After a month-and-a-half of making summertime snacks for gaggles of kids, I was running short on ideas. I find it SUPER interesting as a parent that my kids are willing to branch out when it comes to tastes while their friends are around. Those friends are also always willing to try anything I make. I’m pretty sure my own boys are the same way when they visit someone else’s home. Why is that? They are so much braver under the watchful eye of their friends.
It’s a typical afternoon when the calls from our downstairs game room begin. As usual, a snack to feed a bunch of hungry mouths is requested. “Mom please. we’re starving!!!”
Since I have been exploring the “smokey taco fillings” culinary trend over the past year, I thought I would try something with that flavor profile on the boys. I had a refrigerator full of Sargento Pepper Jack Snack Sticks. Made with jalapeno and Habanero peppers, it’s the perfect smokey tasting snack, with a little heat in every bite.
I wanted to serve a more kid-friendly, easy to eat taco (a.k.a. ~ not so messy) that was ready to go when it arrived downstairs. Using the snack sticks not only saved me time, but worked well in helping to mimic the whole “soft taco” idea.
A fresh tasting dipping sauce with a little smokey taste also helped elevate this snack from plain to phenomenal. The kids went crazy for it.
To get the tortillas to roll without cracking, I had to fry them for about 30 seconds each. Placing them close together on the baking sheet ensured they would stay closed during the cheese melting process in the oven.
How many could you eat?
Smokey Soft Taco Roll-Ups with Avocado-Garlic Dipping Sauce
Ingredients
Dipping Sauce:
- 2 avocados
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 juice of one lime
- 2 cloves of garlic, pressed
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
Soft Tacos:
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 12 corn tortillas
- One package Sargento Pepper Jack Snack Sticks (12 in a package)
Directions
- In a medium bowl, scoop out avocado flesh and mash with a fork. Add sour cream, lime, garlic, chipotle chili powder and salt and mix until smooth. Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a small frying pan over med-low heat, add vegetable oil and heat to frying temperature. Fry each tortilla 15 seconds on each side, leaving flat. Remove from oil and place on a paper-towel lined plate. Repeat with other tortillas.
- Roll one pepper jack snack stick tightly in every tortilla. Place on a rimmed baking with each one right next to the other, this way they won't open up. Bake for 5-7 minutes until cheese starts to melt out the sides.
- Serve immediately with dipping sauce.
This has become a new favorite snack in my household. If Pepper Jack is not your thing, Sargento has many flavors I’m sure would rock your world.
Disclosure: While this content has been made possible by Sargento, as always all opinions are my own.
Nikki says
I see myself eating 12 of these. Easy. That melty cheese looks GOOD.
Cathy says
Me too.
Tieghan says
YUUMMMM!!!
These look incredible!
Cathy says
Thanks!
Des @ Life's Ambrosia says
10. haha I kid. I could eat 15. Oh and that avocado garlic dipping sauce I intend to eat by the spoonful.
Cathy says
Yeah, I had no problem eating a few myself!!
Kezz18 says
Oh these sound really good, any chance of Sargento products becoming available to buy in Australia??
Cathy says
Hopefully someday!
bellini says
Easy, quick and delicious…what more could we ask for.
Cathy says
Thank you!
Meagan @ A Zesty Bite says
I love sargento cheese and these roll ups look great.
Cathy says
Yep, some of the best cheese for sure!
Sheila says
This is our kind of snacking food!
Cathy says
Ours too!
Angie | Big Bear's Wife says
oh that ooey gooey cheese! I’d like to have a few of these to nibble on now!
Cathy says
Come on over!
Pam says
They look so cheesy and delicious. YUM.
Cathy says
I know, cheesy is just always so good!
Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl says
I love these. Cheese + avocado, oh yes, perfection!
Cathy says
Oh thank you, I would have to agree!
Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking says
Oh man, Cathy! These look incredibly cheesy, decadent and delicious! I’ve gotta try them…
Cathy says
Thanks Georgia, they are the perfect bite of goodness!!
leslie says
Seriously???? These are evil…I could eat..oh…..20 of them!
Julianne @ Beyond Frosting says
How easy and fun is this?! I love to avocado dipping sauce!
Cathy says
Me too!
Brandy Hardy says
Looks delicious!! This will become one of my go-to’s for sure!
Cathy says
The family will love them!
Mary Cozzucoli says
Honestly, there aren’t enough days in a week to cook all the wonderful recipes you post!! I haven’t read one yet that I don’t want to try!!! I’ve said it to you before…but must say again. This is my favorite go to blog when I’m trying to decide what’s for dinner…or lunch…or breakfast…or snack!!!
Cathy says
Oh thank you, that’s so nice!
Nancy says
I was just wondering, where is the smokey flavour coming from?
Pepper Jack is Monterey Jack with pepper in it? I am a little
confused.
Nancy
Cathy says
In the post I talk about the smokey flavor of the cheese sticks. Sargento Pepper Jack is a bland of jalapeno and Habanero flavors, therefore you get a smokey flavor as opposed to other brands that just use jalapeno. Also the chipotle chili powder is smokey too.