Quick & Easy Nachos

Mexican food is not common in my diet.  The only time we eat it is if I cook it myself.  Until now, my limit was burritos.  Don't get me wrong, they are delicious, I love them to bits.  But I felt like expanding my Mexican repertoire, and had got Mum to buy a can of Mexican style chilli beans at the grocery store a while ago.  The can has been sitting there, tormenting me, going "You don't know how to cook me!  You don't know what to do with me!  You suck!".  Yes, cans of food have been talking to me.  (Maybe I need to see someone?)

So the other day, I thought "Screw YOU.  I AM going to cook you" and started googling easy nacho recipes.  Funnily enough, a recipe popped up using the exact can of chilli beans I had sitting in the pantry.  It was meant to be.  I asked Mum to grab some chopped tomatoes in a can (because I've used all the ones we had haha oops) on her way home, plus a few of the other ingredients. 

Making the nacho chilli was pretty easy, and there wasn't much prep, so I was pleased.  And to serve, everyone can assemble their own - always fun!

INGREDIENTS

500g lean mince

1tsp oil

420g can mild (or hot) chilli beans

420g can Mexican style chopped tomatoes

1 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp onion salt

pinch of dried chilli powder (to taste, be frugal is my advice - that stuff is POTENT!)

1 onion

1 carrot, grated and peeled

Diced capsicum (bell peppers) - I used red, orange and yellow, just add as much as you want.

Serve with:

Cheese flavoured corn chips

Sour cream

Tomato salsa

Grated cheese

METHOD

• Heat some oil in a frypan, and brown the mince, capsicum, grated carrot and onions together.
• Add the tomatoes and chilli beans, and the salts and chilli powder.  Make sure you taste as you go to adjust seasonings to your preference - I found the original recipe that inspired this meal a bit bland, so all the seasonings are my own ideas, trying to flavour it up a bit!
• Simmer for 10 mins, until cooked and you're happy with the seasoning.
• Assemble!  Nacho chips on the bottom, pile on some mince, grated cheese on top (can be grilled if you can be bothered, but the heat from the mince melts the cheese anyway - just as good!), salsa and sour cream!

Quite possibly my favourite part of the meal was the sour cream haha.   I'm a sour cream fiend!  Om nom nom.  Mum and Dad really enjoyed them, but I still wasn't 100% happy with the seasoning in the mince.  However, when all together with the garnishings, it came together nicely and was just like bought nachos (but better, cos I added more veges!  Woot!)

Again, no photo sorry, but I can assure you it looked delicious.  :D

Recipe Inspiration: http://www.foodinaminute.co.nz/Recipes/Quick-Easy-Nachos