Feeling nostalgic at the State Street house on New Year's Eve (doritos taco salad)

When I was a junior in college, I lived in the sorority house as required, as did most of my friends. One of our friends, M'liss, (You may remember her from some chicken mishaps) still lived off campus in a condo her parents owned.  We would go over there sometimes to get away from the hustle, bustle and drama of having so many 18-22 year old women living in one place.  One of the things we would always have there is an interesting salad with Doritos in it topped with French dressing.  It was such a weird combination yet so delicious.

I was feeling a bit nostalgic on New Year's eve.  I was to spend it with some great new and old friends at the house I lived in when I first moved back to New Orleans.  It is affectionately called the lucky little purple house, although I think it is actually pink. It has 15 foot ceilings, floor to ceiling openable windows that I got creative on curtains for and is walking distance to Audubon park and countless shops, bars and restaurants.  And has a kick ass large porch. Everything I want in a house and don't have currently!  I am so lucky that my friend lives there, complete with some of the fun improvements still there that my roomie and I did so I can visit and remember those simpler times. With those thoughts I decided to make that weird salad from college, which was also a simpler time.  It is a crowd pleaser and no one was bringing a salad!

I made my own french dressing as I have the past few times I have made this and it was quite delightful.  Bottled will always do though, that was the original way.  The night was a blast and the salad was a hit. We played games, had yummy food, drank champagne, watched men in fancy formal wear shoot fireworks and remembered how lucky we are to live in New Orleans and have yet another wonderful year here.  Please enjoy the super short montage and the full recipe will follow.

The cast for dressing and salad.  I love Doritos!

My tried and true Martha Stewart homemade French Dressing.  That I have doctored of course!

Making some taco meat. There are just not enough pics of this salad!
 I had to work this day and was pressed for time so I was a bad blogger but good lawyer.

And here is the finished product in its glory!

Taco Salad:

1 lb. ground beef
1 head Romaine lettuce, cleaned and torn into bite site pieces(or one bag prewashed)
1 envelope of taco seasoning
1 medium sized tomato, diced
1/2 bag of nacho Doritos
1 cup French Dressing (recipe below or use bottled)
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, tomato, and cheese. Then right before you serve it add the beef, Doritos and dressing and mix.

French Dressing: (Adapted from Martha Stewart)

1/4 cup white-wine vinegar
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Coarse salt
juice of one lemon
1 tbsp of dijon mustard

1/3 cup olive oil

In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients except olive oil. Whisking constantly, add oil in a steady stream until incorporated.

Happy Cooking!

Missy