Game Day is but a mere excuse to eat cheesy, crunchy, salty, delicious snack food. Am I right? So there must be nachos on the menu but not any old nachos. Let me introduce you to the fancier, more party-worthy nachos that are basically nachos that have been dressed up in a tuxedo. Nachos with Shrimp Scampi and Queso are elegant nachos. But still, crowd friendly!
STEP UP YOUR APPETIZER GAME
Certainly, anything you eat with your hands that makes a big mess unless you are bending over a small party plate is going to be absolutely delicious. But you need to step up the appetizer game (no onion dip from a package!) if you are going to be at the level of the Super Bowl . In other words, these are not pre-season nachos. These are the big time.
NACHOS CAN BE ELEGANT AND SUPER BOWL PARTY WORTHY
What makes these nachos different? Well, shrimp for starters. Garlic shrimp. With butter and parsley and all things you expect in a shrimp scampi, And then there is the homemade creamy queso which comes together in less than 10 minutes. And don’t forget that extra layer of creamy cheddar. And jalapenos for garnish if you really want to live dangerously!
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE CHIPS AND CHEESE
I read an interesting article this week about tortilla chips. Everyone seems to be falling in love with the Late July Sea Salt Restaurant Style tortilla chips.
These chips are thin, crispy and have just the right amount of sea salt. More importantly, they are sturdy enough, despite their delicate texture, to hold up to this rather weighty, sturdy dip. Win win I think. You have the perfect topping with some heft but a thinner chip that can handle it.
I am not going to render my personal opinion about football and the Super Bowl. Suffice it to say that the snacks are the star of the show. No further comment about where I would prefer to be on Super Bowl Sunday but here’s a hint. There is no television in my kitchen!
Please enjoy this new twist on a nacho. It’s not every day you get to eat an entire pan of them without having to make any excuses.
Love and nachos to all of you.
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Game Day Nachos with Shrimp Scampi and Queso
Not your ordinary nachos. These have garlic shrimp and creamy homemade queso over thin, crisp tortilla chips. These are perfect for the Super Bowl or for any time you need to have a crunchy, salty snack with tons of melting cheese sauce.
Ingredients
For the queso:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup finely minced onion
- 1/2 cup roasted peeled, seeded and finely chopped poblano peppers
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 1/2 cups canned petite diced tomatoes drained
- 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, cubed
- 16 ounces grated Monterey jack cheese
- 4 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- Tabasco sauce
For the shrimp scampi:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 16 ounces raw medium shrimp diced and very dry
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- ¼ cup cilantro
- juice of half of a lemon
- 11 ounces thin and crispy corn chips
- 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
- 1-2 jalapeno peppers thinly sliced (optional)
- ½ cup chopped cilantro for garnish
Instructions
For the queso:
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Melt the butter in a medium sized heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and roasted poblano peppers and sauté until onion is translucent, about 6 minutes.
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Stir in the garlic and cumin and cook for 5 minutes until the garlic is soft. Add the tomatoes and cream cheese and increase the heat to medium high. Stir the mixture until the cream cheese is melted.
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Stir in the Monterey Jack cheese in handfuls, allowing the cheese to melt before adding more.
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Stir in the cilantro and Tobasco to taste. Set aside while you make the shrimp scampi.
For the shrimp scampi:
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Over medium high heat melt the butter. Add the shrimp and garlic and stir the mixture quickly until the shrimp are just cooked, about 5 minutes. Do not overcook them.
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Stir in the cilantro and lemon juice and set aside.
For nacho assembly:
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
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On a large baking sheet scatter the corn chips. Evenly spoon the shrimp scampi over the chips and pour the queso evenly over the shrimp.
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Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the top and bake the nachos for 10 minutes until the cheddar cheese is melted.
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Garnish the nachos with the cilantro and the sliced jalapenos, if desired.