My love for food, as mentioned in " And First, there was Pasta" , sprung from home and I have fond memories when I think of Nachos. We enjoy date night every so often, and will make turns to cook something for the other one. One of the earliest date nights, I was treated to succulent, delectable and cheesy Nachos. The mood was set; candles, soft music and wine. At first I was not sure what to expect, this dish was foreign to me (no hablar espanol). I was assured that this is the best thing I will ever taste.
I fell in love with the crunchiness of the "chips" ; the full body flavor of the salsa; gooey strands of cheese and the side order of love, in the form of guacamole. At times I ask myself what I have done to deserve this much affection and adoration. As an artist, I appreciate the time and diligence beautifully painted on a plate. Sometimes in life, it's the little things that count and not big fancy gestures. I could never understand the term: "The way to a man's heart, is through his stomach". It became clear...
Festival Time!
Visiting festivals and food markets, has become a such a tradition. I scout the area obviously for the street food vendors and the coffee stands (Coffee is a story for another time). If I'm not looking for something greece(y) or something to satisfy my sweet tooth, I'm almost hurling myself towards the Mexican food stand. Something about street food is intriguing and fascinating. Maybe one day I will be fortunate enough to own and run a little food truck at some festival rocking out to the sound of music blasting at top volume. (Sigh).
Day of the Dead
Image courtesy of worldatlas.com
The first thing that comes to mind when someone mentions
anything Mexican, is great food, tequila & regrets and cultural bloom. Mexicans are a nation filled with so much heritage, colors and flavors. Their history is as rich as the food they serve. One of the more notable days is the Day of the Dead festival,
which is a day that Mexicans pay tribute to those that passed on, friends and family, also to help them on their spiritual journey. It is a day filled with parades, food stalls and people dressing up in costumes. The first notable time I noticed this festival was in the James Bond Film: Spectre, in the opening scene. I was fascinated with the the costumes, music and the food.
Image courtesy of bussinessinsider.com
Vulnerable
Some experiences I don't like to share with the world, as these memories I cherish. I decided to shed light into a tiny part of the vulnerability and the intimate side of myself in this story. Family stories are also a very good insight into me as a person. Hopefully this post will liberate you and inspire you to appreciate the little things in life, as it did me. Something as simple as a meal, can ignite a spark that is already there, and become a cherished (date night) memory.
Nachos
Serving : 4
Prep : 15 minutes
Cooking: 10 minutes
Ingredients
This dish can be done with Chicken or ground Beef.
- 4 pieces of Chicken fillets / 500g ground Beef
- 2 large packs of Doritos chips / Nachos chips (I used the Sweet chili & Cream cheese flavors)
- 1 Onion
- 1 tub chunky Cottage cheese
- 1 can Tomato Salsa / 400g home made salsa
- 1 cup Cheddar cheese (grated)
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese (grated)
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- 1-2 cloves of Garlic
- mixed Herbs (Basil, coriander & oregano) to taste
For something with a bite, add chilies to taste.
Method
- In a saucepan saute diced onion.
- Slice chicken into thin strips and add to onion.
- Cook until no pink meat is visible.
- Add salt & pepper, garlic and herbs and let simmer for 2 minutes.
- In an oven dish or on a pizza plate (suitable for in the oven), layer the chips, salsa, cottage cheese, chicken, a little bit of both cheeses and finish it off with another layer of chips and the rest of the cheese.
- Grill in the oven until the cheese is dark golden brown.
- Serve with Guacamole
For home made Guacamole, mash 2-3 large avocados together, add a dash of mayonnaise (for a creamier taste), salt & pepper and serve.
Enjoy
Tin_Tin
PS. Thank you Hawk, this one is for you.
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