Mom's Delicious Taco Salad!

If you know me, you know that I love to eat, and hate to cook. I fall easily in love. With food. :)

I fell in love with Nutella during my Sophmore year in college (last year) and this summer, thanks to my bestest friend Emily P, I have been drinking more water with the help of those delightful Crystal Light packets... in raspberry lemonade. Seriously, it's awesome. I don't usually drink a lot of water, but this has totally helped me drink more water this summer. This Florida heat is so extreme sometimes, and I do not want to get dehydrated!

That being said, I have found a new love in my mom's recipe for taco salad. This is a really super simple way to feed your family BEEF, and help them get those great nutrients that it offers!!

Zinc, Iron, Protein, B-Vitamins... Do I need to continue?? Not to mention that this is high-quality protein.

In the US, 4 million kids are iron-deficient, and 1 out of 5 women are seriously lacking in iron. BEEF is an AWESOME and DELICIOUS way to get some really valuable nutrition, and I know your kids and family will love it!
Since I am not Paula Deen, I am going to try and explain this recipe the best way I know how. It is so good that I literally had a craving and begged my mom to make some for me this week, and I ate a whole thing of it in one day. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. It was awesome! :)

Mom uses....

A pound of ground beef
Lettuce (not my favorite thing in the world, I'm a "Meat-atarian"......but it's so good in this "salad")
Cheddar cheese (we use a block of cheese and cut it up, but you could use shredded)
Tomatoes and onions (optional - I'm not a huge onion fan)
Doritos chips!
Italian Dressing

Seriously. Thats it. That's all you need! Cook the ground beef to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. This ensures that the beef is cooked throughout and safe to consume. If you put in on a cutting board or any surface, always remember to clean after using it with beef, and before using it for anything else. Don't use the same cutting board for raw meat and veggies, such as if you have to cut the lettuce up, unless you have cleaned in between.
In a large bowl, mix the beef, lettuce, cheese chunks (they soften with the heat, it's soooo incredibly good), crushed doritos, and anything else you want to add (tomatoes, onions, etc.) and mix in the italian dressing.

How awesome is that??

This recipe is easy because you can change it up. My dad prefers a LOT of Italian dressing, so he adds it after we get our servings. Mom and Dad eat tomatoes and onions, so she makes me a seperate serving. It's all about finding what your family likes.

On a diet? Simple changes can make a big difference. 95% Lean ground beef is a great way to keep you healthy, and now that beef is more lean than ever before, you can really benefit from the tasty healthy protein it gives. More lettuce, less doritos, and you could also use a low-fat dressing, or less of the regular stuff.

I'm no food critic, and I'm certainly no chef. However, I do know a delicious meal when I come across it!! I am adding this to my favorite beef meals, which also includes beef stroganoff, tacos, spaghetti with meat sauce, and endless others! I would love to hear your thoughts about this dish! It's good hot or cold, I usually eat it the next day, and the next and the next... if it lasts that long!!

Enjoy, and stay tuned for more exciting tips and happenings!! God Bless :)

The Beef Queen