chop slices from tops to make 1 cup (use
scoopedout tomato pulp, if necessary;use remaining pulp in soup).

2. Brown meat with onion and garlic in a large skillet. Pour off any pan
drippings from skillet. Add taco seasoning mix, salt, chili powder, water
and the 1cup chopped tomatoes. Bring mixture to boiling; simmer,
uncovered, 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has
evaporated. Cool.

3. Place tomato shells cutside up in a shallow baking dish just large
enough to hold them snugly. Fill with meat mixture.

4. Bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees) for 20 minutes or until shells are
somewhat soft, but do not fall apart. Top each tomato with shredded
cheese;bake an additional 5 minutes.

5. Serve on lettuce; top with 1 cup of the taco chips. Serve with remaining
chips. Posted to EATL Digest 09 Mar 97 by "Elizabeth A. Post"
millefiore@FUSE.NET on Mar 9, 1997