tongs, turn the tortilla over and, using a spatula, bend in half to form the shell. Cook each side of the bent tortilla until crisp, about 30-45 seconds per side. Remove the shell from the oil and drain on a newspaper-covered cookie sheet. The cooked shells can be kept warm in the oven at very low heat. To assemble, fill each shell about 0.66666666666667s full of the meat and top with cheese, tomato and lettuce. We like to add extra zap with a shot of Tabasco sauce. NOTES: San Antonio, Texas style tacos -My dad is from east Texas and my mom from southern Oklahoma, but they developed their definition of Tex-Mex from several years in San Antonio. Since they now live in D.C., they feel extremely deprived, none of the chain restaurants come anywhere near the taste they developed in San Antonio. Tex-Mex cooking is based on peasant-style dishes from the areas of Mexico bordering Texas. The primary ingredients of Tex-Mex cooking are corn tortillas (the thinner the better), ground beef, pinto beans and hot chile powder, sharp Cheddar cheese and onions. Yield: 1 dozen tacos. Don't try to use instant onion in this recipe. In San Antonio, people consider that the best chile powder is Gebhardt's or Eagle Brand. : Difficulty: easy. : Time: 20 minutes. : Precision: measure the spices. : Pamela McGarvey : UCLA Comprehensive Epilepsy Program : {ihnp4!sdcrdcf,ucbvax!ucla-cs,hao}!cepu!pam : Copyright (C) 1986 USENET Community Trust