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Celebrate cheesy goodness on National Nachos Day

Posted 11/5/19

Today is National Nachos Day, according the website NationalDayCalendar.com, National Nachos Day is observed annually on Nov. 6. In their simplest form, nachos are tortilla chips covered in nacho …

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Celebrate cheesy goodness on National Nachos Day

Posted

Today is National Nachos Day, according the website NationalDayCalendar.com, National Nachos Day is observed annually on Nov. 6. In their simplest form, nachos are tortilla chips covered in nacho cheese or other melted cheese and served with salsa.

First created sometime around 1943, the popular and loved nachos are of Mexican origin. Nachos can be made quickly and served as a snack, an appetizer or prepared with extra ingredients as a full meal.

It is believed that Ignaci “Nacho” Anaya created the original nachos in the city of Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, just across the border from Eagle Pass, Texas. The story talks of a group of United States military wives stationed at Fort Duncan in Eagle Pass who traveled to Piedras Negras on a shopping trip. Following shopping, they arrived late to a restaurant after it had closed for the day. The Maître d, Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya served them a snack which he invented from what little was available in the kitchen: tortillas and cheese. Anaya cut the tortillas into triangles, topped them with shredded cheddar cheese and quickly heated them. He then added sliced jalapeno peppers and served them to the ladies. When Anaya was asked what the dish was called, he replied, “Nacho’s especiales”. As the word of this new creation traveled, people tried them, loved them and over time, the name changed and Nacho’s “specials” became “special nachos”.

The original recipe is printed in the 1954 St. Anne’s Cookbook.

The popularity of the new dish spread swiftly throughout Texas and the Southwest and has since gained millions of fans across America.

Nachos with an abundance of toppings are often called loaded nachos, super nachos or nachos supreme.
Some favorite nachos toppings are refried beans, ground beef, shredded beef, chicken, seafood, shredded cheese, jalapeno peppers, green pepper, lettuce, tomatoes, black olives, onion, sour cream and guacamole.

How to observe

Prepare some nachos to enjoy and use #NationalNachosDay to post on social media.

In celebration, Smart & Final provides these recipes from chef Jamie Gwen, from traditonal nachos to a nacho casserole usng a bundt cake pan, to non-traditional uses for nacho cheese.

CHEESY TACO PASTA

Serves 4 to 6

1 pound Sun Harvest rotini pasta

1 tablespoons Sun Harvest olive oil

1 pound First Street lean ground beef

1 teaspoon First Street chili powder

1/2 teaspoon First Street paprika

1/4 teaspoon First Street garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon First Street ground cumin

1 cup First Street Salsa Picante

1 cup First Street shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup First Street Nacho Cheese

2 cups First Street Tortilla Chips, crushed

Cook the pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the ground beef and brown well all over, stirring often until cooked through. Add the chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, cumin and the salsa and stir to combine. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Place the pot over low heat on the stove and add the shredded cheddar cheese and the nacho cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted and warmed through. Add the ground beef mixture and stir to combine. Top with the crushed tortilla chips and serve hot.

Sheet pan broccoli nachos

Who doesn’t love nachos? Adding broccoli to the mix of delicious flavors is a great way to get your daily veggies and all the toppings make these “healthier” nachos totally cravable!

SHEET PAN BROCCOLI NACHOS

Serves 4

2 large crowns of broccoli, cut into florets

2 tablespoons Sun Harvest extra-virgin olive oil

4 cups First Street Tortilla Chips

1 can First Street black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup Pico de Gallo

2 small tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 small jalapeño, thinly sliced

1/4 cup pickled jalapenos

1/2 cup First Street sliced black olives

1 1/2 cups First Street Nacho Cheese

1 cup guacamole

Preheat the oven 400°F. Place the broccoli florets on a large baking sheet, in a single layer, and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast in the oven for 10 minutes or until crisp-tender.

Leave the oven on.

Remove the broccoli from the oven and scatter the tortilla chips throughout the broccoli florets. Scatter the black beans over the broccoli and chips. Add small piles of Pico de Gallo to the baking sheet and scatter the diced tomato, fresh jalapeno, pickled jalapenos and black olives over the top.

Spoon the nacho cheese over the broccoli nachos and return the baking sheet to the oven for 3 minutes or until the cheese is melting and the nachos are hot.

To serve, add spoonfuls of guacamole and dig in!

Slow cooker nacho cheese soup

This slow cooker cheesy, creamy delectable soup is guaranteed to become your go-to favorite recipe.

SLOW COOKER NACHO CHEESE SOUP

Serves 6

4 cups First Street oven-roasted chicken, shredded

4 cups First Street reduced sodium chicken broth

2 cups First Street Salsa Picante

3 cups First Street nacho cheese

Two 14.5 ounce cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes

One 4-ounce jar First Street fire-roasted green chilies

Juice of 1 lime

2 garlic cloves, minced

Shredded Mexican Blend Cheese

First Street Black Bean & Corn Salsa

Chopped green onions

Fresh cilantro leaves

First Street Tortilla Chips

Lime wedges

Combine the chicken broth, salsa and nacho cheese in your slow cooker and whisk to combine. Add the shredded chicken, diced tomatoes, diced chilies, lime juice and garlic and stir to combine. Cook on high heat for 2 hours or on low heat for 4 hours.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with shredded cheese, salsa, green onions and cilantro leaves.