Taco Salad

I love this salad for those hot summer days when I don't want to heat up my kitchen or eat something hot. There are a lot of variations of taco salad, but I grew up with this recipe, and it is still my favorite. It is also very easy to make this salad for one, or a crowd.

1 head of lettuce, chopped
1 can kidney beans, drained
Shredded Cheese
Nacho Cheese Doritos, broken up
LiteHouse Thousand Island Dressing
Taco Seasoning
Ground Beef

Brown beef then drain off fat. Add taco seasoning and cook according to package directions. Put chopped lettuce in a large bowl with kidney beans, shredded cheese, and doritos. Toss together, then add thousand island dressing and toss. You can also add the ground beef, but I'm not a big fan of meat so I make it available for those who want it. Super easy, and a great summer meal.

Spaghetti Casserole

An old family favorite, this is perfect for a cold, stormy night. With some garlic bread and a green salad, it's a fantastic meal.

1 8 oz. package spaghetti, cooked and drained
1 lb. hamburger, browned and drained
1-2 jars Spaghetti sauce
1 small carton cottage cheese
1 small carton sour cream
1/2 cup diced onion
Mozzarella cheese

Mix browned hamburger and spaghetti sauce (I like to combine marinara and Alfredo) in a saucepan and simmer for 30 minutes. Mix cottage cheese, sour cream, and onion. Layer spaghetti, cottage cheese mixture, sauce, mozzarella cheese; repeat. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Let set 15 minutes before cutting.

Favorite Taco Soup

This recipe is perfect for a rainy day. It's warm, comforting, and filling.

1 large pound ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1 (16 oz.) can kidney beans, undrained
1 (16 oz.) can whole kernel corn, undrained
1 package taco seasoning

Corn Chips
Grated Cheddar Cheese
Sour Cream

In a large soup pot, brown ground beef and onion; drain. Stir in tomatoes, beans, corn, and taco seasoning. Simmer for 1/2 hour, uncovered. Serve topped with corn chips, grated cheese, and sour cream. Yum.