Dear Cook, there are many wonderful taco salad recipes, but this recipe is the one our family and friends request. The salad is served with a homemade French Dressing. That is a must. I would never serve the salad without it. The dressing was my dad’s favorite, and is my husband’s too. I try to keep some made up. There is one thing about this salad which surprises me; it is served without cheese.
Years ago, more than forty, my dear Uncle Russell and Aunt Ann from Warren, Michigan dropped by to see us. I love drop-in company, so it was a great day. Uncle Russell was always full of life, and Aunt Ann had the best of all laughs. At that time, my uncle was a meat and potato man, but that day I happened to be making Taco Salad for dinner. So, that is what I served… salad (it is heavy on meat), garlic bread, and dessert.
I knew that my uncle would be polite, and tell me that he liked it, and he did, but it seemed as though he really liked it. He even asked me to give the recipe to his wife. A few days later, Mother told me that Russell went on and on about how much he liked the salad Susie made. So even, a meat and potato man loved it!
When serving the salad as a leftover, I warm individual servings in the microwave for 8 to 10 seconds. For it is best eaten slightly warm. When first serving the salad, the taco-flavored meat, and kidney beans are hot when stirred into the lettuce, onion, and tomato mixture. So, the salad has a bit of warmth to it. I don’t toss it with the dressing; it sits on the table, along with hot sauce.
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| Taco Salad and French Dressing | Print |
- FRENCH DRESSING:
- 1 t. salt
- 1 t. pepper
- 1 t. celery salt
- 1 t. onion salt
- 1 t. dry mustard
- 1 & ½ cups vegetable oil
- 1 & ½ cups sugar
- ¾ cups catsup
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup vinegar
- TACO SALAD:
- 1& ½ lbs ground beef (I use 2)
- medium onion, diced
- 15.5 oz can DARK kidney beans (I use 2. We like them.)
- LARGE head of lettuce
- medium onion, sliced thin
- 3 tomatoes, cut in medium size pieces
- Doritos Taco Chips, broken, NOT crushed
- hot sauce (for table)
- FRENCH DRESSING:
- In mixing bowl, blend on low for 5 minutes.
- This recipe makes far more dressing than is needed.
- TACO SALAD:
- In LARGE bowl break crisp lettuce into bite sized pieces.
- Add to that: diced onion and chunks of tomatoes.
- Brown ground beef with small amount of chopped onion.
- Shut off heat.
- Drain grease from fry pan.
- Add Taco flavored seasoning according to pkg. directions.
- Cook and stir until liquid is absorbed.
- Drain kidney beans.
- Add kidney beans to meat in fry pan.
- Heat until warm.
- Just before serving, add warm meat mixture to lettuce.
- Fold in broken chips.
- Serve immediately with dressing and hot sauce on the table.
