01/11/10

Yesterday I showed my "Susie Homemaker/Redecorater" self. Tonight I'm going to show my "Betty Crocker" self.

One of my friends was eating with us Friday night and I wanted to cook something that would be a good ole comfort food. I decided on nachos/cheese/beef. I searched Food Network and found a recipe I thought I could handle.

I had to laugh because it said the prep time was like "15 minutes".... Let's just say that prep time for Kellie with a knife was over an hour... and with Steve's help. LOL

Nachos - I believe a Rachel Ray recipe. You will need bags of corn tortilla chips to go along with this.

Salsa first:

• 4 vine ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped

• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped, for medium to hot heat level

• 1 small white onion, chopped

• 1/4 cup, 2 handfuls, cilantro leaves, finely chopped - may substitute parsley if cilantro is not your "thing." (and, yes, that is Steve using our Rachael Ray knives to cut up the cilantro)
  

Combine salsa ingredients in a bowl and set aside for flavors to marry.


Beef and Beans topping:

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• 1 pound ground sirloin

• 2 cloves garlic, chopped ***Kellie learned a thing or two on how to properly cut a garlic!
  

• 1 small onion, chopped
  

• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 1/2 teaspoons dark chili powder

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, half a palmful

• 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper sauce, giving you medium to hot heat level (Texas Pete!)

• 1 can black beans, 15 ounces, drained

Heat a medium non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add oil, garlic, onion and peppers to the pan and saute 2 minutes, then add meat and crumble with wooden spoon. Season meat with salt, chili powder, cumin and cayenne pepper sauce. Cook meat 5 minutes, then stir in beans and reduce heat to low.


Cheese Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose floour

• 2 cups milk

• 3/4 pound pepper jack cheese, shredded, about 2 1/2 cups

In a medium sauce pot, melt butter and add flour to it. Cook flour and butter 1 to 2 minutes over moderate heat, then whisk in milk. Stirring constantly, allow milk to come to a bubble, sitr in cheese with a wooden spoon. Remove cheese sauce from heat. I was SO PROUD of doing this cheese sauce for the first time ever and it wasn't scorched. Y'all just don't realize the accomplishment here..... (Just ask my brother, Kevin...)

Pour cheese sauce evenly over the spread of chips in each plate. Top evenly with beef and beans and the "salsa" pico de gallo. Serve immediately as is or add extras:

• sour cream

• chopped scallions

• chopped black olives

• diced pimento

• sliced avocado, dressed with lemon juice

• hot pepper sauces

Check out the final product! Click on the pics if you want to view it up close and personal.

GOODNESS.... this was SO stinkin' good. :)