Crunch Wrap Supreme Thompson Style

I am so excited about this post! First of all, I LOVE Taco Bell and always have. I still remember the first time I had Taco Bell. It was 7th grade and my parents gave in and finally let me eat Taco Bell with the rest of my basketball team. Back in college, my best girl friends and I would go up once a week for a late night Taco Bell run and conversation. At that time, Ohio University, our alma mater, had the largest Taco Bell in the world :) So, Taco Bell is not only delicious, it make me think of some great time with great friends.

Even after college, I still get a craving for the Bell every few weeks and thankfully, my husband and daughter love it as much as I do. One of my favorite things to get there is the CrunchWrap Supreme. It's just awesome. The perfect combination of crunch taco, soft taco, nacho cheese, sour cream and taco meat. Plus it's portable!

My husband ran across this recipe for CrunchWrap Supremes at home and I just had to try them to see if I could "clean" them up (because we all know that Taco Bell is not known for its all-natural fare). They turned out great! Not as good as the original, but a great all-natural alternative. They were not difficult to make despite the fact the recipe is like three pages long. If you already make my homemade taco seasoning, you're already halfway there!

Homemade Crunch Wrap Supreme

For the taco sauce:  
1 Tablespoons homemade taco seasoning, found here
One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
 
For the nacho cheese sauce:
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup milk, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons cream cheese
1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon homemade taco seasoning,
found here

 

For the Crunchwrap Supreme:
1 pound ground beef 
2 - 3 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning, found here
1 tablespoon cornstarch 
1/4 teaspoon sugar
3/4 cup water
6 10-inch flour tortillas, warmed
6 tostadas (I had trouble finding all-natural ones, so I cheated a little here!)
1 cup sour cream
2 tomatoes, chopped, tossed with 1/4 cup of the taco sauce
2 cups shredded lettuce
Cooking spray, for frying
 
For the taco sauce: 
In a food processor or blender, purée the tomatoes until smooth. Add to a small saucepan and add 1 tablespoon (or more to taste) to the tomatoes. Simmer until sauce is thickened, about 30 minutes.

For the nacho cheese sauce: 
In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Whisk in the cornstarch and cook for 1 minute, and then slowly whisk in the milk. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more milk. Simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes, and then add the cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, hot sauce, and seasonings. Keep warm until ready to use.
 
For the Crunchwrap Supreme: 
Brown the meat in a large skillet over medium-high heat until halfway cooked, breaking it up as little as possible with the spoon. Add the taco seasoning, sugar and cornstarch. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring to evenly distribute the spices, and then add the water. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the meat is cooked through and the sauce is thick and flavorful.

To assemble the Crunchwrap Supreme, place 1 flour tortilla out on a work station. Add a spoonful of the meat mixture to the center and top with a similar size spoonful of nacho cheese. The amount you add is up to your personal preference, but make sure to evenly distribute the meat and cheese sauce between all 6 tortillas. Top the meat and cheese mixture with a tostada, and then place 1 tablespoon of sour cream on top. Add a sprinkle of the marinated tomatoes and shredded lettuce on top and then, working counter clockwise, fold the edges of the flour tortilla up over the meat, cheese, tostada, tomato, and lettuce pile. Continue to fold until it is completely wrapped and in the shape of a hexagon.

Heat another medium skillet over high heat and grease it with some cooking spray. Fry the Crunchwrap Supreme on each side for about 1-2 minutes, until it gets a nice golden brown crust. Serve with a side of taco sauce.