Why Americans insist on celebrating the Mexican holiday commemorating The Battle of Puebla on the Fifth of May (Cinco de Mayo) is a mystery, but celebrate they do, and there are parties held all across the country. Mexican food is a must, of course, and if planning to serve a buffet, the following Slow Cooker Taco Salad is a great choice. The main “taco” portion is layers of refried beans, taco meat (sliced chicken, or pork can be substituted for the ground beef according to preference), enchilada sauce, and cheese which gets hot and bubbly. Accompaniments are a big bowl of shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, shredded cheese, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, lime wedges, tortilla chips, and flour tortillas. It’s nice to have two dressings, one creamy and one vinaigrette style for topping the salad. The presentation is not only pretty, but guests love it. If you happen to have a Mexican sombrero and blanket, they make the table look especially festive.

Although canned refried beans are acceptable, good, fresh, Slow Cooker Refried Beans cook unattended in the slow cooker and can be made several days ahead; they taste better and require so little hands-on time, it’s almost a no-brainer. For those who don’t like salad, the filling can be rolled up in flour tortillas for tasty burritos.

12 Servings

1 pound lean ground beef (or substitute the same amount of thinly sliced chicken or pork)
1 small onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried chipotle peppers, or dried red pepper
2 tablespoons chili powder

3 to 4 cups refried beans, freshly cooked are best, but canned are acceptable (2 15 oz cans)
4 cups grated cheddar jack cheese, divided

1 15 oz. can green chile enchilada sauce

Dressing
1 cup light mayonnaise
1 envelope ranch dressing
1 cup fresh cilantro, packed (stems are okay)
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
2 to 3 jalapeno peppers, cored

Tortilla chips
Shredded Lettuce
Chopped tomato
Shredded cheddar jack cheese
Salsa
Sour cream
Guacamole
Flour Tortillas
Lime wedges

1. Brown the ground beef in a large skillet with the onions, salt, crushed chipotle peppers, and chili powder.
2. Cook over medium heat until the meat is cooked through and the spices are well-mixed in.
3. Spray a large slow cooker (one with the biggest footprint) with non-stick spray. A favorite is the Crockpot Casserole Crock because it is the shape of a 9" x 13" casserole dish.
4. Spread the beans over the bottom of the slow cooker; sprinkle with half of the cheese.
5. Top evenly with the ground beef mixture.
6. Pour the green chile enchilada sauce over the beef and top with the remaining cheese.
7. Cover, set the slow cooker to low, and let cook 3-4 hours or until bubbly.
8. Dressing: Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth; refrigerate until serving. Can be made up to a week ahead.
9. Assembly: Have each guest put a handful of tortilla chips in the center of a serving plate.
10. Top with the slow cooker mixture.
11. Add lettuce and as many of the additional toppings as they like. Drizzle with the dressing and eat immediately.

Amount Per Serving (without accompaniments)
Calories 391 Calories from Fat 212
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 54% Protein 23% Carb. 23%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 24 g
Saturated Fat 11 g
Cholesterol 71 mg
Sodium 1087 mg
Total Carbohydrate 23 g
Dietary Fiber 3 g
Sugars 1 g
Protein 22 g

Vitamin A 34% Vitamin C 49% Calcium 0% Iron 14%