Summertime Recipe-Taco Salad

Melanie, over at Big Mama, is wilting in the Texas summer heat. She's sent out pleas for summertime recipes for those wishing to help out a girl in need. If you decide to post your own summertime recipe on your blog, be sure and sign the Mr.Linky on Big Mama's blog so others can come see your's!

I have no pictures to share, but one of my favorite summer (and fall and winter and spring) dishes is Taco Salad. Mmm...the very mention of it sets my mouth to watering. It's a simple enough dish, not really needing a recipe, but for anyone who maybe just woke up from a lifelong coma and hasn't heard of it, here's the scoop.

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Taco Salad

• salad-make your own with the fixins' your family prefers, or buy a bag of premade salad from your grocery store
• ground beef (I prefer extra lean for lower fat content; or you can use ground turkey or ground chicken)
• taco seasoning package-1 package per each pound of beef you cook (or find a recipe online to make your own and eliminate those pesky preservatives)
• kidney beans-drained (matter of preferance, if your family likes them)
• Kraft Catalina Salad Dressing
• Frito's
• salsa
• shredded cheddar cheese

Brown ground beef, then drain off the fat. The amount of meat you cook is up to you. I usually cook two pounds so we have leftovers for the next day.

Follow directions on taco seasoning packet to make taco meat

For each serving, on a dinner plate, or in a large shallow bowl, place 1-2 cups of salad, depending on your appetite (we go for the big helpings around here)

Place about 1/3-1/2 cup taco meat, or desired amount on top of salad

Spoon a few spoonfuls of kidney beans on top, unless you don't like them

Add a small handful of frito's

Sprinkle on desired amount of cheddar cheese

Squirt on desired amount of salad dressing

Spoon on a few tablespoons salsa, or amount you prefer

Stir it together with your fork, and dive in!

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The neat thing about this recipe is that you can customize it to fit your family's tastes. Alot of people mix everything together in one big bowl, then dip out servings from it. I don't do it that way because we like to have leftovers. Once you've mixed the ingredients all together, if it's not all eaten in that meal, it will get soggy when refrigerated.

By keeping the ingredients in separate containers, you can easily save the leftovers; plus, if you have picky eaters in your house, each person can customize their salad to fit their tastes.

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Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.

~Leviticus 19:18 NIV