• 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
• Taco seasoning (packaged or see recipe at the end of this post)
• Baby spinach/Spring Mix/Baby Lettuce Mix (your choice)
• 2 medium chopped tomatoes
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cucumber, peeled and sliced
• 10 oz can of olives, drained and sliced
• 2 cups of Mexican Cheese Blend
• 1 (9.75 oz) bag Doritos chips, crush to medium to small pieces
• 1 (16 oz) can black beans, rinsed (if desired)
• 1 (16 oz) can corn, drained (if desired)
• Salsa – your favorite
• Taco Sauce – your favorite
• Thousand Island Dressing
• Sour Cream

Directions:

1. Brown ground beef over medium heat, breaking into small pieces as it cooks.  When cooked through drain the meat and add taco seasoning as directed.
2. Toss lettuce/spinach mix in a large bowl, tomatoes, onion, cucumber and olives in a large bowl.
3. Divide salad mixture onto plates.
4. Top salad mix with a scoop of the taco seasoned ground beef.
5. Sprinkle top of salad with cheese and a few of the crushed taco chips.
6. Add a drizzle of Taco sauce, a few teaspoons of salsa (to your taste), a dollop of sour cream and a drizzle of French Dressing over the entire salad.

I forgot how simple and delicious this salad was.  I love stirring all the salad together and making sure I have a piece of tortilla shell in each bite for that crunch.  Such happy memories and a yummy salad too!

Taco Seasoning

I far prefer to make my own taco seasoning mix than use a prepackaged one.  I can control the heat and the saltiness for my family’s taste.

• 2 tablespoons chili powder
•  1 teaspoons onion powder
• 1  teaspoon garlic powder
• pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (omit if your family does not like spicy seasoning)
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• salt and pepper to taste

Mix this in a bowl and add to your drained ground beef with 1 cup of water.  Let the mixture simmer for 5-10 minutes to reduce the sauce.  Taste and add seasonings as you need.