Oven-Baked Method

• Skip the fat typical of more traditional fried taco shells and make them in your oven. Wrap several corn tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave them for approximately 30 seconds until steaming and pliable. Preheat your oven to about 375 degrees Fahrenheit and spray the tortillas with non-stick cooking spray on both sides. Sprinkle them with chili powder and drape them over two bars on your oven rack. Bake the shells for 10 minutes or so until they're crisp.

Create Bowls

• Make mini-bowls for quick-snacking finger foods or larger bowls perfect for dinner time. Wrap several corn tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for about 30 seconds until they're soft and flexible. Spray both sides of each tortillas with cooking spray or brush them with oil. For mini-bowls, lay 6-inch tortillas over the back of an upside-down muffin tin, depressing the tortillas between the muffin cups to form small bowls. For larger bowls, use 8-inch tortillas prepared in the same way, draping them over a small pie tin or baking dish and forming a bowl. Bake in an oven heated to approximately 375 F for about 10 minutes.

Make Them Flat

• Tostadas, a fun twist on the traditional taco, are flat shells that make vehicles for simple bean and cheese topped tostada dishes, as well as more elaborate chicken and steak tostadas. Spray both sides of corn tortillas using nonstick cooking spray or lightly brush them with oil. Lay the tortillas flat on a baking sheet and cook them in an oven heated to 375 F for about 25 minutes, flipping once. Serve immediately while they're still warm, spearing spreadable ingredients like beans and guacamole on the flat shell and piling the rest of your toppings on top.

Chip Them

• Fully deconstruct the taco shells and make fresh chips for nachos. This simple method creates crisp, warm chips that rival the bagged variety any day. Cut each tortilla into six triangles and leave them on the counter to air dry for at least 30 minutes. Preheat your oven to approximately 350 F and spread the tortilla chips on a baking sheet. Spray them lightly with oil and sprinkle them with salt. Bake for about 20 to 30 minutes until crisp, flipping once halfway through. Serve them warm with all the taco fixings.