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sour cream

Tasty

Nacho Party

August 19, 2013

We were looking for a fun way to mix up Sunday night dinners… so after a morning at the lake and an afternoon in the pool no one was in the mood to slave in the kitchen… so was born – a Nacho Party!

Nachos

I spread chips on a baking sheet and sprinkled beans and shredded cheese on top.  A baked them in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for about 5 minutes (or until cheese is melted).

Tips: 

  • Chips should be medium thickness – greasy or super thin/thick chips will not make for great nachos.  Tostitos Simply Natural or the Organic Trader Joe’s chips are great options. 
  • Cheese that melts well is critical.  I made three separate baking sheets of chips – 1. Monterey Jack/Pepper Jack Blend, 2. Mild Cheddar, 3. Combination of 1 & 2

Chips

Prepare toppings in separate bowls for your guests to choose their own toppings.

Suggestions: 

  • Meat (I bought pre-marinated Carne Asada and Pollo Asada at TJ’s)
  • Guacamole/Salsa/Sour Cream
  • Cilantro
  • Radishes
  • Avocado
  • Diced Tomatoes

Toppings

Fiesta time!!! Stay tuned Friday for a great cocktail recipe to make for your Nacho Party 🙂

Nacho Party

Tasty

Burger in Paradise

July 1, 2013

To celebrate America’s birthday, I wanted to have a week devoted to America’s finest… and what screams America more than a burger!? And not just any burger… an In n’ Out burger!

Burger and Chips

In n’ Out Burger

  • 1 lb ground beef chuck (I used 80% lean… more fat the better 🙂 depends how “healthy” you want to be)
  • American cheese slices
  • Secret Spread
    • 2 Tablespoons mayo, 1 teaspoon ketchup, 1/4 teaspoon mayo, 2 teaspoon minced dill pickles
  • Iceberg lettuce
  • Caramelized onions
    • 1 diced yellow onion, 1 Tablespoon oil, salt
  • Tomato Slices
  • Hamburger Buns (potato rolls or brioche rolls are other great options)
  1. Caramelize Onions: Heat oil in a pan over medium – medium low heat and add onions.  Stir occasionally for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. Season with salt. 
  2. Secret Spread: Mix together secret spread ingredients.
  3. Burgers: Make patties with ground beef and season with salt and pepper.  The key is to make them really thin – you will need to make them thinner than you think because they will plump up once cooked. Heat oil in a pan and cooker patties over medium heat for about 3 minutes.Top  uncooked side with about 1 teaspoon of mustard.  Flip patty, top with cheese slice and cook until medium doneness.
  4. Assembly: Toast buns, top with secret spread,tomato, lettuce, hamburger patty/cheese, and caramelized onions.

Looking for the perfect side? Make these amazing chips and dip!

Baked Potato Chips with Sour Cream and Onion Dip 

  • Russet Potatoes (3-4)
  • 1/2 cup Sour Cream
  • 1 Green Onion
  • 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Use a mandolin to thinly slice potatoes.  I used to cut thicker slices but I find cutting them 1/4 inch or so is much better!
  3. I used an olive oil mister to spray a baking sheet, then dispersed potatoes on the sheet.  I resprayed with olive oil and sprinkled lightly with salt.  Bake for 10-15 minutes (keep an eye on them, depends how thinly they are cut)
  4. While the potatoes are baking, whip together the last 3 ingredients to make an amazingly easy dip!

Chips