Mexican Summer Salad with Cilantro Ranch Dressing

And here, my friends, we have the most illustrious Mexican Summer Salad–or Bajio Salad–as it’s known at our place. It’s truly just a glorified–reeally glorified taco salad–like the grown-ups make. The key ingredient here is the dressing—we’ll get to that later. We serve ours up buffet style where all the ingredients that you could ever want or imagine that you could ever want are in individual bowls just waiting for you to choose them. There are many ways to do it, but since it’s my blog, I’ll tell you the only true and correct way…how I do it. Being Queen has it’s privileges you know.

1) Start with a warmed flour tortilla and sprinkle lettuce all over it.

2) Next add seasoned, shredded chicken, beef or pork.

3) Spoon on black beans, refried beans or Mexican rice.

4) Add shredded cheese, tomatoes, olives and bite sized tortilla strips.

5) Top with the Magical Cilantro Ranch dressing—See below.

Try to be dainty now, and it’ll be hard. There’s something about this salad that tends to bring out starving wolf-like behavior. Go slow and no one will notice that low growl coming from your side of the table.

Magical Cilantro Ranch Dressing

1 packet of ranch dressing mix
2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup milk or buttermilk
3 tbsp chipotle peppers
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp fresh, chopped cilantro

Combine all ingredients in a bowl of a food processor or blender and pulse until thoroughly blended.
Chill in the refrigerator for about an hour.

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