Lazy Day Nachos
Can we talk about nachos for a minute? Because I’ve got a rant in me, one I’ve been politely holding back, but one I need to get off my chest. Namely, what nachos are…and what they aren’t.
For all you non-Texans out there, let me explain: I have never had real nachos outside of Texas (except for when I make them myself). Nachos are not–ARE NOT–a pile of chips with some toppings thrown on top that are then nuked. When you dig into a huge plate of nachos, you never end up with a toppingless chip. Let me repeat that: NACHOS SHOULD NEVER HAVE A CHIP WITHOUT EVERY TOPPING ON IT. Yes, I’m shouting; this is important! 😉
About six or seven years ago, I lived with a very nice girl from Massachusetts. One evening, I decided I’d throw together some nachos for dinner and asked if she’d like some. The nachos I made were the easiest, simplest recipe for nachos I possess (like pretty much every Texan out there, I have about a dozen “recipes” for nachos). Her reaction? “These are the best nachos I’ve ever had!” See, she’d gotten used to the non-nachos that most people make outside of Texas. You know the kind: you take a big pile of chips, haphazardly throw some toppings on, and throw it in the microwave.
I could do a whole rant on why you should never microwave nachos, but my main complaint, the subject of this rant, is that nachos are topped one at a time. It’s that simple. Every chip is a nacho, and therefore, every chip has to be topped individually. Technically, when you broil them, you could pile them up, but the best way is to cook them in one layer on a baking sheet; if you like your nachos in a pile, please stack them after you’ve baked them.
Now, the toppings are less important to me: you can do anything you feel like, even if it involves something that seems to be anti-nacho. (I’d rather have nachos without cheese than without beans or jalapenos, for example.) And I can get pretty fancy in my toppings. But the recipe my old roommate declared was her favorite is below; I call it my “lazy day nachos,” because that’s what I usually make when it’s just me and I want something easy and simple. (I save the fancy topping combos for company.) I use canned beans and pre-shredded cheese, though when I’ve got some Tex-Mex beans lying around, I love to use those instead.
One important tip: always add tomato-based toppings (tomatoes, pico de gallo, salsa) after they come out of the oven. Otherwise, you’ll end up with soggy chips. If you really don’t like the cool temperature of your refrigerated salsa on top of your warm nachos, you can heat it up in the microwave before adding it to your nachos.
By the way, Hurricane Irene caused little issues in my neighborhood, though there was a lot of destruction elsewhere in the city and in the tri-state area. I was lucky; the biggest headache for me was the fact that one of my favorite running paths is now underwater:
Amen!
Those look like the worlds most perfect nachos 🙂 Buzzed!
Mmm these look sooo good. You are Right I am from Atlanta Georgia and we just pull shit on a plate of broken staled nacho chips LOL
I will try these
Healthy foodie with a not so healthy alter ego
KIMf
My mom’s from Atlanta! Woohoo for Atlantans! 🙂
Now, I can say that we Texans know how to make nachos, but most of us don’t know a thing about making great grits (unless we’re blessed with a momma and her Georgia recipes).
So since these are lazy-day nachos, then we can call the piles of chips with a bunch of stuff thrown on top, lazy-man’s or lazy-woman’s nachos? 🙂 Loved the rant! 🙂 I, too like my nachos built one at a time. I hate a “nacho plate” where the last half of the chips have nothing to eat with them! Great looking nachos you made! I’m glad your area survived Irene. A friend of mine from Rhode Island is still without power so has had to move inland. Not sure if she had water damage or not. Take care!
No, those aren’t lazy-man’s nachos; they are nachos at all. They’re something else entirely, and something I’d rather do without. 😉
I hope your friend’s place gets power back soon and has no damage. I feel so blessed to have made it through with no major issues. We didn’t even lose power for a few minutes, though there are some people in NYC who just got power back today. I just happen to be in one of the lucky neighborhoods.
Wow, that is A LOT of water. I hope you’ve stayed safe!
I love nachos. I’m lazy. I think I’m all set here 😉
Oh, no; your comment fell into my spam filter. Luckily, it was rescued, because the second part of your comment cracked me up. 🙂
Thank you so much for the Nacho lesson. it is a sad thing to have a chip with no toppings on it! These look filling and oh so tasty!
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