Taco Chopped Salad

I wish I could say that my weekly menu plans were chosen from all the fun foods on my Pinterest boards. But really it is something like this: I look in the pantry, fridge and freezer and see what needs to be used. This week I had a half a bag of my favorite tortilla chips that somehow got crushed, a few olives, and 2 heads of romaine that were screaming 'use me'! I also had some shredded cheese and some freshly made Cracked Pepper Dressing. This looked like the perfect week to have Taco Salads!
Chopped Salads make a stunning presentation. And as I tell my girls--presentation is everything. Chopped Salads are great for picky eaters; they don't have to eat the tomatoes or beans or whatever they don't like.
So here is my version of:

Taco Chopped Salad:
1 pound ground beef
1 onion
1/2 cup Catalina Dressing
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
Brown ground beef and onion, season with salt and pepper. Add dressing, water, chili powder and beans, simmer for a few minutes, adding more dressing or water to taste.
On a large platter make rows of:
shredded romaine
spinach
chopped tomatoes
shredded cheese
diced avocado
matchstick carrots
cucumber
chopped red pepper
any other veggies that sound good
tortilla chips or Frito's
ground beef and bean mixture 
Serve with Ranch or Cracked Pepper Dressing
Printable Recipe