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Taste Test: Doritos Late Night Tacos at Midnight

YumSugar — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 03:30:32 -0700

In the interest of living a healthier lifestyle, I've been trying to cut out my habit of late-night snacking. Unfortunately, it hasn't gone so well, as that's my favorite time of the day to snack. And the fact that Doritos sent me a bag of special-edition Late Night Tacos at Midnight? That doesn't make it any easier, either.

These chips are intense: each triangular bite is densely covered in a blizzard of burnt orange powder and flecked with black spices. Upon first trying them, I wasn't too crazy about their seemingly artificial taste. They had a flavor that I couldn't pin down - but by the 15th chip or so, I'd figured it out. To find out what they taste like, keep reading

7 Unusual Uses For Tortilla Chips

YumSugar — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 05:50:43 -0800

In case you weren't aware, yesterday was National Tortilla Chip Day! (I was confused, since I thought every day is tortilla chip day.) It would be easy to honor these ever-popular snacks by serving them in nachos or with salsa, guacamole, and bean dip, but I wanted to look for something special and different. Read on to view seven of my favorite unusual uses for tortilla chips.

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Game Day Eats: Chile Con Queso

partysugar — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 08:00:38 -0800

In my humble opinion, there is no food combination better than melted cheese and tortilla chips. Taking a bite of crunchy, salty chips topped with gooey, oozing cheese is like taking a bite out of heaven. While I'm crazy for the combo in its classic nacho form, I also live for the pairing as a dip. Not just any dip, but this chile con queso dip. It takes all the typical nacho toppings - cheese, jalapeños, sour cream, tomatoes - and mixes them into a dip. It's super easy to make and unbelievably satisfying to eat. Seriously, there is nothing more to say. You need to make this dip. It's beyond scrumptious. Hurry up and get the recipe when you read more.

Chile Con Queso
From The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
2 green onions, minced (white and green parts)
1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 large tomato, seeded and diced
1 can (4 ounces) diced green chiles
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cubed
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
chopped cilantro for garnish
tortilla chips for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium high heat. Add the green onions and poblano pepper. Saute for about 5 minutes, until tender.
In a 1-quart casserole, combine the green onion mixture, cumin, tomato, diced chiles, jalapeno, cream cheese, sour cream, and 1/2 cup Monterey jack cheese. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. (At this point the casserole can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day. Add five minutes to the bake time.)
Bake, uncovered for 30 minutes, or until bubbly. Sprinkle with cilantro. Serve hot with tortilla chips.

Serves 10.

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Oprah Winfrey vs. Organic Blue Corn Chips

partysugar — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 03:00:06 -0800

In December Oprah Winfrey publicized her weight gain, admitting that she's put on 40 pounds in the past couple of months. Among other things, the powerful talk show host is blaming organic, multigrain blue chips for packing on the pounds.

"My drug of choice used to be potato chips," she said. "Now this year, it was organic, multigrain blue chips - but a bag of them. So you eat a bag of those a day and see what happens if you're not working out." While Oprah's endorsements are normally positive, the people behind her favorite brand of blue tortilla chips - Hain Celestial's Garden of Eatin' - aren't jumping up and down for joy. In a statement, a spokesperson for Hain Celestial, "gently suggested that Ms. Winfrey try the single serving size."

However, Oprah's already moved on from blue chips claiming that she'll now eat sweet potatoes instead. Only time will tell whether the sales of either will be impacted by Oprah's extraordinary influence.

One thing's for sure: If Oprah were to attack the already-struggling organics industry, it might be a blow too big for them to overcome. What do you think about the matter? Does Oprah's opinion of a certain food affect your decision to eat it?

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Tortilla-Crusted Cod Cakes

partysugar — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:30:13 -0700

Make cooking more exciting with recipes that feature everyday ingredients in creative, new ways. In this recipe crushed tortilla chips replace boring breadcrumbs as a coating for fish cakes. The cakes are seared and finished off in the oven, resulting in a crisp, crunchy exterior and flaky, soft filling. A cilantro-orange-onion salsa adds a unique freshness to the cakes. This recipe is highly adaptable: salmon or crab can replace the cod, and parsley or mint are delicious substitutes for the cilantro.

To look at the recipe, read more.

Tortilla-Crusted Cod Cakes
From Real Simple magazine

Ingredients

1 medium red onion
1 bunch fresh cilantro
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
1 1/2 pounds cod fillet
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup finely crushed tortilla chips (from 3 cups chips)
2 oranges, peeled and thinly sliced into circles

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F.
Finely chop enough onion to measure 3/4 cup and enough cilantro stems to measure 1 tablespoon (reserving the leaves).
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, cilantro stems, and jalapeño and cook until softened, 4 minutes.
Pulse the cod, egg, salt, pepper, and the onion mixture in a food processor until combined but not pureed.
Form 8 cod cakes. Coat each cake with the chips.
Wipe out skillet. Heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil over medium heat.
Add 4 cakes and cook until golden brown, 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a baking sheet. Wipe out skillet and repeat with 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil and the last 4 cakes. Bake until cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Thinly slice the remaining onion. Toss with the oranges, 1/2 cup of the cilantro leaves, and the remaining oil. Serve with the cakes.

Serves 4.

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 380(26% from fat); FAT 15g (sat 2.5g); CHOLESTEROL 120mg; CARBOHYDRATE 27g; SODIUM 1,090mg; PROTEIN 34g; FIBER 4g; SUGAR 9g

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Reader Recipe: Chili Con Queso

partysugar — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 15:00:34 -0700

I'm crazy about any combination of melted cheese and tortilla chips, so when I saw audreystar's recipe for chili con queso, I couldn't help but drool. Her recipe is part of a fabulous new group on TeamSugar, Dinner Challenge, which dares fellow readers to make a certain dish each week.A couple of recipes are posted on Mondays, and you have until the upcoming Sunday to make the meal and share your pictures of the process and final dish. It's a fun group and could lead to some inventive variations. For example, I want to make audreystar's chili con queso with Mexican chorizo instead of the sausage! To take a look at her delicious version, read more.

Submitted by TeamSugar member audreystar.

APPETIZER
Revved Up Chili Con Queso
RECIPE SOURCE

Ingredients
2 lb package Velveeta
1/2 large Onion
1 lb Hot Breakfast Sausage (like Jimmy Dean)
1 regular can of Rotel (either regular or extra hot)
1 7 oz can of diced Green Chiles
1 -3 finely diced Jalapeno peppers

Chop the onion and brown with the sausage. Drain excess fat. Cut velveeta into cubes and add to warm skillet. Add Rotel and green chiles and stir together over low heat until mixture is melted. Add finely diced jalapenos, stir together, and serve with warm tortilla chips. Keep queso warm during serving (in a fondue pot, chafing dish or crock pot).
Queso can also be frozen flat in ziploc bags and reheated at a later date.

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I picked the Con Queso since many of you decided you would try the salad. Plus my boys love queso so I figured I couldn't go wrong. I didn't get an extra can of green chiles because the Rotel had chile's in them. I also didn't add the jalapeno even though I bought a can because I figured it would be too spicy for the boys. I might add them later after the boys have had a helping.

Oh and after I cooked it all I added the queso to my crockpot on low so it wouldn't thicken up.

Looks so gross, but it is so good

In conclusion, this was a really good queso. But I mean it is hard to screw it up. The sausage and onion cooking together smelled so divine.

Again I think I will add in the jalapenos later on after the boys are done.:spicy: I might have some with margaritas I plan to drink tonight.

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Name That Dish!

partysugar — Thu, 01 May 2008 16:30:00 -0700

The second I have my new chip and dip server I plan on making the dish pictured below. Do you know what it's called?

Not Your Regular Nachos: Classic Nachos

partysugar — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 11:43:31 -0700

I know I promised these wouldn't be boring, regular nachos, but before things get too crazy, I decided to make my version of classic nachos. According to the food dictionary on Epicurious, a nacho is a chip topped with melted cheddar cheese and chopped chilis. These nachos are topped with cheese, chilis, and refried beans.

To give the nachos a more gourmet feel, I fried tortillas to make fresh chips. These were incredibly tasty and easy to make. Be careful when frying the tortillas, you don't want them too crisp because you'll finish them off in the oven. Also, be sure to open a window or turn on a fan. When I was making them, I set off my fire alarm! To see the recipe, read more.

Classic Nachos
From PartySugar

Ingredients

1 small (24 oz) vegetable oil
5 small corn tortillas
salt
1 can (16 oz) refried beans
1 cup grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1-2 tablespoons Serrano chili, seeded and minced

Directions

Pour oil into a large, sturdy pot over high heat. Cover a plate with paper towels and place near the stove. Have tongs ready and waiting. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Slice the circular tortillas in half lengthwise and crosswise, make triangle shaped wedges.
While the oil heats, empty the can of refried beans into a small pot. Heat over medium low heat stirring often until the beans are warm and smooth.
When the oil is smoking - test with a small piece of extra tortilla - add several tortilla triangles to the pot with the tongs. Fry until light tan in color, about 1-2 minutes. Flip and fry for another 30-50 seconds until the chip is a light golden brown color. Remove from the pot, drain on waiting paper towels. Sprinkle with salt. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas, frying in small batches until all the chips are made. Set aside to cool.
Cover a baking sheet or cookie pan with foil.
Once the chips are cool enough to handle, spread 1-2 tablespoons of refried bean on top of the flat side of each chip. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
Sprinkle 1-2 teaspoons of grated cheese over the refried beans. Top with the minced chilies.
Bake in the oven for 2 minutes. Turn the oven to broil and broil until the cheese is bubbling and melted, and the chips are crisp.

Serves 2.

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Not Your Regular Nachos: Black and White Nachos

partysugar — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 10:48:31 -0700

Now that Winter soups are a thing of the past, it's time to move onto a more interesting adventure. Recently I told you about my desire to open a restaurant devoted entirely to nachos, but in order for me to do so, I'll need a repertoire of nachos recipes. So to get started I've created a new feature entirely devoted to nachos!

Not your - not-yo, sounds like nacho - regular nachos, I'll be dishing out more than just tortilla chips and melted cheese. To get things started, I made a classic style dish that used items I already had in my pantry or fridge. To see how I made these black and white nachos, read more.

Black and White Nachos
From PartySugar

The name of these nachos comes from the color of the ingredients, which were mostly black and white.

Ingredients

1 bag tortilla chips
2 cups grated white sharp cheddar cheese
1-2 cooked chicken breasts, chopped into small pieces
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1/2 cup sliced jarred jalapenos

Directions

Cover a baking pan with foil. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Arrange a layer of tortilla chips on the baking sheet. Sprinkle a 1/2 teaspoon of cheese on each chip. Spread another layer of chips over the top.
Scatter the chips with the chicken chunks and black beans.
Sprinkle with more cheese, the black olives and sliced jalapenos. Cover with the remaining cheese.
Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is melted, the chips are crisp, and the beans are cooked through.
To enjoy, serve with salsa and Coronas.

Serves 4.

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A Brief History of My Beloved Nachos

partysugar — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 01:07:58 -0800

Get ready to celebrate, today is National Nachos Day! Like many other delicious dishes, nachos were invented accidentally; chef Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya threw together a dish using leftover ingredients he had on hand. In 1943, Anaya was the head cook at the Victory Club in the Mexican city of Coahuila. One day after the restaurant had closed, several American wives from the nearby US military base came in for dinner. Thinking quickly, Anaya cut a few tortillas into triangles and fried them. He then topped these with cheese and jalapenos. Voila! Nachos were born.

Today, there are many variations of nachos, including the ballpark processed cheese one. While concession stand nachos are tasty in a pinch, they don't do National Nachos Day justice.

On a day like today, go all out and make a delicious homemade version with fresh grated cheese and diced jalapeno. You know you want the recipe, just read more

Nachos
From Family Oven

1 pound Mexican chorizo, removed from casings and crumbled
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups cooked pinto beans
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Water
Large, restaurant style corn tortilla chips
1 1/2 cups grated pepper jack
1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar
1 small white onion, sliced into thin rings
5 large jalapenos, stemmed, seeded, and chopped, or to taste
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

In a large skillet, cook the chorizo, garlic, and cumin, stirring, over medium-high heat until the sausage is browned and the fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels.
To the fat in the pan, add the pinto beans, chili powder, salt, and 1 to 1 1/2 cups water (depending on the moisture in the beans). Cook over medium heat until warmed through, smashing with the back of a heavy wooden spoon or potato masher until chunky/smooth. Remove from the heat.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
On a large, oval ovenproof platter or in a large baking dish, spread 1 layer of chips. Top with a layer of 1/2 of the beans, then 1/2 of the sausage, cheeses, onion rings, and chopped jalapenos.
Repeat with another layer of chips, beans, sausage, cheese, onions and jalapenos. Bake until the cheeses are melted and the mixture is hot, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the oven.
In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream and lime juice, with a pinch of salt. Drizzle over the nachos, garnish with cilantro, and serve immediately.

Serves 8-10.

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