October RotM: Campfire Nachos
Boy oh boy, fall is HERE! The temperature has finally cooled off and it's the perfect time for beautiful colorful hikes and some crisp-air camping. I just spent the most refreshing weekend camping outside of Moab, Utah, right along the Colorado River. It was the kind of campsite that was so beautiful and serene that we didn't even mind the midday desert heat running us off the hiking trails by 1pm.
Now, I try to avoid cheese (for both moral and gastric purposes :( ) and for the most part I'm pretty good about it, but when I go camping, campfire nachos are always the showstopper after a long day of hiking and merrymaking. Painfully easy to make and stupid delicious, they always end up being the belle of the ball on my campfire menu.
That being said, this is less a recipe and more a guideline to lead you to perfect, smokey, can't-stop-eating nachos.
Servings: However many people can grab at it before it's gone
Fixin's:
Olive oil
1 bag of tortilla chips
1 can black beans
1 can corn
1 can tomatoes with jalapenos
1/2 bell pepper, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1 small bag of shredded cheese (I used mozzarella because it's what I had on hand, but cheddar or Mexican blend would be bomb)
Instructions:
Wipe the bottom of a cast iron skillet with olive oil. Lay down a layer of chips and top with desired toppings, putting the cheese on last to hold all the other guys in there. Don't get too crazy though, because...
Lay down ANOTHER layer of chips and more toppings. This is what separates the good nachos from the great.
Cover the skillet with a lid or tin foil and place over a firepit, either on a grate or just on some sturdy logs/embers as the fire burns down. Note: Do NOT place your nachos (or any campfire cooking, really) directly over big flames. This is how to burn all the food. Instead, wait for the fire to burn down some so that your food can get nice and warm and gooey with minimal burnage.
Heat nachos until cheese is melted and toppings are warm to your liking. Use a spatula or tongs to get them out and onto a plate or bowl or whatever camping dinnerware you have managed to scrounge up!
Notes:
Mason jars make awesome storage to hang onto your leftover beans or veggies
Consider dicing your veggies before you go so all you have to do is toss it all together
What's your favorite campfire cuisine?
Bon appetit!
