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Friday, May 10, 2013

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 






12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ohhh! I want to dive in!! looks sooo good!
Mary x

Deb A said...

This looks so fresh and yes, presentation is everything! I am definitely making that salad dressing - I love pepper... pinned to my board!

Unknown said...

Oh man that looks tasty! let's make than when I am there next month!

Debra Eliotseats said...

This looks delicious. I need to challenge myself to a month's worth of only making what I have pinned on Pinterest! :)

Erin said...

Cindy, this looks wonderful! That's about how I plan our dinners too. =o) I do have these ingredients, tho. I'm so excited! This is what's for dinner tonight. Thanks!

Rebekah said...

Looks and sounds delicious! I nearly always present desserts nicely, but I need to work on dinner presentation more often. It does make a difference.

Liz That Skinny Chick Can Bake said...

Excellent idea, Cindy! Picky Bill could eat around the black olives (I'd probably give him a tortilla, too :/) and I could have the entree salad I've been craving. It looks fantastic!!! xo

Andrea_TheKitchenLioness said...

Cindy, you are right, chopped salads make for a very pretty presentation and your version looks utterly delicious - I love that you used ingredients that you had on hand and came up with this wonderful recipe!

Have a fabulous Mother´s Day weekend, Cindy!

Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust said...

This would be my favorite salad ever! I love taco salad!

Cakelaw said...

What a terrific zesty looking salad! Nice work on using up leftovers too.

Amber @ DessertNowDinnerLater.com said...

I love salads & this sounds awesome! Thanks for sharing at Sweet & Savory Saturdays #12!

~Amber
Dessert Now, Dinner Later!
http://dessertnowdinnerlater.blogspot.com

Krista said...

I am a huge fan of taco salads! They are so yummy. I usually just use sour cream and salsa but your dressing looks great! I just pinned this great recipe :) Thanks so much for linking up with me @ Great Idea Thursday's! Krista @ A Handful of Everything