Ingredients:

  • 5 lbs Lean Ground Beef (or turkey)
  • 1 medium Yellow Onion, finely diced
  • 1/2 cup Bell Pepper (Red or Green), diced
  • 1 packet Taco Seasoning Mix (or 2.5 Tbsp homemade)
  • 1/4 cup Water
  • 2 cups Shredded Cheddar/Monterey Jack blend
  • 2 cans (8 oz each) Refrigerated Crescent Roll Dough (pre-cut triangles)
  • 1 can (6 oz) Black Olives, pitted
  • 1/2 cup Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt
  • Salt and freshly cracked Black Pepper, To taste

Instructions:

  1. Sauté Aromatics: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and bell pepper and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
  2. Brown the Meat: Add the ground beef (or turkey) to the skillet. Break it up with a spoon and cook until fully browned. Drain off any excess fat from the meat using a colander. Return the meat mixture to the skillet.
  3. Season: Stir in the taco seasoning and water. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat, and cook for 3-5 minutes until the liquid is mostly absorbed and the mixture is thick. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
  4. Cool: Remove the filling from the heat and allow it to cool slightly for about 10 minutes. This prevents the dough from melting prematurely.
  5. Preheat and Prep: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a small ramekin or bowl upside-down in the absolute centre of the sheet to mark the ring centre.
  6. Arrange the Dough: Unroll the crescent dough triangles. Starting at the centre marker, arrange the triangles around the perimeter of the bowl, ensuring the wide ends overlap slightly and form a continuous ring with the points facing outwards. Remove the central bowl once the dough is arranged.
  7. Add Filling and Cheese: Sprinkle half of the shredded cheese over the inner, wide section of the dough ring. Then, spoon the meat filling in a continuous circle over the cheese layer, concentrating the filling closer to the centre. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the meat filling.
  8. Close the Ring: Working clockwise, take the point of each dough triangle and fold it over the filling towards the centre of the ring, tucking the point under the dough base (or pressing it firmly into the inner edge) to seal the filling loosely.
  9. Bake: Place the baking sheet into the preheated oven. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the crescent dough is puffed, golden brown, and cooked through.
  10. Cool Slightly: Remove the taco ring from the oven. Let it sit on the pan for 5–10 minutes before decorating.
  11. Create the Web: Spoon the sour cream into a piping bag (or Ziploc bag with a snipped corner). Starting from the centre hole, pipe concentric circles of sour cream around the ring. Use a toothpick or skewer to drag lines from the centre outwards, creating a spiderweb pattern.
  12. Assemble the Spiders: Drain the black olives. Use one whole olive for the body of each spider. Slice 6-8 additional olives lengthwise to create the 'legs.' Arrange one large spider (or several smaller spiders) on top of the web.
  13. Serve: Transfer the Taco Ring carefully to a serving platter. Serve warm with salsa, guacamole, and extra sour cream.