A Different Taco Salad

8/5/29 Cook’s Corner

Betty Kaiser

One day last week, I was in the kitchen grumbling about what to cook for dinner.  Cooking supper on hot summer days is not easy. I finally put on my thinking cap and decided on a Taco Salad. I had all of the necessary ingredients and it is relatively quick and easy to put together.

Tex-Mex Taco Salads have been around forever but for curiosity’s sake, I looked up their history. There’s not much agreement on their origin. Most sources said that the salads originated in Texas during the 1960s. Another source said that taco salads were invented  in the late 1970s to introduce the American people to Mexican food. I beg to differ.

As someone who grew up in Los Angeles, Calif. we always knew about wonderful Mexican food. In the early 1950s, one of our family’s favorite dining out treats was dinner at El Cholo Restaurant  on Western Ave. Also, the now famous Olvera St. Marketplace. At those places, albondigas soup, chili rellenos, enchiladas, tamales, etc. were in abundance but I don’t remember Taco Salad being on the menu.

Another legend has it that Taco Salad was introduced in that same era at the newly opened Disneyland Park! Chuck and I and a group of friends drove out to the park the summer of 1955-6 in a convoy (where Chuck’s 1949 Ford broke down at midnight —but that’s another story).

None of us knew Disneyland had a Mexican restaurant. However, the Morales family, ran Casa de Fritos int the new magic  kingdom where they introduced another now well-known snack food: Doritos! Then they invented a taco dip to go along with the chips and eventually it morphed into a Taco Salad. Who knew that Taco Salad was a legend?

I thought it began at home. After all, most home cooked meals are discovered by a desperate housewife who doesn’t know what to fix for dinner! For instance, my decision to make a Taco Salad that night was because I had on hand the traditional  ground meat, pinto beans, onions, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, salad dressings, seasonings and corn chips.

Recently, I also found the following Taco Salad recipe on the Internet. I haven’t tried it yet but the combination of  arugula, tomatoes, bacon, fried bread (!) and an easy balsamic dressing sounds interesting.  It could be served as a side salad or light supper. Let me know what you think. Enjoy!

 

BLT Panzanella! 

By Lindsay @ Pinch of yum.com

2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved

1 shallot, thinly sliced (or 1 clove garlic, grated)

5–6 slices bacon

4 thick slices ciabatta bread, cut into cubes

2 avocados, cut into chunks

Thin slices of red onion

3–4 cups arugula (can substitute lettuce)

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips

olive oil, balsamic, salt, and pepper to taste

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Instructions:

Toss the cherry tomatoes and shallot and/or garlic with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic so it can hang out while you fry the bacon.

Fry the bacon until crispy. Set aside on a paper-towel-lined plate. Leave the grease in the pan.

Add bread to the pan with the bacon grease. Toss the bread over medium heat until golden brown and crispy. Set aside on a paper-towel-lined plate.

Crumble your bacon. Toss the bacon, bread, avocado, arugula, and basil together gently. Season with more olive oil, balsamic, salt, or pepper as needed.  Note from Betty: Other favorite dressings or salsas can be used.

 

 

Contact Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner by email bchattybetty@bettykaiser.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

IT"s BLUEBERRY TIME!

 

7/8/21  Cook’s Corner

Betty Kaiser

 

Blueberries are one of my favorite, easy to prepare fruits that grow in my husband’s garden. They come on fairly early in the summer season. They’re easy to pick, wash, eat out of hand, freeze or cook up in a number of ways.

 

They’re also good for you. A Tufts neuroscientist went so far as to call blueberries “the brain berry.” In another article, James Joseph said, “When it comes to brain protection, there’s nothing quite like blueberries.” Wow!

 

Others claim that blueberries can improve vision, enhance memory, clear arteries, strengthen blood vessels and promote weight control; Well, if that’s true, I say, bring them on because they taste good too.  A serving of just one-half cup of blueberries is only 40-fat free calories and a great source of fiber and vitamin C.

 

Colorful blueberries really know how to dress up a meal. Raw, we can eat them guilt free. We add a dollop of guilt when they’re mixed with a little sugar or whipped cream  and turned into pies but sometimes that’s the only way you can get people to eat ‘healthy’ foods—including me!

 

They are a great fruit to eat out of hand or freeze for later. I usually spread the fresh berries onto cookie sheets and pop them into the freezer for a few hours. Once frozen, I portion them out into plastic baggies and put them back in the freezer to use as needed all winter long.

 

Before we planted our own blueberries, I bought them at Eden Valley Farm from  Laura. She gave me a Sweet Blueberry Sauce recipe that I have used for 30 years. In fact, I have two blueberry sauce recipes that we particularly enjoy. One is sweet and the other is savory. See recipes below.

 

The sweet sauce is great served on pancakes, waffles and even ice cream.

However, I also enjoy the berries  plain on my morning bowl of breakfast cereal or even on a quick green salad.

 

The savory sauce recipe’s origins are a mystery but it is particularly good on pork chops. So, give these three recipes a try and treat yourself to a to some fresh blueberries. Enjoy!

 

Sour Cream Blueberry Pie

 

1 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg, beaten

2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell

 

Pie filling:

In a mixing bowl, beat together sour cream, 2 tablespoons flour, sugar, vanilla, salt, and egg until smooth (about 4 to 5 minutes). Gently fold in blueberries. Pour into the piecrust and bake at 400° for 25 minutes.

 

Pecan Topping:

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons soft butter or margarine

3 tablespoons chopped pecans

 

Combine the 3 tablespoons of flour, margarine, and pecans, mixing well. Sprinkle pecan mixture over the top of the pie; return to oven and bake 10 minutes longer. Let cool. Chill before serving. Serves 8.

P.S/ Double the topping recipe if you like more crunch!

 

Sweet Blueberry Sauce

 

2 cups fresh blueberries

1 cup sugar

4 tablespoons flour, mixed with ¼ cup water

Dash of salt

1-1/4 cups water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon lemon zest

Dash cinnamon

 

Combine all ingredients except lemon juice and let stand five minutes. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in lemon juice, zest and cinnamon. Remove from heat and cool 20 minutes. Stir. Serve warm on ice cream, pudding, cake or pancakes. Cover and store leftovers in refrigerator.

 

Savory Blueberry Sauce

 

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

2 tablespoons chopped shallots or onions

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 tablespoon dried thyme, crushed

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

1/2 cup each dry red wine and water

1 1/2 cups blueberries

 

Sauté shallots in butter. Add flour and herbs; cook and stir until mixture bubbles and thickens. Gradually add wine and water; stir in blueberries. Cook and stir until mixture thickens and boils; simmer 2 minutes. Makes 2 1/2 cups.

 

Note: Red wine vinegar with water may be substituted for wine.

 

 

Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner says, “ Keep it simple and keep it seasonal!”