Picking a dinner menu is not the easiest thing to do in our house. One occupant is a pretty picky eater, the Maestra rarely eats meat, and on any given day one or more occupants may be trying to “watch what they eat”. So, when I came across a nachos/taco salad recipe that looked good, but was based on ground beef, I decided to experiment. It turned out great so I wanted to share:

BRS Tex-Mex Beans and Rice
1 15oz Can Chili Beans, Pinto Beans, or Black Beans - Drained, rinsed and coarsely mashed.
1 15oz Can Black Beans - Drained
1 12oz Can Condensed Tomato Soup
1 1/2 C Instant Rice, uncooked
1 pkg Taco Seasoning
1 1/2 C Water

In a large sauce pan combine all the ingredients and stir well. Bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 5-10 minutes (stir once or twice) until rice is cooked and tender.

Makes about five 1 cup servings.

For Taco Salad, serve 1 cup over a bed of chips and top with shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes and your favorite salsa.

For Burritos, server 1/2 cup in a warmed tortilla wrapped with shredded cheese and/or your favorite toppings.

Note - I prefer mashed chili beans as the base, but almost any canned bean would work.

And if you were wondering what BRS means - it stands for Baumgart - Ray - Steiner; the three valid surnames in our house.