Taco Salad

       Taco salad is a great recipe if you're are looking for more ground beef recipes. For some reason, I always have trouble finding ground beef recipes, even though I can always find chicken recipes. I love this recipe because it has enough spice for taste, but it's still mild enough to feed your grandma from the south. 

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground meat (beef, elk, turkey, etc.)
• 3 clove garlic*
• 1 can dark red kidney beans (16 oz)
• 1 cup taco sauce**
• 1 tablespoon chili powder***
• 6 cups torn iceberg lettuce****
•  4 tomatoes
• 2 cups cheddar cheese
• ^
• 4 green onions^^
• Tortilla cups

Instructions:

1. Cook ground meat with garlic in a heavy skillet until brown. Stir in kidney beans^^^, taco sauce, and Chili powder. 
2. Bring to heavy boil. Simmer, covered, for ten minutes. 
3. Make the salad by making a salad with the lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese, and any other salad ingredients you wish to add. Divide among tortilla cups^^^^. 

 Garnish:

    This recipe can be garnished with whatever Mexican garnish you have, but I have a few suggestions. You can cut an avocado into slices and place on a dollop of sour cream. You can also add salsa and/or guacamole on top. 

Notes:

*You can add more or less garlic depending on how much garlic you like in your food and the size of the garlic cloves.

**I always make my own, but you can use a jar if you're pressed for time (8 oz). Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 can tomato sauce (8 oz)
• 1 tablespoon onion
• 1 teaspoon garlic
• chili powder to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar

Instructions:

1. Blend everything in a blender or food processor until smooth.
2. Cook on in a saucepan for 15-20 minutes. This is really important because it helps blend all the ingredients together.

***This is to taste. I like a lot more than the suggested 1 tablespoon, but if you like you're food a little milder, you can add a little less.
****I would never suggest using iceberg lettuce on account of it has so little nutrition, but if you want to, you can.
^You are making a salad so feel free to put in any other salad ingredients in. I would stay away from fruits and other sweet treats because this is a savory dish.
^^These are mostly for garnish, so if this is the only dish you are using green onions in, I would not buy green onions.
^^^Make sure you do NOT drain or rinse the beans.
^^^^You can make deep-friend tortilla cups, baked, or naked. I love the deep-fried. Here's how to make them.  

Ingredients:

• Cooking oil
• Flour tortillas

Instructions:

1. Heat at least two inches of cooking oil in a deep saucepan to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. 
2. Using a metal ladle, press the tortilla down into the oil from the middle. 
3. Fry for 40-60 seconds until golden brown.
4. Remove from oil and cool on paper towels. 

     Overall I love this recipe and feel like you should take the time to make it.