Taco Salad

With the weather warming up, I thought this month's theme would be salads, and with Cinco de Mayo later this week, what better salad to start with than a fabulous taco salad?  Now, who doesn't like that?!

1 pound ground beef

1/4 cup minced onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

1 8-ounce jar taco sauce

1 tablespoon chili powder

4 packaged tortilla shells (or make your own by greasing these and baking at 375 for 10 minutes)

8 cups chopped lettuce

2 large tomatoes, chopped

2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese

1 cup sour cream

1 avocado, peeled and diced

Cook the beef, onion, and garlic in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until meat is no longer pink.  Drain.  Stir in the beans, corn, taco sauce, and chili powder.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Heat tortilla shells according to package directions; cool slightly.  Fill the shells with lettuce.  Top with beef mixture, tomatoes, and cheese.  Top with sour cream and avocado.  

Feel free to incorporate any other favorite taco salad ingredients (jalapenos, salsa, etc).

Serves 4.

Recipe adapted from Delicious Salad Meals by Dot Vartan.