1 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1 dozen corn tortillas
oil
salt and pepper
shredded lettuce
grated cheese
tomato
refried beans
onion
olives
sour cream
avocado
taco sauce

Divide uncooked ground beef into twelve equal portions with a table knife. Spread a portion on 1/2-inch less than half of each tortilla. Keeping 1/2-inch from the center of the tortilla makes it much easier to fold them. Do not fold yet! Add salt and pepper or a little seasoned salt. Heat 1/2-inch oil in a ten-inch skillet until water drops flipped in oil pop vigorously. Slip one tortilla into skillet, meat side up and towards outside of skillet. Slip another tortilla into the other side of the skillet. The parts of the tortillas without ground beef on them will be overlapping. Gently press these parts of the tortillas into the hot oil until they become soft.

Now, using metal salad tongs, fold this half of the tortilla over the half with the meat on it. Fry 2 to 3 minutes on each side for "soft" tacos, longer if you prefer them crispier but don't overcook. Stack one taco on top of the other when done. Grasp them both with the tongs near the fold.

Turn them upside down to drain and gently shake oil back into skillet. Once you catch on, you can slip two more tacos into skillet at this time to reduce spatter.

Place tacos on plenty of paper towels. Keep oil very hot and watch your fingers as they can get fried quite easily.

Fill tacos with shredded lettuce, grated cheese, tomato, refried beans, onion, olives, sour cream, avocado, taco sauce and etc.

If you prefer much less "grease", you can fix these by spreading uncooked ground beef on the entire face of the tortilla and putting it meat side down into moderate skillet with no oil. As soon as about half the fat cooks out of the meat, turn it so the tortilla side is down. When tortilla softens, fold and continue cooking. Or, leave it unfolded for a tostado.