Mennonite Monday - Taco Salad

Mennonite Monday started because I wanted to make recipes from the Bethesda Mennonite Church Cookbooks (both the yellow and the white cookbook for those of you who own them). I also wanted to take pictures of each recipe that I made, so I would know for future reference what the recipe should look like. I am by no means a great cook, but I think it will be fun to try new and different recipes each week. Not all of these recipes are for ethnic Mennonite food, but the women from Henderson know how to cook, so I can safely say that these recipes will be good. Check back each Monday for a new recipe and feel free to leave a comment if you have a favorite recipe from these cookbooks, or if you have some tips on what I should make and how I should make it.

~

This week, Taco Salad won the top spot in the Mennonite Monday poll. This is a salad that I have always liked. One change I would make to the recipe below is omit the beans and put cold spiral pasta in the salad. That is how I remember the salad from when I was younger and it is a personal preference because I don't care for beans. This recipe is found on page 166 of the white church cookbook.

Taco Salad
1 lb ground beef
1 envelope Lipton onion soup
1 medium, head lettuce, in bite-site pieces
1 small onion
1 package taco chips
1 can red kidney beans, drained
3/4 cup water
1 large tomato, diced
2 cups shredded cheese
Dorothy Lynch salad dressing

Brown the ground beef and the soup mix and simmer for 20 minutes. In a large bowl mix the other ingredients, except the taco chips. Add the ground beef and toss thoroughly. Place crushed taco chips on top. Then pour 1 small bottle of Dorothy Lynch salad dressing no top of this. Refrigerate and before serving toss again.

(Side note: I'm not sure what the 3/4 cup of water was for. I didn't use it)

Browning the hamburger and adding the onion soup.

Mixing the other ingredients.

All mixed together.

I crushed Doritos on top.

Pouring on Dorothy Lynch.

I would mix everything right before serving instead of letting it set in the refrigerator because the lettuce goes limp and the chips get soggy.