Something Quick: Samye's Taco Salad

Chase's mom Samye came up to visit us in September (was it really that long ago?) and one night she made this for dinner. Chase of course had eaten it many times before, but I hadn't. I was skeptical of 1000 Island dressing on taco fixin's, although it explained why Chase dips his tacos in it. And yet ... IT WAS DELICIOUS.

Then again, you can't really go wrong with Fritos and a mom's cooking.

I had been craving it since then, and I finally broke one day a couple of weeks ago and told Chase we were having it for dinner. He did not protest.

We use a bit less 1000 Island than Samye does, but it's a recipe that's easily made to any taste.

And just easily made.

Happy cooking!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Samye's Taco Salad

Ingredients

1 lb ground meat

½ - 1 cup 1000 Island dressing

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 can black beans, drained

1 can black olives, chopped

1 cup chopped lettuce

2 large tomatoes, diced

1 10-oz bag Fritos

1 packet taco seasoning

Directions

1. Brown the ground meat and season with taco seasoning according to package directions.

2. For the vegetarian version, use

½ packet of taco seasoning mixed into the drained black beans.

3. In a large mixing bowl, toss lettuce, tomato, olives, beans and cheese.

4. Add half of the bag of Fritos to the veggie mix, crunching the chips slightly in your hands as you add them.

5. Toss the veggie mix in the 1000 Island.

6. Stir about two-thirds of the taco meat into the mix.

7. To serve, place a handful of the remaining Fritos on a plate. Top with a heaping scoop of the salad mix and sprinkle with extra taco meat.

8. As always, enjoy!

Salad mix, all mixed.

Ready for eating. It's just that easy.

Now that's some happy cooking! :)

Something Easy: Beer Bread

I was in a strange mood a couple of weeks ago and started reading a cookbook. Reading like you would a novel. In good news, it was an interesting cookbook and I found many interesting recipes. One looked so easy that I couldn't help but try it right then. And we already had all the ingredients in the house! After making this just once, I know I'll be making it again and again. It's buttery, dense and delicious.

I dedicate this one to Megan, who gave us the incredible cookbook (Sara Moulton's Everyday Family Dinners).

Happy cooking!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beer Bread

Ingredients

3 cups flour

3 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 stick (8 Tbsp) butter, melted

1 12-oz beer (we used Blue Moon)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place the stick of butter in a 9x13 baking pan. Place it in the oven while it preheats. Remove when it's melted (3 or so minutes).

3. Meanwhile, mix together dry ingredients (flour sugar, powder, salt) in a mixing bowl.

4. Use a large spoon to stir in beer until fully incorporated. The batter will be thick and a bit sticky. Make sure not to over-mix.

5. Remove all but about 1 Tbsp melted butter (enough to coat the bottom of the pan) from pan into a separate cup.

6. Place batter into greased pan and spread out as best you can. (A spatula coated with cooking spray works well for this.) I didn't get my batter to fill the whole bottom of the pan, but it didn't matter. The bread will expand as it cooks.

7. Pour the reserved melted butter over the batter.

8. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden.

9. Voila! Bread!

ps- You can easily jazz up this recipe (not that you need to) with a sprinkle of cheese or a dash of cinnamon sugar on top before baking.

Not an ad, just a suggestion.

Fizzies!

A thick lump of dough.

Spread out in the pan and covered in melted butter.

Ready for sharing.

Happy cooking!

Something Savory: Hot German Potato Salad

Chase was a little skeptical of this one, but totally willing to try it. He's not a potato salad fan, but this is something entirely different. It's warm, full of bacon and rich flavor, and topped with delicious smoked sausage.

My mom used to make this one for us growing up. With all the flavors, I expected it to be more complicated. But if you can use a whisk and boil potatoes, you can make this recipe.

We always ate this as a main course, but this also works great as a warm side dish. Just skip the smoked sausage on top (you know, if you want).

Happy cooking!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hot German Potato Salad

Ingredients

6 medium potatoes

4-6 slices of bacon

¼ cup chopped onion

2 Tbsp flour

2 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp celery seed

Dash of pepper

¾ cup water

⅓

cup vinegar

2 eggs

1 smoked sausage (the big U-shaped kind, Hillshire Farms is best)

Directions

1. Peel and chop potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Cook in boiling water until fork-tender. Drain and place in deep casserole dish.

2. Meanwhile, over medium heat in a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Drain, reserving about 2 Tbsp bacon grease.

3. Crumble the bacon over the potatoes in the casserole dish.

4. Cook the chopped onion in the reserved grease over medium heat until tender but not browned.

5. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, celery seed and pepper in a small bowl. Stir into the cooked onions.

6. Add water and vinegar to the onion mixture. Cook until slightly thickened, whisking gently but constantly.

7. Beat the two eggs in a small bowl. Whisk the eggs into the onion mix.

8. Continue stirring until the eggs are cooked and incorporated into the thickened sauce.

9. Meanwhile, turn the oven on to broil.

10. Pour sauce over the potatoes and bacon and stir gently.

11. Split the sausage down the middle all the way around, but don't cut all the way through. Slice the sausage into 3-4 inch pieces. Place in a circle around the top of the casserole dish.

12. Place the casserole under the broiler for a few minutes, until the sausage is warmed and lightly browned around the edges.

13. Serve and enjoy. It's especially tasty with a little side of mustard.

Prep time: About 45 minutes.

Chopped onion ready for bacon grease cooking, crispy bacon, and dry ingredient mix.

And unrelated cinnamon rolls.

Onion mixture after eggs are whisked in and cooked.

Potatoes and bacon coated with onion and egg sauce.

Happy cooking!