Name: Taco Meatball Ring
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 16 servings
Cuisine: North America, Mexican
Ingredients: 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided; 2 tablespoons water; 2 to 4 tablespoons taco seasoning; 1/2 pound ground beef; 2 tubes (8 ounces each) refrigerated crescent rolls; 1/2 medium head iceberg lettuce, shredded; 1 medium tomato, chopped; 4 green onions, sliced; 1/2 cup sliced ripe olives; 2 jalapeno peppers, sliced; Optional: Sour cream and salsa

While it looks complicated, this attractive meatball-filled ring is really very easy to assemble. My family loves tacos, and we find that the crescent roll dough is a nice change from the usual tortilla shells or chips. —Brenda Johnson, Davison, Michigan

Ingredients

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

2 tablespoons water

2 to 4 tablespoons taco seasoning

1/2 pound ground beef

2 tubes (8 ounces each) refrigerated crescent rolls

1/2 medium head iceberg lettuce, shredded

1 medium tomato, chopped

4 green onions, sliced

1/2 cup sliced ripe olives

2 jalapeno peppers, sliced

Optional: Sour cream and salsa

Instructions

1 In a large bowl, combine 1 cup cheese, water and taco seasoning. Crumble beef over mixture and mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into 16 balls.

2 Place meatballs on a greased rack in a shallow baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 400° until meat is no longer pink, about 12 minutes. Drain meatballs on paper towels. Reduce heat to 375°.

3 Arrange crescent rolls on a greased 15-in. pizza pan, forming a ring with pointed ends facing the outer edge of the pan and wide ends overlapping.

4 Place a meatball on each roll; fold pointed end over meatball and tuck under wide end of roll (meatball will be visible). Repeat. Bake until rolls are golden brown, 15-20 minutes.

5 Transfer to a serving platter. Fill the center of the ring with lettuce, tomato, onions, olives, jalapenos, remaining cheese and, if desired, sour cream and salsa.