Taco Beef Nuggets with Tejano Dipping Sauce

Sometimes you find recipes and food ideas in unlikely places. Last week while at the National Festival of Breads, the contestant I was assisting shared some contest tips with me. Like many of the contestants, she was a contest pro, having entered many recipe contests. One of her favorite ones was the National Beef Cookoff which has since been discontinued. But she did share a couple of her winning beef recipes with me.
This meat ball sort of recipe uses ground beef which we seem to have a freezer full of this summer. The Mexican flavor is tasty and one we like and these meatballs are very moist and tasty.

Taco Beef Nuggets with Tejano Dipping Sauce         

Ingredients:

1 pound (I used 2 pounds) ground round

2 tablespoons taco seasoning (again, I doubled this to 4 tablespoons, a full package)

1 can (4 oz) chopped mild green chilies, drained (I used the 4 oz can for 2# beef)

1 egg white

1 tablespoon water

2 cups crushed nacho cheese-flavored tortilla chips

Sauce:

6 tablespoons prepared thick taco sauce

3 tablespoons honey

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. 

Combine ground beef, taco seasoning, and green chilies in a large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Divide beef mixture into 16 portions; shape each portion around a cheese cube, completely covering the cheese. My 2# of ground beef yielded 26 meatballs, I made mine a little larger than 1 oz each portions.

Beat egg white with water in shallow dish until blended. Place chips in second shallow dish. Dip each meatball into egg white mixture, then into chips to coat completely. Press each meatball with palm into a flattened nugget shape. generously coating both sides of nugget with chips. For my increased amount of meatballs, I also used more egg white/water wash and tortilla chips. 

Spray a large baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place nuggets in baking pan; spray tops of nuggets generously with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes, or until meat registers 160  degrees F on an instant-read thermometer; meat should not be pink and juice should run clear. 

Meanwhile, combine sauce ingredients in small microwave-safe dish. Microwave on high for 30 seconds or until warm. Serve nuggets with sauce. 

Thank you to Patrice Hurd of Minnesota for the recipe and credit to the National Beef Cook-Off (http://www.beefcookoff.org/wr.asp) 

Meat mixture is ready to become a meatball
with a cheese center

Formed and ready to bake.
You can see the green chilies in the meatballs.

26 meat balls made enough to share with daughter and son-in-law
and to freeze for later.

Baked and tasty!