Teresa, here is my recipe for the bean dip that I use when making taco salad, tostados, burritos, or tortas: Texas Bean Dip Ingredients 1-1/3 cup dried pinto (or red) beans (about 2 cups cooked) 1/2 large onion, coarsely chopped 2 tbsp cumin 1 bunch of cilantro, large stems removed, about 2/3 cup chopped 1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes (10 oz.) or similar tomatoes, diced with green chilies, drained, liquid reserved 3-4 Serrano chilies, coarsely chopped 6 tbsp chopped fresh oregano (or 2 tbsp dried oregano) 1 tbsp soup base - vegetable or beef, or 1 tsp salt, to taste Place dried beans in large pot and cover with water to about 3-4 times original depth. Bring to a boil and boil for two minutes, cover, and remove from heat and allow to soak for one hour. Discard the soaking water and rinse and sort the beans. Cover with fresh water, with about two inches above the soaked beans, and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for one hour, or until done, and discard the cooking water. Place all of the ingredients except the beans in a food processor and process until smooth. Add the beans, and check for flavor - you may not want to add all of them. If needed, add a bit of liquid from the canned tomatoes to aid in processing. I remove some of the seeds from the chilies and save them, in case it comes out too bland. You can remove more seeds, if you like it mild. Serve warm or cold with tortilla chips, or use to make burritos, tostados, etc. This is a staple condiment in my kitchen, and so I try to keep some on hand in the fridge or freezer. I often freeze half of the recipe so that it will keep longer. Lars

This is one of my favorites: Shrimp & Snap Pea Salad with Ginger-Soy Vinaigrette Serves 4 as a main course 1-1/2 pounds large shrimp (about 32-36 per pound) 2 cups snap peas (about 1/2 pound, trimmed) 3 green onions, trimmed and minced Ginger-Soy Vinaigrette 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce 2 tablespoons white vinegar 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger 1/2 teaspoon honey (my "tweak") 3 - 5 dashes hot sauce Garnishes 1/2 cup diced mango 1/2 cup chopped roasted cashews lime wedges Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add shrimp and cook 3 - 4 minutes, until they turn pink. Drain, run under cold water, peel and devein. Meanwhile, bring another pot of salted water to a boil, drop in snap peas and boil, uncovered, 2 - 3 minutes, until just tender and still bright green. Drain and rinse immediately with cold water to stop the cooking. To make vinaigrette: Whisk together olive oil, soy sauce, vinegar, lime juice, ginger, honey, and hot sauce in a small bowl until well-combined. Put shrimp, snap peas, and green onions in a large bowl, add vinaigrette, and toss well. Divide the mixture among 4 plates and garnish each serving with the diced mango, chopped nuts, and lime wedges. Source: The Beach House Cookbook, copyright 2005 Lori Here is a link that might be useful: Showing newest posts for query salad. Show older posts Saturday, June 11, 2011 Rigatoni with Broccoli, Garlic & Breadcrumbs Whenever I visit New York City with my friends and family, we often visit our favorite Italian restaurant there - Carmine's. The mid-town Manhattan location is always busy, especially with the many Broadway patrons before and after shows. I've even had the opportunity to bump into some of Broadway's biggest stars (I once saw Patty Lupone!) The food is always wonderful and plentiful, just like most Italian homes, whether it's one of their wonderful salads, hot or cold appetizers, delicious meat dishes, or, of course, the many pasta dishes they offer. One of my daughter's favorites is their Rigatoni with Broccoli, Garlic & Olive Oil which comes sprinkled with toasted breadcrumbs and grated Parmegiana-Reggiano. It's a delicious non-meat entree that will satisfy even the dedicated carnivores at your dinner table. Rigatoni with Broccoli, Garlic & Breadcrumbs Serves 4 3/4 to 1 pound broccoli florets 1 pound rigatoni 5 tablespoons olive oil 1⁄3 cup dried breadcrumbs 4 - 6 cloves thinly sliced garlic 1⁄4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1⁄2 cup grated Parmigiana-Reggiano Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.Add the broccoli and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain. Set aside. Bring the water back to a boil and add the pasta.While the pasta cooks, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over low heat. Add the bread crumbs, stirring, until the crumbs are toasted a golden brown. Remove the breadcrumbs to a small bowl and set aside. Return the skillet to the heat and add the remaining olive oil, garlic, and pepper flakes.Cook until fragrant, then stir in the broccoli. Stir to coat with the oil as the broccoli reheats, and taste for seasoning. If pasta is not yet done, keep the heat low to avoid burning the broccoli. Drain the cooked pasta and add it to the broccoli mixture.Cook over high heat for a minute or so to evaporate any water from the pasta, then stir in the bread crumbs and cheese and serve immediately. You might also like: Shrimp Tacos Gnocchi with Sage Butter Coconut Muffins LinkWithin Posted by Lori (All That Splatters) at 7:41 PM 7 comments Links to this post Labels: Pasta, Vegetables Saturday, May 21, 2011 Garlicky Chicken in Red Pepper Sauce This is another recipe I received in an email from Fine Cooking in their

Hello, Here is a layered taco salad that you might like: Salad: 1 medium head iceberg lettuce, chopped 4 cups cooked white meat chicken, cut into 1/2 inch dice 2 large tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/2 inch dice 1 cup sliced, pitted ripe olives 1/2 cup scallions, sliced including 1 inch of green leaves 10 pieces bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled 1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 1/2 lb) 2 cups crushed corn chips In a large salad bowl, preferably clear glass or plastic, layer in this order the lettuce, chicken, tomatoes, olives, scallions, bacon and cheese. Can be prepared up to 12 hours in advance to this point. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Dressing: 1 large clove fresh garlic 2 medium avocados, peeled and pitted 3 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice 1 cup sour cream 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel knife, drop the garlic in with the processor running to mince it. Then place the avocado, lemon juice, and sour cream in the work bowl and process until smooth. Add the vegetable oil, chili powder, salt, pepper, cumin and Tobasco. Process until well mixed. Transfer to a bowl or jar, cover tightly and refrigerate until time for final assembly. About 5 minutes before serving, remove plastic wrap from salad bowl. Spoon dressing over the top. Sprinkle with the crushed corn chips. Toss well before serving. seagrass

I like just about any kind of taco salad but I've never had one with French dressing. I just discovered Mexican Chorizo sausage and love what it can do for a taco salad. I also like a taco salad made simply with grilled, seasoned chicken strips, black bean and corn salsa, sour cream, tortilla chips and lettuce. Taco Meat 1 pound ground beef, chicken or turkey 4 ounces Mexican chorizo sausage (optional) 1 small onion; chopped 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon chili powder salt and pepper to taste 1 tablespoon chopped jalapenos 2/3 cup beef or chicken broth or stock Brown meat along with onion in a medium skillet until cooked through. (If the meat is very lean, it may be necessary to add 1 tablespoon olive oil.) Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer until liquid is evaporated. If desired, stir in sliced jalapenos *I like to use the sliced jalapenos that come in a jar and also add some of the liquid to the meat mixture. Black Bean and Corn Salsa 15 oz. can black beans; rinse and drain 1 cup frozen corn; thawed 1 small onion; chopped 1 Roma tomato; seeded and chopped juice from 1/2 fresh lime kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning of your choice 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro Combine ingredients at least 1/2 hour before serving with tortilla chips or on a salad. *This is also great served over fish. Marilyn