Quick & Easy Taco Salad

This one comes from my mom. Super simple, fast, and easy! Just the way we like it, right?!

*1lb Cooked & drained hamburger
1pkt Taco Seasoning
1 Head lettuce
2 Roma Tomatoes diced
1 pkg Shredded Mexican Cheese
1000 Island Salad Dressing
1 Bag Doritos
Sour Cream

If you haven't already cooked and frozen your hamburger so it's ready to use then you'll have to cook your hamburger and season it now with the Taco Seasoning. Otherwise take your bagged frozen hamburger out open it and add the taco seasoning and then nuke it for 2½mins. Shake to mix the seasoning in and around and nuke again for 2½mins again. Hamburger should be thuroughly heated. If not continue to cook for 1 min incriments.

Shred or cut your lettuce up for the salad and place into a large bowl.

Dice your roma tomatoes and add to the salad bowl. Roma tomatoes have less seeds and "juice" which make them ideal for this.

Add to the salad bowl the seasoned hamburger, shredded cheese (reserve some for toppings) and 1000 Island salad dressing and mix well.

Crush the Dorito chips and add to the salad before serving and stir again.

Serve with a dollup of sour cream and a sprinkle of cheese and you are set!

This was one of my favorite dinners my mom made and now it's one of my kids favorites.

*Change it up with some chicken instead of hamburger and make it a little healthier and add a different taste.

(picture coming soon)

Tip of the Week

This tip came from a friend of mine over 10 years ago. She has/had (many have grown and moved on and married, etc) a large family and like most large families we buy in BULK!

I too buy in bulk especially meats and even milk when it is on sale.

So what do I do with ALL of the ground beef, ground turkey, chicken, or sausage? It certainly doesn't keep well in the fridge and it would take up WAY too much room, too. Freezing right after you get it home isn't practical either.

Well I have a MEAT COOKING DAY!

Like this past Sunday when I had 15 pounds of ground hamburger I had just bought, I cooked all of it! I then place it into freezer bags and frOze them. I make sure I portion it out for meals too, so all I have to do is take it out of the freezer nuke it on high for 2½ minutes and add it to whatever recipe I need it for!

It also makes clean up easier. Instead of cleaning out a greasy pan several times over. I only have one pan/pot to clean a month! (you know what I mean)

Today I used it for Taco Soup.

It cuts my daily cooking down a lot! No more thawing, cooking, draining, and then cooking the recipe.

I even cook my chicken ahead of time too. And with my food chopper I chop it all up and portion it out into freezer bags and freeze it as well. Makes my chicken recipes a breeze! Chicken Enchiladas are done in a matter of mintutes! They are literally ready for the oven in no time!

Taco Soup

3 lbs Cooked & drained Ground Beef
3 cans Kidney Beans drained
2 cans Drained Diced Tomatoes
4(8oz) cans Tomato Sauce
1-2 packets Taco Seasoning (depends on your taste)
1 Can Corn

Cook until heated either on stove or in a crock pot - on low for 4 hours, high for 2 hours

Top with:
Sour Cream
Shredded Cheese
Corn Chips
Green Onions