I am a HUGE fan of Mexican food. I grew up in Southern California, where Mexican culture & Mexican food is part of the very fabric of the state. I admit it, I enjoy eating Mexican food ~ so much so, that I consider it my go-to comfort food. What a great way to showcase the biggest Mexican celebration day in the US, Cinco de Mayo (May 5th) ~ by sharing my love of Mexican food. Cinco de Mayo is just around the corner, so, I thought I would do a few posts about the Mexican food I enjoy cooking & eating. Oh, this is going to be fun! ((to find out about celebrating Cinco de Mayo ~ go here))
When I get the munchies for something Mexican, for a dish that is easy to make & perfect anytime ~ day or night, I turn to Nachos. That, to me, is a taste of home. I've been making this plentiful pile of crunchy chips, melting cheeses & various other bits of taste heaven, for as long as I can remember. As I've said before ~ You can take the girl out of California, but you can't take the California out of the girl. :)
I don't have a traditional recipe for Nachos, per say, I just add what I want based on what I have in the fridge & pantry. Here is a list of things I might add to my Nachos, combining them to suit my pantry, my mood or dietary preferences of my guests. So, to make a plate of Super Nachos, like in my picture, then...
Spread on the bottom of the ovenproof pan...
tortilla chips ~ regular, flavored, colored or baked
...top the chips with as many of these as you'd like...
taco meat
vegetarian taco meat (made with TVP)
chili beans ~ spread around the chips
refried beans ~ drop on the chips (or spread on the chips if you have the patience ~ I don't)
pourable nacho cheese ~ jarred
Campbell's Condensed Nacho Cheese Soup ~ do not add water, use as is
shredded Mexican Cheese Blend ~ prebagged (super easy)
block cheese ~ cheddar, pepper jack, monterey jack, colby etc. ~ grated (almost as easy)
onion ~ chopped
~ preheat oven to 400 degrees
~ bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the nachos are
heated through, about 8 to 10 minutes.
heated through, about 8 to 10 minutes.
...garnish with some of these goodies...
green onions ~ sliced
black olives ~ sliced
pickled jalapenos ~ sliced
tomatoes ~ chopped
cilantro ~ chopped
sour cream
salsa
what to do if you have leftovers...
One night I couldn't finish all the Nachos I made. Yeah, I know, how did that happen? Well, the next morning I turned the leftovers into a Nachos Frittata. Man, was it good. Now, I don't know if I'll ever have leftover Nachos again, but if I do, better believe I'll be making this dish again! :)
Quick Nachos Frittata
serves 2-4leftover nachos
6 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup milk
sour cream, olives, cilantro, salsa ~ for garnish
salt & pepper ~ to taste
cooking spray
1) preheat oven to 400 degrees
2) spray a glass pie plate with cooking spray
3) mix the beaten eggs & milk until well blended, pour 1/2 of mixture into the
pie plate
4) break up the leftover nachos & place them in the pie plate & then
pour the remaining egg mixture over the nachos ~ let sit for 10 minutes
5) bake frittata about 25-30 minutes ~ or until golden & puffy
and the center feels firm & springy
6) garnish with salsa, sour cream, olives & cilantro ~ salt & pepper to taste
Enjoy!
