Cheesy Recipeesy: Berry Dessert Nachos

At first, we were incredibly confused by the very name of it, but hey, we're open minded. Check out this creative recipe found on eBay Guides for sweet, not savory, nachos to eat after, say, your regular nachos. This desert only look dangerous, but its actually a great solution for diabetics seeking a sweet fix. Try it out and tell us what you think.

Berry Dessert Nachos
Makes 6 servings
Prep: 15 minutes Bake: 8 minutes

What You Need:

3 8-inch plain or whole wheat flour tortillas

1 tablespoon butter, melted

2 teaspoons sugar

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 cup fat-free or light dairy sour cream
3/4 cup frozen light whipped dessert topping, thawed

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 cups fresh raspberries and/or blackberries

2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted

1 tablespoon grated semisweet chocolate

How You Work the Magic:

Preheat oven to 400 degree F. In a small bowl, stir together sour cream, dessert topping, vanilla, and 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon. Cover and chill while preparing tortillas. Lightly brush both sides of each tortilla with melted butter. In a small bowl, stir together sugar and 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle over tortillas. Cut each tortilla into 8 wedges; arrange on two ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp. Cool completely. To serve, divide tortilla wedges among six dessert plates. Top with raspberries and/or blackberries and sour cream mixture. Sprinkle with almonds and grated chocolate.

Cheesy Recipeesy: Popcorn Nachos

For those of us who never thought the words "popcorn" and "nachos" could live together in harmony, Mrs. Williams of Ventura, CA aims to prove us wrong. Her spicy crowd pleaser recipe on our new favorite website, Allrecipes.com, mixes two of the best inventions maybe ever (excluding TP, which just goes without saying).

What You Need:

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 gallon popped popcorn
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

How You Work the Magic:

In a small bowl, mix together butter, crushed red pepper, cumin and paprika. Place popcorn in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the butter mixture and Cheddar cheese. Toss until well mixed.

Best Ever Allrecipes User Review:

"Not too spicey for my "Ash-ba-gash"! Her asbestos mouth really loved this after school snack. We decided to use cayenne instead of the pepper flakes. Ty thought it was a little too much for her, but she ate quite a bit anyway. Gotta go before my PC bids me farewell again and one of my favorite "I Love Lucy" episodes is on anyway."

Amazing. Let us know what you think.

Cheesy Recipeesy: DIY Chili's Queso Dip

Unless you're living in suburbia, you probably don't often book it to Chili's for a fine dining experience. If you are, be sure to get the Queso Dip appetizer for a cheesy delight. For the traveler, you probably only get to dip your chips at the airport during a delay (that, admittedly, sounded funny).

Figuring out exactly what makes up this recipe is a bit mysterious, but we did dig up a few hacks by copycats who crave the cheese. Some used cream cheese, some used processed mystery cheese, some used unmentionable items like soy cheese. Here's the least disgusting recipe we've found for the Chili's treat, even though their still using canned chili (ew).

What You Need:
16 ounces Velveeta cheese
1 (15 ounce) can Hormel no-bean chili
2 teaspoons paprika
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

How You Work the Magic:
Cut the Velveeta into cubes. Combine the cheese with the remaining ingredients in medium sauce pan over medium heat. Stir frequently until cheese melts then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minute. Serve with hot tortilla chips for dipping.

Cheesy Recipeesy: Nuked Nachos

Even though we at The NaCho Blog are very pinkies up about our nachos, that doesn't mean you have to be an Iron Chef to win our graces. Sometimes when things get rough, you can't afford the aforementioned dicer, or it's 3 a.m. and you somehow know better than to pick up a knife, let's make it clear right now that in these cases it is ok to use your beloved microwave.

Dave Lieberman from Epicurious.com brings this quicky method home with his Young and Hungry recipe for Nuked Nachos. So don't be ashamed of that random can of beans in the back of your cabinet, be proud of that bag of chips... it's ok with us. Because as good ol' Dave puts it, "A few minutes in the microwave makes everything warm and gooey." Amen, Dave, amen.

What You Need:
One 16-ounce can refried beans
1/2 cup reduced-fat or regular sour cream
3/4 cup bottled salsa
1 cup shredded Cheddar or Mexican Blend cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
A few big handfuls of yellow corn tortilla chips

How You Work the Magic:
With a large spoon spread out the beans in a ring on a large microwave-safe dinner plate, leaving clear about 4 inches in the center of the plate. That's where you're going to pile the chips. Smear the sour cream and then the salsa over the beans. Sprinkle about half of the cheese and then the cilantro over everything. As you build up the layers, be sure to leave the space in the center of the plate empty.

Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Remove the plate from the microwave, pile the chips in the center of the plate, and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the chips. Return the plate to the microwave and nuke again on high for 1 minute, until the cheese has melted. Use a pot holder to take the plate out of the oven; it will be hot. Dash with a couple pinches of chopped cilantro. Serve hot.

Makes 1 big plate.

Cheesy Recipeesy: Chile-Rubbed Sirloin and Green Chile Nachos

Who says you can't eat nachos with your pinkies up? Sara Moulton, the executive chef of Gourmet magazine, certainly sees no problems spicing up your usual cheesy treat with a chile rubbed steak. All together now, yummm.

As she tells it, "The inspiration for these ultra-macho nachos comes from a diner in Sante Fe, New Mexico, where I was served an enormous platter of charcoal grilled steak blanketed with fire-roasted green chiles and sharp cheese," Moulton says. "Now I make the same dish at home, cooking up enough steak for leftovers to enjoy as nachos the next day."

And if you aren't already drooling over the chile rubbed steak, check out the recipe for the avacado crema. In the words of Robin Young...er...Sissy Biggers, "Ready Set Cook!"


Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 15 min
Yield: 1 tray

Green Chile Nachos:
4 to 5 ounces corn tortilla chips
8 ounces shredded Monterey jack (about 3 cups)
1/2 cup canned roasted green chilies,
or 2 roasted and peeled green chiles, diced
1 recipe Chile-Rubbed Sirloin, diced, recipe follows
3 ounces shredded 4 or 6 Italian blend cheese (about 1 cup)
Avocado Crema, recipe follows
Finely sliced lettuce and chopped onion, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F or preheat the broiler, with the rack positioned about 7 inches from the top of the oven or the heat source.

Assemble the nachos: Arrange the chips on a 12 by 18-inch baking sheet or ovenproof platter. Top each chip with a layer of Monterey Jack, followed in order by the chiles, sirloin, and cheese blend.

Bake the nachos for 5 to 7 minutes, or broil, until the cheese is soft and bubbly.

Before serving, squeeze streaks of Avocado Crema and Chipotle Mayonnaise, to taste, over the nachos, if using, and garnish with lettuce and onions.

Chile-Rubbed Sirloin:
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red chile
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
3/4 pound sirloin steak
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce (recommended: Kikkoman)

In a small bowl, combine the salt, chile, cumin, garlic, cinnamon, and pepper. Rub the steak all over with the mix. Set aside at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Heat a grill or the broiler until very hot. Rub the steak all over with the olive oil and soy sauce. Grill or broil the steak very close to the heat, about 3 minutes per side, until medium rare. Set aside for 10 minutes before slicing or dicing.

Yield: 1 steak
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes

Avocado Crema:
1 ripe avocado, peeled and pit removed
1/2 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons lime juice (from about 1 1/2 limes)
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon salt

Puree all the ingredients in a food processor or blender. Funnel into a squeeze bottle. The mixture should be thin enough to streak easily. If not, add a few drips more lime juice or buttermilk. Plug the top of the nozzle with a toothpick and chill until read to use. The mixture will keep for 2 days refrigerated.

Yield: 1 1/3 cup
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes

Cheesy Recipeesy: Cinco de Nacho Appeteasers

Rachael Ray's Garlicky Holy Guacamole!

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

2 ripe small Hass avocados
1 lemon, juiced
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
1 small plum tomato, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 small yellow skinned onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon coarse salt
Blue corn tortilla chips, for dipping

Cut avocados in half around the pit. Separate the halves. Pop out pit with spoon, then scoop flesh of avocados into a bowl. Squeeze the juice of a lemon over the avocados. Squeeze the juice with the lemon halves facing cut-side up, allowing the juice to spill down over the sides of the lemon into the bowl. This method keeps the seeds in the lemon and out of the guacamole. Add garlic, jalapeno, tomato, onion and salt to the bowl. Mash and mix the ingredients into a chunky dip using a fork. Serve with blue corn tortilla chips.


Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh's Roasted Corn, Jicama and Mango Salad

Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

4 ears fresh corn, unshucked
1 large jicama, peeled and thinly julienned
1 ripe mango, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
Citrus vinaigrette, recipe follows

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Put the ears of corn on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 45 minutes. Remove and let cool. When the corn has cooled, shuck it and stand it on end. Using a sharp knife, run the blade down the cob to cut the kernels off. Rotate the cob and repeat until all the kernels have been cut off.
Combine the jicama, mango, red onion and cilantro in a large mixing bowl. Add the cooled corn, and toss with the vinaigrette. Chill until ready to serve.

Citrus Vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
2 teaspoons sugar Dash hot sauce
1 cup olive oil Salt pepper
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
Yield: 1 1/4 cups

In a large bowl combine the lime juice, orange juice, orange zest, sugar and hot sauce. Whisk together and slowly add the olive oil, whisking as you go. Add salt and pepper, to taste, and cilantro and whisk until combined.

Cheesy Recipeesy: Cinco de Nacho Drinky Drinks

It's that time of year folks... time to party Nacho style. The NaCho Blog's got your Cinco de Mayo celbration covered... with cheese. Dip your fingers into these tasty holiday recipes and get the party started.


Bobby Flay's Cactus Pear Margaritas

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Lime wedge
Coarse salt
8 ounces white tequila
4 ounces Cointreau
4 ounces cactus pear juice
2 ounces Roses lime juice
2 cups ice cubes

Rub lime wedge around the rim of cocktail glasses and dip the rim into a saucer of coarse salt. Place tequila, Cointreau, cactus pear and lime juice and ice cubes in a blender and blend until frothy. Divide among glasses. Drink up!


Emeril's Pomegranate Mojito with Vanilla Sugar

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 1 drink

1/4 cup pomegranate juice
2 ounces white rum
1 tablespoon vanilla sugar, or to taste, recipe follows
4 ounces club soda
Cracked ice
6 sprigs fresh mint

In a cocktail shaker, combine all ingredients except the mint and shake well. Mull the mint in the bottom of a cocktail glass. Strain the pomegranate mixture into the glass with the mulled mint, and serve.

Vanilla Sugar: 1 vanilla beans, split in 1/2 lengthwise and crosswise
4 cups granulated sugar

In a large container with an airtight closure, place 1/2 of the sugar. Add the bean quarters and cover with the remaining 2 cups of sugar. Close tightly. Place in a cool, dark place. Twice a day shake the container to distribute the vanilla essence. Continue the process for at least 1 week and up to 3 weeks. Replace the sugar as it is used.


Paula Dean's Pina Colada

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ice cubes
1/2 cup rum
1/2 cup coconut cream
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup pineapple chunks
Sliced pineapple, for garnish, optional
Maraschino cherry, for garnish, optional

Fill blender halfway with ice cubes. Add rum, coconut cream, coconut milk and pineapple chunks. Puree.

Serve, garnished with a slice of pineapple and maraschino cherry, if desired.

Cheesy Recipeesy: Emeril's Beefy Nachos

This Bam-tastic nacho recipe comes from none other than the Crest toothpaste spokesperson, Emeril Lagassee. Finally, someone decided to go the road less traveled and fry up his own homemade tortilla chips (bigger shocker there, Mr. Lagassee).

Now, of course, this is a shameless opportunity to use Emeril's Essence seasoning but why not give it a shot and lose the McCormick for a change. I also love how he browns the onions instead of sprinkling them over the top raw, and that he adds the veal stock for a little extra flavor. Just because nachos are easy to make and don't have to be gourmet doesn't mean you can't experiment with your chef abilities. So throw on that Swedish Chef hat, sharpen that knife and see what you can come up with.

6 flour tortillas, cut into eighths
6 corn tortillas, cut into eighths Oil for frying
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
1 cup minced onions Salt and cayenne
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup veal stock
1/4 pound grated Cheddar cheese (about 1 cup)
1/4 pound grated Jalapeno Monterey Jack cheese (about 1 cup)
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 cup peeled, seeded and chopped Roma tomatoes
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup pickled jalapenos
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Preheat the fryer. When the oil is hot, fry the tortillas in batches, until crispy, about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove the chips from the oil and drain on a paper-lined plate. Season the chips with Essence. In a large saute pan, heat the oil. When the oil is hot, add the ground beef, stirring constantly. Season the beef with Essence. Brown the beef with 2 minutes. Add the onions and continue to brown for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, and garlic. Add the stock and bring the liquid to a simmer. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the liquid reduces by 1/4. Remove the pan from the heat. Lay the chips on a large platter. Spoon the beef mixture over the chips. Sprinkle the meat with the two cheeses. Top the cheese with the lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and jalapenos. Garnish the nachos with the cilantro. Yields 4 servings.

Cheesy Recipeesy: Cheesy Nachos with Guacamole Salsa

This first recipe, of course, comes compliments of Juan-Carlos Cruz, The Calorie Commando (not sure if that means he cooks without underpants or not). He takes a risk throwing goat cheese all over it but the kid's got moxy, and we like moxy. He also puts the Stuff on the side as the guacamole salsa and only loads on the cheese and beans. That could spell curtains for this particular set up on the Stuff-to-Chip scale. On the positive, that guacamole salsa dances in my pants so Senior Cruz may not be so far off after all. Via la commando cooking! Let us know what you think:

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

1 (8-ounce) bag baked tortilla chips
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
2 ounces low-fat Cheddar, shredded
1/4 cup sliced scallions

Guacamole Salsa:
1 cup frozen corn kernels, defrosted
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1 small red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped to a paste
1 lime, juiced Salt and pepper
2 large vine-ripe tomatoes, cored and chopped into large chunks
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Nachos: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

On an oven-safe platter, spread half of the tortilla chips. Top with half of the black beans and half of the goat cheese. Top with the remaining tortilla chips, black beans, goat cheese, and the Cheddar. Bake for 20 minutes, or until warmed through and the cheese has melted. Remove from heat and top with the scallions and serve with the Guacamole Salsa.

Guacamole Salsa:
In a mixing bowl, combine the corn kernels, chipotle pepper, onion, garlic, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Stir until combined and then fold in the chopped tomatoes, avocado, and cilantro. Serve immediately.