On our first trip to Indianapolis, we stayed in a hotel across the street from the Hard Rock Café. We had never been there with the children before so we headed across the street for a meal. We ordered the nachos as an appetizer. I was surprised to see how quickly my kids gobbled them up. I had made nachos at home before. I’d spent lots of time cooking the ground beef and adding my own blend of spices to season the meat…my kids seemed to think they were pretty tasty. But they really seemed to LOVE the nachos at Hard Rock Cafe. When the waitress came by to check on us, I asked her what kind of meat and seasonings were put in their taco recipe. She said, “ I think it’s just a can of chili.” Boy, was I surprised! For years, I had been making the seasoned meat mix from scratch and here my kids were gaga over the canned chili! I have been making my nachos with canned chili ever since.
Patrick’s Most Requested Nachos Grande
6 cups tortilla chips
1 16 oz can chili, with or without beans, which ever you prefer
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 plum tomatoes
½ cup diced onion
1 clove minced garlic
4 Tbls chopped cilantro
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese for topping
Place half of the chips in a greased 13×9 baking dish. Sprinkle half of the canned chili and cheese over the chips. Repeat with a second layer of chips, chili, and cheese. Place the baking dish in the microwave and cook for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. In a small bowl, mix together the tomatoes, onion, garlic and cilantro. Sprinkle over the nachos with remaining shredded cheese. Serve with prepared salsa or guacamole on the side for extra flavor.
Simply Made Kitchen and Crafts 