Monday Menu

Layered Taco Salad

Here is a yummy recipe for layered Taco Salad, compliments of Paula Deen, with a few tweaks from me. We are having a small window of beautiful weather, so we will be having this tomorrow night. Baseball season always forces creative meals. We have 2 evenings a week that Alex has to be at the field by 5:15 and we don't get home until 8:30, so I try to make things on those evenings that he can eat before he goes and we can eat at the field. One favorite is to make taco salad, then put it into a grilled tortilla. Fold it (like a wrap), then wrap tightly in foil. Makes a hand-held taco salad! Here's the salad recipe:

2 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted

1/4 cup minced cilantro, more or less to taste

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup buttermilk (or just plain milk)

2 TBSP fresh lime juice

2 tsp. hot sauce, more or less to taste

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 (10 oz.) bag torn hearts of romaine lettuce

2 cups chopped, cooked chicken (from a rotisserie is great, or I rub chicken breasts with taco seasoning and grill it.)

1 (16 oz.) container sour cream

1 (15.5 oz.) can chili beans, drained

1 (15.25 oz.) can corn, drained (I leave this out)

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (14.5 oz.) can diced fire roasted tomatoes, drained (I just use chopped fresh tomatoes)

1 (8 oz.) pkg. Mexican cheese blend

1/2 cup minced green onion

crushed Nacho Cheese Doritos

In a food processor, combine avocado, cilantro, mayo, buttermilk, lime juice, hot sauce, sugar and salt. Process until smooth. Cover and refrigerate up to 8 hours. (Or, just mash the avocados and combine everything with a whisk, then refrigerate.)

In a large serving bowl, layer lettuce, chicken, sour cream, chili beans, corn, black beans, tomatoes, cheese and green onions, whatever order you want with what you are using. Spread avocado dressing evenly over top layer. Cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours before serving. (This salad tastes better if it's allowed to be refrigerated before serving at least 2 hours.) Top with crushed Doritos just before serving.