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Wednesday, January 12, 2011

50 Great Nacho Ideas...

What could be more perfect for the upcoming Superbowl than the quintessential game day snack? NACHOS!Here are some great ideas for nachos courtesy of Food Network magazine!



How to make nachos: Spread 8 cups of chips on a rimmed baking sheet or in a shallow dish. Add cheese and other toppings, then bake at 475 degrees in the upper third of the oven until melted about 7 minutes.

1. Tex Mex: Top tortilla chips with 1 can of refried beans and 3 cups of shredded cheddar cheese. Bake, then top with salsa and pickled jalapenos.

2. Double Decker: Make Tex-Mex nachos (No.1), but make 2 layers. Bake, then top with warm, jarred nacho cheese, salsa and pickled jalapenos.

3. Cajun: Top tortilla chips with 3 cups of shredded cheddar cheese, 1 pound of cooked diced andouille sausage, and 1 cup each of diced green bell pepper, celery and onion. Bake and then top with salsa, and pickled jalapenos.

4. Jerk Pork: Rub 1 pound of pork tenderloin with 1/4 cup jerk seasoning; grill, then chop.Top tortilla chips with the pork, 1 cup diced pineapple, and 3 cups of shredded pepper jack cheese.Bake and top with sliced fresh jalapenos, cilantro and lime juice.

5. Bacon and Egg: Make Tex-Mex Nachos (No.1), adding 1 pound of crumbled cooked bacon with the beans; crack 4 eggs on top. Bake until the whites set, 10 minutes. Top with sliced scallions and salsa.

6. Breakfast Migas: Make Tex-Mex Nachos (No.1). Meanwhile, scramble 6 eggs in butter, adding 1/4 cup each of salsa and pickled jalapenos. Toss the nachos with the eggs and top with cilantro.

7. Greek: Top 4 cups of pita chips with 1 cup each of hummus, diced cucumber, tomatoes, and feta, 1/4 cup each of chopped red onion and kalamata olives, tzatziki sauce and oregano. (Do not bake!)

8. BBQ Chicken: Bring 1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce and 1/2 cup water to a simmer. Add 4 cups of shredded cooked chicken; heat through. Top tortilla chips with the chicken and 3 cups of shredded cheddar cheese. Bake and then top with chopped scallions.

9. Buffalo Chicken: Make BBQ Chicken Nachos (No. 8) with wing sauce instead of BBQ sauce. Strain the chicken (reserving the sauce) and spread over ranch-flavored tortilla chips with the cheddar. Omit the scallions. Top with Bleu cheese, chopped celery and the reserved wing sauce.

10. Chicken Mole: Make BBQ Chicken Nachos (No.8) with mole sauce instead of BBQ sauce and a mix of mozzarella and cotija cheese instead of cheddar. Omit the scallions. Top with sour cream and pepitas.

11. BBQ Pork: Make BBQ Chicken Nachos (No.8) with pork instead of chicken and pepper jack instead of cheddar. Omit the scallions. Top with pickles and red onions.

12. Chimichurri: Puree 1/2 cup each parsley, cilantro and olive oil, 1 garlic clove and some hot sauce. Rub 1 pound of skirt steak with half of the sauce; grill and slice. Top lime-flavored tortilla chips with 1 1/2 cups each of mozzarella and cotija cheese. Bake, then top with the steak and the remaining sauce.

13. Veggie: Top tortilla chips with sauteed sliced bell pepper, zucchini, mushrooms, red onion and corn, and 3 cups of shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Bake, then top with salsa verde and sour cream.

14. Butternut Squash: Roast 4 cups of diced butternut squash at 425 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Top tortilla chips with the squash, 3 cups of queso blanco and 1/4 cup of pepitas. Bake, then top with sour cream and chopped cilantro.

15. Chorizo-Manchego: Top tortilla chips with 1 can of refried beans, 3 cups of shredded manchego and 1 pound of cooked crumbled chorizo. Bake and then top with pickled jalapenos, salsa and sour cream.

16. Mexican Corn: Cook 4 cups of corn with 1 teaspoon each of cumin and cayenne in a skillet for 7 minutes.Stir in 1/2 cup of mayonnaise and some lime juice.Top tortilla chips with 3 cups of queso fresco and the corn.Bake and then top with sour cream, avocado, and cilantro.

17. Cheese steak: Top cheese-flavored tortilla chips with 2 cups each sliced roast beef and caramelized onions, and 3 cups of jarred nacho cheese sauce. Bake, then top with hot sauce and pickled Italian peppers.

18. Four-Bean: Top black bean chips with 1 cup each refried beans and white beans and 3 cups of shredded pepper jack. Bake; top with bean salsa and sour cream.

19. Chili-Corn Chip: Top Frito's with 2 cups of chili and 3 cups of shredded cheddar cheese. Bake; top with pickled jalapenos and sour cream.

20. Spinach-Artichoke: Cook 2 garlic cloves in a pot with butter. Add 12 cups of chopped spinach, 1/3 cup cream, 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese and some Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Cook until wilted; stir in 1 cup canned artichoke hearts. Spoon over chips; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and bake.

21. Frank and Beans: Brown 4 sliced hot dogs in a skillet; add 1 can baked beans and bring to a simmer. Spoon over tortilla chips and top with 3 cups of shredded cheddar cheese. Bake; top with scallions.

22. Duck Confit: Brown 2 confit duck legs in a skillet until crisp; shred the meat. Top toasted slices of baguette with 1 cup sauerkraut, the duck and 1 1/2 cups of shredded emmentaler cheese. Bake; top with chopped parsley and cornichons.

23. Three-Cheese: Top cheese-flavored tortilla chips with 1 cup each of shredded cheddar cheese, pepper jack and mozzarella cheese.Bake, then top with warm salsa con queso.

24. Fried Chicken: Heat 2 cups of chicken gravy with a small can of chopped green chile's. Top tortilla chips with 3 cups each of chopped fried chicken and shredded cheddar cheese.Bake, then top with the gravy and scallions.

25. Shrimp: Top tortilla chips with 1 1/2 cups each of shredded white cheddar and Muenster cheese. Bake, then top with sauteed shrimp, diced onion, avocado and cilantro.

26. Margarita shrimp: Marinate 1/2 pound shrimp in margarita mix with a dash of cayenne; grill. Make shrimp nachos (No.25) with lime-flavored chips and the grilled shrimp. Top with lime juice.

27. Crab and Corn: Mix 8 ounces of crab meat, 3/4 cup corn, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 2 Tablespoons minced chives and 1 teaspoon mustard. Spoon into tortilla scoops; top with shredded Monterey Jack cheese, then bake.

28. Naan-chos: Cook 1 sliced onion and 1/4 teaspoon curry powder in vegetable oil. Add 1 can drained chickpeas, 1/2 cup peas, and salt; mash. Spoon over toasted naan triangles with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese; bake for 2 minutes.Top with yogurt, chutney and cilantro.

29. Fajita: Rub 1 pound of skirt steak with cumin, cayenne, lime juice and olive oil. Grill with sliced peppers and onions. Slice the steak; spoon the steak and vegetables over tortilla chips. Top with salsa and sour cream. (Do not bake!)

30. Skillet: Heat 1 cup each diced dried chorizo and refried beans in a cast-iron skillet. Top with tortilla chips and shredded cheddar cheese; cover to melt. Top with salsa, pickled jalapenos and sour cream.

31. Thai Beef: Mix sliced roast beef with shredded carrot, sliced red onion, mint and cilantro; toss with lime juice to taste, a dash of fish sauce and a pinch of sugar. Spoon into tortilla scoops; top with mozzarella cheese and then bake for 2 minutes.Top with peanut sauce and jalapenos.

32. Wild Mushroom: Cook 5 cups of wild mushrooms in butter. Add 1 chopped garlic clove, 1 Tablespoon each chopped chives and parsley, 1/4 cup each of white wine and heavy cream, and salt and pepper; simmer until reduced.Spoon over multi-grain chips and sprinkle with Gruyere cheese, then bake.

33. Cobb: Top tortilla chips with 2 cups of shredded cooked chicken and 1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon, then bake for 2 minutes. Top with lettuce, tomato, scallions, avocado, Bleu cheese and Ranch dressing.

34. Plantain: Top plantain chips with 2 cups of diced dried chorizo and 1 1/2 cups each of shredded mozzarella and queso blanco. Bake; top with salsa, avocado, sour cream, cilantro and lime juice.

35. Pizza: Toss half of a thinly sliced baguette with olive oil, then spread on a baking sheet and bake until crisp, about 7 minutes. Top with 2 cups of pizza sauce, 3 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese. Bake, then sprinkle with chopped basil.

36. Sausage and Pepper: Saute 4 sliced Italian sausages (preferably a mix of hot and sweet), 1 sliced onion and 1 sliced bell pepper in a skillet with olive oil. Make Pizza Nachos (No.35); top with the sausage, peppers and onion after baking.

37. Meat Lover's: Make Pizza Nachos (No.35); top with 1 pound of diced salami, pepperoni and/or capicola after baking.

38. Pretzel: Heat 2 boxes of frozen soft pretzel nuggets as the label directs. Top with 3 cups of shredded cheddar cheese.Bake; top with pickled jalapenos, scallions and mustard.

39. Tater Tot: Cook one 2-pound bag of frozen tater tots as the label directs. Top with 3 cups of shredded cheddar cheese.Bake, then top with salsa, pickled jalapenos, sour cream, red onions and cilantro.

40. Smoked Salmon-Bagel: Top bagel chips with whipped cream cheese and chopped scallions. Bake; top with smoked salmon, tomato, red onion, dill and capers.

41. Broccoli-Cheese: Mix 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese, 1 cup mayonnaise, 2 chopped scallions and 2 chopped jalapenos. Top potato chips with cooked broccoli and the cheese mixture; bake.

42. Strawberry Shortcake: Cut flour tortillas into triangles. Fry in 350 degree vegetable oil until golden brown, about 2 minutes.Drain on paper towels; top with sweetened whipped cream and chopped strawberries.

43. Cheeseburger: Top ridged potato chips with 1/4 pound of cooked ground beef and 2 cups of shredded cheddar. Bake, then top with red onion, pickle slices, shredded lettuce and ketchup.

44. Mexican Tuna Melt: Mix 1 can of tuna with 1/4 cup of chopped Spanish olives. Top tortilla chips with the tuna and 3 cups of shredded cheddar cheese.Bake; top with cilantro and pickled jalapenos and carrots.

45. Chile: Top tortilla chips with 3 cups of pepper jack cheese and 1/2 cup each of green chile's and pickled jalapenos. Bake; top with fresh jalapenos, salsa and sour cream.

46. Breakfast Waffle: Top 1 box of toasted mini waffles with 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese and 8 ounces of diced Canadian bacon. Bake, then drizzle with maple syrup.

47. Chocolate-Banana: Drizzle pretzel crisps with 1/2 cup of warm Nutella and top with 2 sliced bananas, 1/4 cup of chopped peanuts and whipped cream. (Do not bake!)

48. Sopaipillas: Cut flour tortillas into triangles. Fry in 350 degree vegetable oil until golden, about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels; sprinkle with sugar and drizzle with honey. (Do not bake!)

49. Apple Pie: Cook 3 cubed peeled apples in butter. Top cinnamon-sugar pita chips with the apples, warm caramel, ice cream, whipped cream and cinnamon. (Do not bake!)

50. S'mores: Top graham crackers with marshmallow fluff. Bake, then drizzle with hot fudge.

*Another interesting idea to add to your Super Bowl party is to have a nacho bar. Have a bunch of different ingredients sitting out, warm nacho cheese, different flavored chips, different salsas, different meats and various condiments and toppings. Allow guests to Build-Their-Own-Nachos so they have the freedom to make their own.

Hope these nacho ideas helped you in trying to figure out some ideas for a Superbowl Party!!!

Enjoy! BON APPETIT!

<3 Stacey <3

3 comments:

  1. I don't know about sweet nachos.... never had them though, so I can't be skeptical!! Maybe the sweet/salty combo would actually be good! :) Will you do any nacho inspired Superbowl salads? :)

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