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Make Your Own Nachos!

DIY Nachos from www.jasonscooking.com
DIY Nachos

DIY Nachos from www.jasonscooking.com

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First things first: Yes, this recipe includes the white cheese dip that you get in Mexican restaurants!

I LOVE nachos! They’re definitely my favorite Mexican food and are probably in my top 10 favorite foods in all the world. Ironically, when I went to my friends’ wedding in Cabo, I had a total of zero nachos. Weird, huh?

I first made a Make Your Own Nacho Bar for a super bowl party that I threw years ago. They were surprisingly easy to make, and making enough for 6 people is the same as making enough for 20 people. If you’re looking for a crowd-pleasing party food, give the Make Your Own Nacho bar a shot. This is one of the things that my friends and I make a lot when we go out of town and need to make a big meal for a bunch of people.

The RecipeRecipe
Make Your Own Nachos!
 
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Recipe type: Mains
Serves: 4 - 6
Ingredients
The Basics
  • 1 lb Ground Beef, Turkey or Chicken
  • 1 Package Taco Seasoning
  • ⅓ Cup Water
  • 1 Tbs Olive Oil
  • 1 Onion, Sliced
  • 1 Green Bell Pepper, Sliced
  • Salt and Pepper
  • ½ lb White American Cheese
  • 2 Tbs Butter
  • 1 tsp – 1 Tbs Diced Jalapeños
  • ⅔ Cup Milk
  • Tortilla Chips

Tasty Topping Suggestions
These are the toppings I use when we make a full-on nacho bar at home. Feel free to add to or subtract from this list as needed/desired. Don’t feel like you need all of this stuff every time you want to make nachos.
  • Spanish Rice, Cooked
  • Romaine Lettuce, Chopped
  • Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
  • Fresh Cilantro, Chopped
  • Fresh Jalapeños, Sliced
  • Sour Cream
  • Salsa
Instructions
Make the Meat
  1. In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef or chicken and pour off any fat.
  2. Add the seasoning packet and ⅓ cup water to the meat and cook for 3 – 5 minutes until the water reduces and thickens. Remove from the heat and cover until ready to serve.

Cook the Peppers and Onions
  1. Heat the oil in a medium pan over medium heat.
  2. When the oil is hot, add the onions and then the peppers, season with a pinch of salt and pepper and sauté until everything is tender and the onions are translucent.

Make the Cheese
  1. Cut the white American cheese into cubes and put into a microwave safe bowl (I use a glass measuring cup). Add the butter, jalapeños, and milk and microwave on high in 1 minute increments until the cheese is melted, stirring between each round of microwaves.

Make your Nachos!
My suggestion for the perfect nachos is chips, meat, onions and peppers, white cheese sauce, lettuce, sour cream, cheddar and cilantro, but you can do whatever you want. That’s the beauty of the Make Your Own Nacho Bar!
Tips and TricksTips and Tricks

A Make Your Own Nacho Bar turns into a Make Your Own Taco Bar or a Make Your Own Burrito Bar by simply adding taco shells or appropriately-sized flour tortillas!

Feed the FreezerFeed the Freezer

Freeze cooked meat and cooked peppers and onions in separate bags for a quick and easy nacho/taco/burrito kit!

Fun FactsFun Facts

Cilantro is the planty part of the coriander plant. The spice coriander, used in curry, comes from the same plant!