Chipotle Ranch Taco Salad

Submitted by By The Lake

"A very hearty salad that will surely please your family. I have used bagged tortilla chips in place of the 8 corn tortillas. Saves some prep time and cuts down on the heat in the kitchen in the summer. You can use more or less chipotle chili powder to suit your taste. We like our food spicy, so I tend to use more than what is called for."

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Ready In:: 30mins
Ingredients:: 10
Serves:: 4

ingredients

8 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips OR
4 -5 cups bagged tortilla chips
1 lb ground beef
1 teaspoon ground dried chipotle powder, divided
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup ranch dressing, divided
8 cups torn romaine lettuce leaves
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
¹⁄₂ cup chopped red onion
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange tortilla strips on baking sheet. Bake, until crisp, about 10 minutes. Reserve a handful of tortilla strips for garnish. OR substitute the bagged tortilla chips.
Meanwhile, brown ground beef in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Remove skillet from heat; drain the oil; and then add 1/2 teaspoons chili powder, stir in beans and 1/2 cup ranch dressing; set aside to cool.
Layer 3 cups lettuce, 1/3 of the tomato and onion, and 1/2 of the beef mixture in a trifle dish or deep glass bowl. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the tortilla strips and 1/2 of the cheese; repeat layers. Top with remaining 2 cups lettuce, remaining tomatoes, onion, and cheese. Sprinkle with reserved tortilla strips.
Combine remaining 1/2 teaspoons chili powder with remaining 1/2 cup dressing and serve with salad.
* Start with lettuce, 2nd layer lettuce, and end with lettuce. 2 layers of beef mixture.

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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

By The Lake

Conyers, GA

<img src="http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy17/ZaarBrenda/Adopted.jpg" alt="" width="205" height="170" /><img src="http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg271/MrsTeny/Permanent%20Collection/PACSpring09Iwasadopted.jpg" alt="" width="217" height="103" /><img src="http://img.recipezaar.com/img/library/founding_banner.gif" alt="" /> I'm a mother to three beautiful children: one boy and two girls. We have the cutest little grand children. He's a real charmer and a handful! And she's an absolute prescious little princess. No wonder grandparents love them so! I have a great husband who likes to help me cook and clean. <img title="Wink" src="/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/img/smiley-wink.gif" border="0" alt="Wink" />  We love to garden and have a huge herb and vegetable garden every year. Wondering what to do with all the eggplant, tomatoes, and zucchini is what led me to Zaar.  My husband and I have a wonderful time cooking together, whether in the kitchen or on our deck. We love to eat and try new food. We just cook and eat it all! <img title="Kiss" src="/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/img/smiley-kiss.gif" border="0" alt="Kiss" />  I love any holiday when my family can come home to visit. For the holidays, we always cook the traditional fare, but add new twists by adding a few new recipes into the menus. It's always interesting to see what they think! I also love cooking for our office parties. You always know it's a hit when they ask for the recipe.  <img title="Wink" src="/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/img/smiley-wink.gif" border="0" alt="Wink" />

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