Nachos

Apparently the cheese theme continues! My husband and I sometimes nosh on nachos on nights when we're not all that hungry for a full-blown dinner. Tonight was one of those nights (which probably had nothing to do with the batch of cupcakes I made three hours earlier, of which I promptly ate two).

I like nachos because we always seem to have the key ingredients in our house, but we can change them up however we like. This batch featured homemade guacamole.

Guacamole recipe
Ingredients:

• 1 ripe avocado
  
• 1 fresh lime
  
• Kosher salt
  
• Optional: diced red onion, diced tomatoes, cilantro
  

Directions:

1. Cut avocado in half, remove the pit. With a knife, carefully score length-wise and width wise. Using a spoon or fork, scoop out the interior into a bowl.
   
2. Cut the lime in half, and squeeze a little bit into the avocado. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
   
3. Using a fork, mash the avocado to as smooth or chunky as you like. Taste for seasoning and add more lime and salt as needed. I like mine quite limey and find that I generally use about half a lime per one avocado for a relatively strong lime flavor.
   
4. Stir in the diced red onions, tomatoes and/or cilantro once seasoned
   

Nacho "recipe"
Ingredients:

• Your favorite tortilla chips - I personally am in love with Xochitl chips
  
• Your favorite cheese - tonight I used about 3/4 of a block of marbled colby/monterrey jack which I shredded
  

Anything that you love on nachos...consider:

• Diced tomatoes
  
• Diced red (or white) onion
  
• Pickled or fresh jalapenos
  
• Black beans & Corn (rinse a can of black beans, stir in a drained can of corn or defrosted frozen corn)
  
• Guacamole
  
• Sour Cream
  
• Salsa
  
• Grilled Chicken
  
• Ground Beef
  

Directions:

1. Preheat broiler
   
2. In a broiler-safe dish, place one layer of tortilla chips. Top with shredded cheese and a few of the ingredients. Place dish under broiler until cheese begins to bubble
   
3. Remove dish from broiler, and place another layer of tortilla chips and cheese, followed by a few more of the ingredients. Place dish under broiler again until cheese is VERY bubbly.
   
4. Remove from broiler and top with salsa, guacamole & sour cream and any of the toppings that you want!