By Sherrie Le Masurier

If your family is anything like mine they love tacos is all shapes, sizes and varieties.

Following are two of my family’s favorite Doritos Taco Salad Recipe ideas and other easy taco salad recipe ideas they like taking in their school lunches.

The reason I have two Doritos Taco Salad Recipe ideas to share is that my daughter favors one and my second favors the other. My husband and I equally like both.

Doritos Taco Salad Recipe - I
 
1 head lettuce, shredded
1 medium onion, chopped
1 lb. hamburger, browned
2 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 bag Doritos, crushed (taco flavored preferred)
1 bottle French dressing

In individual serving containers layer each ingredient starting with lettuce and ending with tomatoes. Pack a small container of dressing and a small sealer bag of Doritos which can be pre-crushed with a rolling pin or let your kids do it themselves with their fist. Just before eating, have them pour on the dressing and top with the crush Doritos.

Doritos Taco Salad Recipe - 2

1 lb. ground beef
1 head iceberg lettuce, cleaned and torn into bite site pieces
1 envelope of taco seasoning
1 medium sized tomato, diced
1 bag of nacho Doritos (plain or spicy)
1 bottle Thousand Island dressing
1 ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Brown ground beef. Drain fat. Toss with dry taco seasoning. (Please note: this recipe does not call for water.) Set aside until cool. In a large bowl add lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and then mix in the seasoned ground beef. Portion out in individual containers and pack personal sized containers of dressing and a small sealer bag of Doritos.

Easy Taco Salad

1 lb lean ground beef, fried and cooled
1 head of lettuce, broken in pieces
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 onion, diced
1 (8 oz) can red kidney beans, drained
1/2 to 1 lb grated cheddar cheese
1 bottle of Kraft Catalina or Russian dressing

Mix everything together in a large bowl with exception of the salad dressing. Divide the salad into individual portions and pack along a small container of dressing and a bag of corn chips for adding just before eating.

Hot & Easy Taco Salad

This recipe is ideal for classrooms with microwaves or for children who like using a Thermos.
 
2 lbs. ground beef
1 envelope taco seasoning mix
1/2 bag plain tortilla chips 
1 small onion, chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/2 head lettuce, chopped

Sauce:
4 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. flour
2 cups milk
1 lb. Velveeta cheese

Brown ground beef. Drain fat. Toss with taco seasoning mix. Set aside until cool. Layer meat, onion, tomato and lettuce in portion sized containers. Prepare a small bag of plain tortilla chips for each family member. This is makes a great workplace lunch recipe as well.

Sauce:  In a large saucepan melt butter. Stir in flour and stir continuously until smooth. Stir in milk. Bring to a boil - stirring constantly and boil one minute. Add Velveeta Cheese and stir until melted. Pour into a Thermos or into microwaveable safe container for heating.

When I know this easy taco salad recipe will be reheated in a microwave I will put both the salad and the sauce in the same container.