We've fallen into a tradition at our house of always serving Mexican (or Tex-Mex or Mexican-inspired) dishes on Mondays. For me, a simple Mexican(ish) meal is easy to throw together. My kids love crunchy Mexican dishes (tacos, nachos) and my husband is a huge fan saying he likes how Mexican Monday "kicks off the week." During football season, Mexican Monday corresponds with Monday Night Football, so that's probably a reason why we have fallen in to the Mexican Monday trap. It's like happy hour, but at home.
Tonight we had nachos and it's such a versatile meal that it's sure to please your kids (and picky eaters). I also like nachos because you can take what sounds like an unhealthy meal on the surface, and make it much more healthful by controlling the quality and freshness of the ingredients.
No one needs instructions on how to make nachos (right?) so I'll just tell you our favorite toppings. I set everything out "buffet-style," and let people top their nachos as they wish.
NACHOS
Add shredded lettuce and your favorite vinaigrette and you have the makings for taco salad.
Sprinkle chips with cheese and microwave or broil for about 30 seconds until cheese is melty before topping with other ingredients.
- A bag of tortilla chips (no-salt tortilla chips, baked if you like. I like Mollie Stone's house-brand best.)
- Shredded cheese (I like a blend of asadero, jack, and cotija or you can be super-naughty and get a 15 oz. jar of Tostitos Queso Supremo, the spicy one with salsa and black beans mixed in...not that I'm advocating that. Okay, I totally am, but not around the kids.)
- 1 lb of ground chicken or turkey sauteed with a little chili powder (or chopped baked tofu)
- chopped onions (or green onions)
- chopped tomatoes
- chopped avocados
- sliced black olives
- 1 can of beans, drained (black or pinto)
- fresh salsa (homemade or your favorite)
- chopped, fresh cilantro (leaves only)
- light sour cream or Mexican table crema (my preference)
and, if you are me, you must have:
- a large can of Embasa whole jalapeños en escabeche to eat along side, and
- Cholula hot sauce to embellish every bite
Maybe you should try real Mexican cooking... making nachos is like making hotdogs... nachos, tacos and what Americans normally call Mexican food is no more than snacks and fast food for us...
If you did some homework and found real Mexican food recipies, you would find them as easy and delicious, but this time having real food and not just snacks...
Overall, you have great recipes in your website... thank you for sharing them.
oh, and for the record, I'm Mexican, born, raised and have lived all my life in Mexico, I'm not a chicano or so called mexican-american...
Posted by: Marcela | October 23, 2006 at 11:52 PM
Ouch!
Ahem... probably hence the "Mexican-inspired" qualifier.
Sounds YUMMY! It made me remember how much I love nachos!
Posted by: Sarah Cool | October 24, 2006 at 04:14 AM
Our tradition is nacho night every Friday--we love it! Tortilla chips, refried beans, roasted chicken, cheddar/jack/asadero blend, chopped tomatoes and jalepenos on top--all of it baked in the oven together. With sour cream and guacamole on the side. So good!
Posted by: Mandy | October 24, 2006 at 09:34 AM
Marcela, I didn't say this was real Mexican cooking. I said Mex-inspired. I am fully aware that real Mexican cooking does not include all the items on Taco Bell's menu. I'm sorry but you can't live in California and love food and NOT know that.
The fun of nachos is that it IS A SNACK. A SNACK that makes a meal. Where did I say in my post that I was cooking authentic Mexican fare?
I love "real Mexican cooking" as well, so much so, that I go to my Mexican butcher for the lard (that they renders and sell themselves) to make my tamale dough.
I eat ceviche off the street in coastal towns in Mexico sold by people with nary a sink, soap or a health inspector in sight and I have never once gotten sick.
Now, do you have a good menudo recipe to share?
Posted by: CityMama | October 24, 2006 at 09:47 AM
I live and breathe for mexican food. I am so hungry right now and I want to eat that picture.
Posted by: The Aitch | October 24, 2006 at 11:03 AM
I'll do my best to type in the recipe for menudo, though it's one that I don't have written as I make it by heart just by having seen my grandma and mom...
but I can think of other recipes that are rather easy and fast and really good, like something called Aztec Cake (my Irish-American husband can't get enough of it..) or Chilaquiles...
I'll try to write them down for you, though I can't promise it'll be this week, I'm due any moment now with my second baby, actually I would not mind having this baby tonight though I'm sure it won't happen, not tonight...
I did not mean to sound belligerent or anything, it's just that given the great recipes you post it seemed to me that you were just settling for a snack as a meal and you would not be the first person in the States to think nachos is a meal... nachos are meant to be eaten by the t.v. watching a good game and it's indeed good for Monday night football...
I will get those recipes for you, just give me some days, ok?
and thank you for sharing all those great recipes, I've tried several of them and integrated them to my repertoire.
Posted by: Marcela | October 25, 2006 at 03:13 AM
ohhhh nachos sound yummy! i bet my littlefoodie smalls would love that!
Posted by: foodiemama | October 25, 2006 at 12:50 PM