It's Friday Eve and I decided to make a recipe of Taco Salad for my supper. I made enough to last a couple of days too. I know there are 2001 recipes called Taco Salad, so these days it seems to be a bit of a generic name. I got this particular version from one of my sister-in-laws no less than 30 years ago. I won't even swear it's the best Taco Salad ever or anything like that, it is just the first recipe like this I ever had and back then it was kind of a novelty to me. Now, it just brings back some good times.
Here is how I wrote the recipe way back then. The "med cheddar cheese" means medium (not mild or sharp, but use what you like), but also a medium block which is normally about 8 ounces. It also says Tostitos which I like to use, but tonight I had Doritos here instead, so I just used those. It does add some spice which Tostitos don't have. Where it says "1 full bottle of Italian Dressing, that would be the bottles that are around 13 to 15 ounces. Even at that, I may not have used to put quite the whole bottle in. The amount of chips are "to taste"
The only thing that needs to be cooked is the ground beef. You'll want to do that first or at least get it started good while you are working on the rest as it needs to cool a bit before you put it on the salad.
The other thing you'll want to do near the first is open the can of kidney beans and rinse them clean, just enough to get the can juice off and leave them to drain. I use the light red instead of the dark red, but you can use either.
After it was nice and browned, I put it on a plate covered with paper towels to soak up the excess grease. Do you do that? Put stuff like this or other fried stuff on paper towels when they first come out? My Mom did it, so I do it too. I added a little salt at this point, but that is up to you.
Mean while, you cut up the lettuce like you would for a regular salad. My lettuce knife belonged to my brother David, so I think of him every time I use it. Just an added sweet memory to the process. 😊
Then you throw it in a giant bowl.
Cut up some tomatoes.
Then throw them in the bowl. 😄
Then you grab those kidney beans that were draining.... and throw them in the bowl ! I don't put the whole can in because they are not my fav, but the original recipe called for them. Do however you want.
Do you have a cheese grater bowl like this? I have some really nice stainless graters, but my sister gave this to me one time and it seems I grab it first most of the time. The lid has the grater on it and it fits on the bowl, so when you grate the cheese it drops right in the bowl. There is also regular lid for the bowl, so if you have leftovers, you just pop the lid on and put it in the frig till you need it again. Pretty neat I think.
I liked the cheese/grater photos, so I put one too many.... LOL !
I was eating some of this salad while I edited and downloaded these pics for this post. I might have just a little more when I'm done. I don't need it and I'm full but that doesn't count, does it???
By now your cooked hamburger is cool enough and you.... throw that in the bowl.
Then you put your grated cheese on top, add the Italian Dressing and stir it all up till everything is coated.
Now you are about done. Back when I made this for more than just myself, I went ahead and lightly crumbled whatever chips I was going to put in there and mixed them in at this time with the rest of it to serve, but when I make it now, knowing I will eat off of it for a couple of days, I don't put the chips in at this point as when it is stored in the refrigerator, even if it is only over night, the chips will get limp. Some people don't mind that, but I like mine crispy in the salad, so I crumble a few and add them each time I take out a serving for myself.
Tonight I used Doritos. I'm not sure I like them better in the salad than the Tostitos, but like I said, either will work
I put some salad in my bowl and crumbled some chips on top.
Then I stirred it up and Vwa-LA !! My supper was ready ! You can also add a little salt to taste if the chips you use do not make it salty enough for you.
I enjoyed this tonight with one very small exception. It was a little more sweet than I remembered it being. I went back to the kitchen part way through this post to taste the dressing and sure enough, that is what caused it. Through the years I have always used the Wishbone brand for this recipe, but years ago, this recipe was not sweet. I am thinking that Wishbone, like so many other food companies, must have altered their original product. So many companies are leaving out the good, more expensive ingredients in things and then adding more sugar and/or salt to make them still have a flavor to save money. Somehow they think people will not notice, but we do ! I don't make this often, but next time I will try a different brand of dressing for this and hope for more spicy, less sweet.
It didn't totally ruin it though and it made a decent meal.
Now, back for another small bite and to clean up the kitchen (yuck)... ha ha
