Our First Monday Match-Up :o)

Every Monday Monica and I are gonna do a Monday Match-Up. What is a Monday Match-Up, you ask?! Well...let me explain. For example last week we decided that I got to choose what we did for our first one and I chose a salad. I made a favorite salad in my family, and I'm thinking Moni made one too. :o) I could have chosen a recipe and we both had to do that recipe and see how it turned out, but I thought a fresh summer salad would be a fun first one. I'm excited to compare with hers to see the difference in our dishes, or craft...or whatever we choose to do. Now...this could be somewhat entertaining too. If you look ahead a couple months and compare my Smore cupcakes to Monica's Smore cupcake it is QUITE hilarious! Or at least I thought so.

We are hoping eventually that some of you will want to join in on our Monday Match-Up, and post it to your blog or email us a picture and what you thought about it. Wouldn't that be fun? I think so!

So let's get started with this weeks, *In an announcers voice* Moooooooondaaaaaaaaaay MATCH-UP! (Are you sick of that phrase yet?)

Like I said earlier, I chose to do a salad. My family favorite salad has to be Momma Deb's Taco Salad. Now, I've had taco salads before, but I never had THEE best taco salad until I met my husband. I went to his Mom's for dinner and watched as they made these babies.  It was love at first sight.

 Isn't is gorgeous?!

Here's the ingredients:
Bag of Nacho Cheese Doritoes
1 lb ground beef
Taco Seasoning
Shredded Cheddar cheese
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Olives
Green Onions
Avacados
Jalepenos (if you want some heat)
Garbanzo Beans, or Kidney beans...or any bean you like on a salad
Hidden Valley Ranch packet, the kind you make with 1 cup of mayo and 1 cup of milk (you gotta have this!)

Start by making your ranch. It's gotta get nice and cold to set up nicely. Cook the ground beef until brown. Add taco seasoning according to packet instructions. Cut up all your veggies.

Put a handful of Doritoes on a plate and smash them with your fist or the bottom of a cup. Top with meat, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, olives, green onions, avacados, beans, ranch, and then I sprinkle some more doritoes on top. Then...enjoy. It's heavenly. Jason would have this for dinner every night if I'd let him.

Monica's Take
I have had Deb's Taco Salad and it is deelish! Nice one Erica.
So here's my fave...Spinach Salad....Mmmmmmmm.

My favorite salad of all time has to be this version of Spinach Salad. It has so many flavors that compliment each other and make my taste buds sing. I got this recipe from my mother-in-law (you will find that most of my faves come from her). This recipe was passed on to us from a Relief Society activity. Marilyn said the dressing is actually not the original. Somehow the dressing recipe was misplaced and was improvised using the one we have now. It is delicious. If you're looking for a great salad, give this one a spin (ha ha, no pun intended!). You'll love it.

Spinach Salad

Bag of Fresh Spinach

Dried Cranberries

Bacon- Fried and Crumbled

Slivered Almonds

Feta Cheese, Crumbled

Dressing

1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil

1/4 Cup Rice Vinegar

1/4 Cup Soy Sauce

1 Tbls. Sugar

Dash of Pepper

Fresh Minced Garlic

Mix Dressing and toss with Spinach. Plate on individual plates and top with Bacon, Feta, Almonds, and Cranberries.

The recipe is originally written with 3/4 Cup of Oil, but we have found that to be too much. Also add as much garlic as you want. I like to add about a teaspoon. Enjoy!