The baby was only days old. My hair hadn’t been washed in who knows how long, the laundry was multiplying like rabbits, and I’d just burst into tears because someone knocked over a box of diapers. That was the day the doorbell rang. And there they stood—new friends in a new city, holding out a giant Tupperware of Dorito Taco Salad like it was manna from heaven. It might as well have been.

We had just moved, and I had just given birth to Lily. The timing was a little wild, to say the least. I didn’t know anyone well yet. My closest friendships were miles away, and I was still learning the layout of the grocery store.

But somehow, a few kind women I’d met, barely acquaintances at that point heard that I had a newborn and did what only real friends do: they fed me. It was the only time anyone outside of my mom had ever brought me a meal. I didn’t cry at the hospital. But when I opened that container of taco salad and smelled the crunchy, cheesy, tangy goodness of it all, I absolutely wept.

And we devoured it. With paper plates. In between newborn cries and Netflix reruns. And then we added it to the permanent family rotation. Now, every time I make it, I think of them. Of how friendship doesn’t always start with deep conversations or shared history. Sometimes it starts with ground beef and crushed chips.

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Dorito Taco Salad

Adapted Recipe from spendwithpennies.com

What You Will Need:

What You Will Need To Do:

1. Brown the ground beef until no pink remains. Drain any fat.
2. Stir in the taco seasoning packet. Set aside to cool.
3. In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, black olives, red kidney beans, tomatoes, cheddar cheese.
4. Top with the seasoned and cooled ground beef.
5. Slightly crush the Doritos and sprinkle on top. Drizzle with dressing and toss to coat evenly.
6. Serve with Thousand Island Dressing.

Note: You can keep everything separate and mix individual bowls for leftovers—it’s a great way to keep the crunch.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

What You Will Need:

• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

That’s it. No fillers. No preservatives. Just flavor.

That salad fed more than our bodies. It fed my hope that I could start again here. That even in a new city, barely postpartum, with no sleep and no makeup, I was seen. Sometimes, showing up for someone is as simple as ringing a doorbell with dinner in hand.

We remember the meals. The moments when someone said, “I’ve got you,” without needing anything in return.

So today I’m asking:
When did your friends show up for you?

And if you’re not sure? Maybe today is the day you show up for someone else—with a paper plate and a salad that tastes like comfort.

Gracefully yours,

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