With The Big Game on the horizon it’s time to think parties!  Mexican food is always a favorite and this hearty and delicious crowd pleaser will make hosting a breeze.    I’m always on the lookout for ways to simplify life and spend less time in the kitchen while still enjoying great food.  When I was at Walmart the other day surrounded by fun foods all gearing up for The Big Game, I was inspired to whip up this Taco Salad with a Twist.  This is one of my favorite recipes.  It’s one of those that has evolved over time.  I got it from my mom when I left for college, and have tweaked it a bit over the years.  The mix of fresh produce and canned ingredients, makes it a cinch to make, and it’s so colorful and flavorful it’s like a party on your plate and in your mouth.  It will let you feed an army and enjoy the game as well!  You can prep it ahead of time and let guests serve themselves throughout the game, which sounds like a win to me, no matter who’s playing!

Here’s what you will need for this recipe:

Yield: 12 servings

Taco Salad with a Twist

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Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1.5 pounds lean ground beef
• 1 cup of diced onion
• 3 16oz Cans of Rosarita Refried Beans
• 2 tsp Chili Powder
• 2 tsp of taco sauce (hot or mild, depending on your taste)
• 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 8oz can of tomato sauce
• Toppings:
• Lettuce
• Cheese
• Tomatoes
• Olives
• Avocado
• Sour Cream

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large pot combine ground beef, chili powder and onions. Cook until cooked through. (Beef is browned and onions are translucent.
2. Add beans, taco sauce, tomato sauce and cheese to beef mixture and mix well until combined and cheese melts.
3. Pour mixture into a 9x13 pan and bake in the oven for one hour.
4. While beans and meat are cooking, prepare toppings. Shred lettuce and cheese, dice tomatoes and olives, slice avocados.
5. When the beans and meat are finished cooking, build your taco salad like you would nachos. Tortilla chips on the bottom, then a layer of meat/bean mixture. Top with toppings of your choice and enjoy!
6. You can make this ahead and re-heat in the microwave for easy game day prep!

Once your meat is cooked through and the onions are transparent, you are ready to add in the other ingredients.  Open your cans of Rosarita Refried Beans and add them to your pot, along with the taco sauce, shredded cheese and tomato sauce.

Stir to combine all of the ingredients in your pot and heat through until cheese is melted.  Once the cheese has melted, transfer the beans and meat to a 9×13 pan and pop in the oven for an hour at 350 degrees.

A lot of times when people hear “taco salad” they envision a time intensive recipe that requires creating taco shells to house the salad.  But remember, this is Taco Salad “with a twist.”  This twist is probably my favorite part about this recipe!  Here’s a little kitchen hack that will make this recipe SO easy, it will become a regular in your rotation.  Instead of spending a bunch of time making a huge mess and frying up shells, make this salad on a bed of tortilla chips!  Regular corn or cheesy chips give this a nacho-like feel making it even more perfect for a game time party.  No messy kitchen and tons of time saved!

Top your tortilla chips with your beans and meat.  I like to set out a toppings bar of shredded lettuce, diced fresh tomatoes, shredded cheese, olives, sour cream, avocados and salsa.  Guests can top their own taco salad with the toppings of their choice.

If you like, you can keep your beans and meat warm in a crock pot on low, for easy serving all afternoon.  Guests can dish everything up for themselves, allowing you to enjoy the party too.

This is a filling, colorful and delicious meal that will have everyone cheering, whether or not their team wins!

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Enjoy!
Tammy