Taco Salad...it's really messy but it's really good.
A few years back my girlfriend, Carolyn, introduced our family to taco salad. It's one of those meals that you can really throw anything into and take out what you don't like. As we have become more adventurous with our cooking, more things get added into the salad to make this a delicious meal. It's a quick and easy salad that can be thrown together while the hamburger is cooking.
Feel free to add or subtract ingredients, depending on your taste. We enjoy the black bean, hamburger, red pepper combination, throw in a few spoonfuls of Killer Guacamole and it's like Mexican heaven.
I'll list out our favorite ingredients and let you decide.
Ingredients:
1 head of iceberg lettuce, chopped
2 cups of cherry tomatoes, halved
1 (15.5) ounce can of black beans, rinsed
1 red pepper, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
4 scallions (green onions) chopped, both green and white
1 cup of shredded monterey jack cheese
2 small cans of sliced black olives, drained
1/2 bag of tortilla chips, slightly crushed in your hands
1 bottle of catalina dressing
1 pound of hamburger (we use 85%)
1 package of taco seasoning
(Other suggestions: chopped jalapeno, green pepper, chicken, celery, salsa, red onions...whatever you desire!)
Preparation:
1. Place ground beef in a frying pan over medium heat and cook until no longer pink. Drain the fat. Add the taco seasoning and prepare according to directions. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, place the lettuce, cherry tomatoes, black beans, red pepper, scallions, monterey jack cheese, and sliced olives. Mix together.
3. Add the hamburger mixture and tortilla chips.
4. Start with 1/2 the bottle of the catalina dressing and add just enough to cover the mixture or tastes to your likeness.
5. Add some Killer Guacamole (on the side). Enjoy!
