Tag: homemade tortilla chips

Recipes and Cooking

Sheet Pan Nachos

Brandi C

Sheet Pan Nachos

Sheet Pan Nachos: A Fun and Customizable Recipe

Looking for an easy and fun family meal? Sheet Pan Nachos are a perfect choice! This dish is super versatile and can be modified to suit your taste. Whether you want to make it vegan, vegetarian, or load it with your favorite toppings, it’s a meal the whole family will love. Plus, the leftovers are just as delicious! Here’s how you can make it:

Ingredients:

  • Flour tortillas (or corn tortillas for a gluten-free option)

  • Oil (for frying)

  • Ground beef (or your favorite protein substitute for a vegetarian/vegan version)

  • Garlic (minced)

  • Onion (chopped)

  • 2 packets taco seasoning mix

  • Salsa (for extra flavor)

  • Mexican blend cheese (or your favorite cheese blend)

  • Black beans (rinsed and drained)

  • Taco/nacho toppings of your choice (e.g., sour cream, guacamole, jalapeños)

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the Ground Beef: Brown the ground beef with minced garlic and chopped onion in a large pan. Once browned, drain any excess fat. Add the taco seasoning mix along with a bit of water to loosen up the mixture and allow the flavors to combine. Stir in some salsa to add an extra kick to the beef.

  2. Make the Tortilla Chips: While your beef cooks, take your flour tortillas and cut them into chip-sized pieces. You can also buy pre-made tortilla chips, but homemade ones are super easy. Deep fry the tortilla pieces until crispy (this takes just a few minutes). You can also bake them for a healthier option!

  3. Assemble the Nachos: Spray a large sheet pan with cooking spray, then layer your tortilla chips, seasoned ground beef, black beans, and cheese. Drizzle a bit of salsa over the top (but not on the chips themselves – we’ll explain why below). Bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and everything is heated through.

  4. Top and Serve: Once your nachos are out of the oven, add your favorite taco toppings like sour cream, guacamole, jalapeños, or anything else that makes your taste buds dance!

What I Would Do Differently:

  • Use Corn Tortillas: Next time, I’ll swap out the flour tortillas for corn tortillas. The flavor is a bit better, and they hold up well without getting soggy.

  • Skip Salsa on the Chips: I realized that adding salsa directly to the chips before baking made them a bit soggy. It’s best to mix the salsa into the beef mixture instead, for more flavor and crunch.

  • Green Onions: I think adding chopped green onions would be a great addition for some freshness.

  • Layered Rice and Refried Beans: I considered layering rice and refried beans in the nachos for extra texture and flavor. If you like heartier nachos, I highly recommend this addition!

Final Thoughts:

These sheet pan nachos were delicious and definitely a hit in our household, though I wasn’t blown away by them. The beauty of this recipe is how easy it is to adjust and make your own, so don’t hesitate to get creative! It’s perfect for a fun family dinner or when you need to feed a crowd.

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Recipes and Cooking

Chicken Fajita Casserole

Brandi C

Chicken Fajita Casserole

Chicken Fajita Casserole

Let’s take a break from the heavy topics and talk about food!

This Chicken Fajita Casserole is not only easy but completely customizable. The recipe fills a 13×9 dish, but you can easily cut it in half if you’re cooking for fewer people. I made a few adjustments along the way, and I’ll share exactly what I used—you can tweak it to fit your preferences!

Now, let’s talk about the real challenge—my husband is not a fan of Mexican food. Well, let me clarify—he’s not a fan when I cook it. Meanwhile, everyone else in my house loves it, so I sneak it in when I can. This week, I focused on shelf-cooking, trying to use up what I already had before restocking. With grocery prices skyrocketing, I’m constantly torn between stocking up and making do with what’s on hand.

Since I already had all the ingredients for this dish, it was the perfect choice. Plus, it comes together quickly! I even made some homemade tortilla chips from leftover tortillas. I simply cut them into triangles, tossed them with oil, chili powder, and sea salt, then baked them at 350°F for about 5 minutes. You could also serve this casserole with store-bought tortilla chips or rice.

Ingredients

Seasoning Blend for Chicken & Veggies

  • 2 1/2 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1 tsp. sea salt
  • 1 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. paprika
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp. onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp. oregano
  • 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

(Should I admit now that I never measure anything? Ever? I’m spitballing these measurements just for you!)

Chicken Fajita Casserole Ingredients

  • 1 bag frozen chicken fajita strips (thawed & chopped)
  • 1 orange bell pepper (sliced)
  • 1 yellow bell pepper (sliced)
  • 1 zucchini (sliced)
  • Fresh portobello mushrooms (sliced)
  • 1 small onion (sliced)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 stick butter (or oil)
  • 1 block cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • Shredded cheddar cheese

Step 1: Marinate the Chicken & Veggies

I cut my pre-cooked chicken fajita strips into bite-sized pieces and tossed them into a large bowl. Then, I added the sliced bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, onion, and garlic.

Next, I sprinkled the seasoning blend over the top, put the lid on the bowl, and shook it up until everything was well coated. I let it marinate in the fridge for about 30 minutes—next time, I’ll let it sit for at least an hour to really soak up the flavors.

Step 2: Sauté Everything

I heated a cast iron skillet over medium heat, melted 1/2 stick of butter, and added my chicken and veggie mixture. I let it cook slowly, stirring occasionally.

To help tenderize the veggies, I added another 1/2 stick of butter and covered the pan with a cookie sheet. Since the chicken was already pre-cooked, I just focused on getting that perfect sautéed texture for the veggies.

Step 3: Assemble & Bake

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Grease a 13×9 baking dish and spread the cooked chicken and veggies evenly across the bottom.
  • In a separate bowl, mix 1/2 cup sour cream with 1 block of cream cheese. Spread this creamy mixture over the top of the chicken and veggies.
  • Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top.
  • Bake for 20 minutes until everything is heated through and the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Let it sit for a couple of minutes before serving—this helps the flavors settle and keeps the juices from running everywhere.

Final Thoughts

This casserole was a hit! Even Bart didn’t complain (too much). It’s packed with flavor, easy to make, and great for using up what’s already in your kitchen.

If you try it, let me know how you tweak it to fit your family’s taste! And if you’re into meal prepping, consider making an extra batch to freeze for later—it reheats beautifully.

Enjoy!

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