Loaded Blue Corn Turkey Nachos [RECIPE]

For those of you who know how much we love to cook, I have a confession to make. There are plenty of times we just feel like munching. With busy schedules, making full-blown dinners for just the two of us can be a bit of a chore. There are lots of nights we just want something fast, easy, and yummy that we can nosh on while watching the latest episode of our favorite crime dramas. In those cases, we whip up one of our favorite nacho recipes, like these loaded blue corn turkey nachos.

The best part about this recipe is that it stretches enough to feed eight people…

Or you can divide the leftovers into lunches for the next day…

And if you’re feeling particularly naughty and want to throw all self control out the window, you can just stuff your face until they’re gone.

There’s no right or wrong way to do it, really. Just trust us. They’re delicious and you’ll start craving them too.

So make them at your own risk!

How, pray tell? We’ll tell you. Just keep reading.

Dice up a medium white onion. If you happen to have just one ginormous (is that a word?) onion, use half of it instead of two medium-sized ones. If you don’t have a white onion, use a yellow one. Or a red one. It doesn’t really matter. Go crazy!

Cook it up in a big nonstick skillet with a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil until it starts to get soft. If you prefer vegetable oil, use that… or butter… or lard… bacon drippings would even work. OMG, I feel my cholesterol numbers rising just typing that, but dang it sounds good.

Add two pounds of ground turkey to the pan and cook it until it is completely brown and crumbled. I like using turkey or ground chicken in this recipe because they are lean enough I don’t have to drain it, but if you crave red meat, go ahead and toss that cow in the skillet. Just make sure you drain it if you do. I don’t want to get an email from your next of kin saying we gave you a coronary with this recipe.

Once the meat is cooked, add the chili powder, paprika, cumin, crushed red pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and ground pepper. If you’re thinking this meat looks awfully light, don’t worry. We’re about to darken it up a bit!

Crack open a can of your favorite pinto beans and dump it in the pan. Don’t rinse anything off. You want the juice! We like Ranch Style Beans, but really, any old beans will work. Sometimes I’ll use kidney or black beans too. And if you’re worried about… ahem, gas… sprinkle in a bit of epazote to nix the fumes. Your family will thank you.

If you do make this recipe with turkey but want that beefy flavor, just add a 1/2 cup of beef broth to the skillet. If you’re actually using beef, you can still use this for more intense beefiness, but a 1/2 cup of water will do just fine. We’re just trying to create a sauce for the meat and bean mixture to simmer in for a while.

Once you have the beans, broth and seasonings in the pan…

Give it all a good stir and let it simmer on low. See that color? I told you we were going to brown it all up. Looking tasty, isn’t it? While it bubbles in its juices, let’s get cracking on the rest of the veggies, shall we?

Now dice up that other onion you’ve been holding onto… or the other half of that ginormous one if that’s what you’ve got… and put it in a big bowl.

And here’s where you dice up all those big beautiful Roma tomatoes. Remember to cut off the tops and tips and discard them. Then toss those diced gems in the bowl with the onions. It’s love at first sight. See, those tomatoes even formed the shape of a heart they’re so happy to meet their crunchy new friends.

Finely dice a jalapeno. If you like your nachos spicy, feel free to leave the seeds. If not, discard them and then add the diced jalapeno to the bowl with its new friends tomato and onion. Just remember to wash your hands after handling the jalapeno! If you happen to rub your eyes after handling this hot tamale, you’re gonna regret it.

Believe me.

I have the burning red eyes to prove it!

Next up, chop up half a bunch of cilantro. I just give it a rough chop, but you can mince those leaves to smithereens if you so desire. Take out any big stems, but the tiny ones won’t hurt you. In fact, I kind of like them myself. Now toss it in the bowl.

Although, if you’re one of those folks who think that cilantro tastes like soap, I just have one thing to say…

You’re dead to me.

Just kidding! But seriously, I don’t get it. I love this stuff. But if you don’t, you can leave it out. I mean, it’s not as tasty in my opinion, but who wants to pour soap all over their nachos?

Find a big juicy lime and cut it in half…

…and squeeze that bad boy until it begs for mercy! Drizzle the juice all over those onion, tomato, jalapeno, and cilantro pieces. Give ’em a big shower of lime juice love!

Toss in a 1/2 teaspoon of salt and stir it all together to let those flavors mingle. It’s one fiesta grande of flavor in that bowl, yessiree. It’s going to make your taste buds dance the conga in a bit, I promise.

Now, take that avocado and cut it in half. Use your knife and lightly cut it into cross sections in the skin, then use a spoon to scoop out all that yummy green goodness.

Put a layer of blue corn tortilla chips on a big platter or plate, then scoop up the meat and bean mixture over top. Finally, top it with loads of shredded Mexican cheese!

Of course, you could use whatever cheese you have, but the cheese companies make such good blends these days, why not just buy it all in one package?

Now put the plate in the microwave and nuke it in 30 second increments until everything is melted and bubbly. OMG… they’re almost done and are already looking so tasty!

Once the cheese is all melted, sprinkle your avocado over top. You could also add chopped olives or any other fresh veggies you like at this point. Mix it up. Make it your own. It’s your party, you can riff if you want to!

Now scoop that mouth-watering Pico de Gallo over top. You made plenty. Add as much as you want!

And if you are like me, then no Mexican platter is complete without a big dollop or two of sour cream! Of course, if you’re like Heather, you’ll forget the sour cream altogether. She’s wacky like that.

That’s all there is to it! Now take that big platter of deliciousness (and a bunch of napkins, because these can be a little messy) into the den and enjoy the big game… or a fun movie… or Netflix and nosh…. whatever. This is couch potato heaven. 😉

You’re welcome!

Now here’s a printable of the recipe just for you!

Loaded Blue Corn Turkey Nachos

PREP: 10 minutes
COOK: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 medium whole white onions, diced
• 2 pounds ground turkey
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 can (14.5 ounce) Ranch Style beans
• ½ cup beef broth
• Blue corn tortilla chips
• 3 cups grated Mexican cheeses
• 6 whole Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 whole jalapeno, diced finely
• ½ bunch cilantro leaves, chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 whole avocado, pitted and diced
• Sour cream (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add 1 of the chopped onions. Cook it until it starts to soften, then add the ground turkey and cook the meat until it is totally browned. Add the chili powder, paprika, cumin, crushed red pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Add the beans and beef broth and stir. Reduce heat to low and simmer while you prepare the other ingredients.
2. To make the Pico de Gallo, combine the other diced onion, tomatoes, cilantro, jalapeno, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and lime juice and stir. Set aside.
3. To make the nachos, place a layer of blue corn tortilla chips on a large plate or platter. Top with a layer of the turkey/bean mixture, then add a thick layer of cheese.
4. Microwave in 30 second increments until the cheese is melted and bubbly. (Or you can put it in a 325° F oven until the cheese melts.)
5. Sprinkle on the diced avocado, a heaping spoonful of the Pico de Gallo, and sour cream (if desired). Serve immediately!

YIELDS: 8 servings