Dinner: Are the Playoffs Ever Going to End? Edition

The most  successful dinner so far this week was "Game Day Nachos". Which game day do you ask? This day/week/month/season/doesitreallymatter was one of the Warriors vs. the Spurs playoff games. Jared has developed a system that makes watching the game a little more tolerable to me, considering we watch a LOT of sports (he would say otherwise), in which he records the game and then watches most of the first half while I cook. Tonight I was beat after a busy day at work, then tracking down some stray bud vases from Etsy, and getting my nails fixed after the gel mani I got on Sunday peeled off in one day (I have such a rough life), so I was not up to a ton of cooking, but I wanted to make something that didn't taste like I only spent 10 minutes on it. So, nachos spoke to me. Jared and I are also trying to be a bit more health conscience, so I tried to keep them on the lighter side by reducing the amount of meat by supplementing with chopped mushrooms and topping the whole thing with some fresh lettuce and radishes. I also used a sharp blend of cheddar to add a lot of flavor without needing a lot of cheese. Check out the recipe below and feel free to add in more veggies or take out the meat all together.

Game Day Nachos

 

1 small diced onion

1 sliced jalapeño (omit if you can't handle the heat)

1/3 ground beef (I try to go with grass fed or organic. Yes, I live in SF, can't you tell?)

1 1/2 cups diced mushrooms

taco seasoning (I like this one from Penzeys)

salt to taste

1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (I shred mine by hand because it melts better)

1 can pinto or black beans

tortilla chips

lettuce, cut into ribbons

2 radishes, sliced thinly 

toppings of choice: smashed avocado, sour cream, salsa (this one is awesome)

Heat a medium frying pan add your oil of choice (I used olive oil). Add onions and jalapeños, if using, and cook until softened. Add ground beef and break into smaller pieces as it cooks. When almost all the pink is gone from the meat, add the mushrooms. Season to taste. Turn off heat and set aside. Rinse and drain beans, if using canned. Place oven rack on the middle or lowest position and turn the broiler on low. In the bottom of a 8x8 or 9x9 oven safe pan, scatter a layer of chips. Top with half the beans, cheese, and meat mixture. Cover with another layer of chips and top with remaining beans, meat mixture, and cheese. Place in the oven and watch closely. I take this time to chop the fresh veggies and other toppings. Once the cheese is bubbly but not crisp, remove the pan and top with lettuce, radishes and desired other toppings. Try not to eat the whole thing yourself.