For the Foodies: Taco Salad

Ingredients

6 ounces boneless beef top round steak
4 7- or 8-inch flour tortillas
Nonstick spray coating
1 cup frozen corn
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup salsa
1 8-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
6 cups shredded lettuce
1/4 cup light dairy sour cream
Thinly sliced green onion (optional)

Step 1

Trim fat from beef. Partially freeze beef (about 30 minutes). Cut into thin bite-size strips.

Step 2 

Meanwhile, cut each tortilla into 8 wedges. Place in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown; set aside to cool.

Step 3

Spray an unheated large skillet with nonstick coating. Preheat over medium heat. Add corn and garlic. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Push to side. Add beef. Cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until beef is of desired doneness. Stir in salsa and kidney beans Heat through. Divide lettuce among 4 places or large bowls. Spoon meat mixture atop lettuce. Place several tortilla wedges to side of each salad. Top salads with sour cream and, if desired, sprinkle with green onion. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

279 calories, 8 g total fat (2 g saturated fat), 29 mg cholesterol, 495 mg sodium, 39 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 20 g protein.

The Lowdown

Surprising, this meal was simple to make and used very few spices. For some reason, I kept thinking I needed to add chili seasoning, but it never called for it.

There are two things I would have changed about my execution of this recipe. The first thing I would have done differently was actually SHRED the lettuce. Thinking it would be far to challenging to shred lettuce, I decided to CUT it. While the taste was the same, I felt shredded lettuce would have provided a more pleasant dining experience. We're talking fewer chunks if I had.

The second thing I would have changed would have been pulling the tortillas out of the oven sooner. While the taste really didn't suffer, the "chips" were a little too crunchy. For me, I left them in for about 10 minutes but could have taken them out around 7 or 8 minutes.

When I asked the family what they would do differently, they responded with, "CHEESE!" For them, cheddar cheese was the one missing ingredient that would have made this dish superb!

Finally, similar to the lasagna of last night, I could have benefited from doubling the meat sauce. It's not necessary, but I like my meat.

If you try this dish, please let me know how it tastes for you.

Enjoy!

Source: Better Homes and Gardens New Dieter's Cookbook