Recipe
It’s Bowl week in the college football world, which means only one thing. There’s a lot of football watching going on here. Even more than usual. Let’s not even talk about how the basketball watching fits in to all of that.
It actually means one more thing. Football food is needed!
For most people, football means wings, dips, and beer. For us, it’s nachos. It’s a tradition that goes back to our early days of marriage when we’d go across the street, pick up some nachos from Moe’s, and go back to the apartment to watch the Panthers’ game.
We were you’re typical newlyweds, broke & jobless, so we considered Moe’s a fancy treat. Ahh, the little things. Of course, that also meant that Moe’s during every football game wasn’t going to happen, so we learned to make some pretty rockin’ nachos that year.
There are 2 keys to good nachos: the queso and the salsa. I’ve already divulged the secrets to my favorite queso dip recipe, so now it’s time to get to the homemade salsa part.
There are a million different fresh salsa recipes; this one is spicy and smoky, perfect for jazzing up nachos or eating plain with tortilla chips.
by Heather Neal
Keywords: appetizer snack vegan vegetarian Mexican
- 1 can diced tomatoes with chilies {such as Rotel}; drained
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- 1 adobo pepper with sauce, chopped {from can}
- Squirt of lime juice
- Dash of red pepper flakes
Cook onion and garlic over medium heat until start to soften.
Add tomatoes and adobo. Simmer over medium-low heat ~10 minutes.
Stir in lime juice and red pepper flakes.
Let cool before serving.
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Do you have any football-watching food traditions?
Psssst… Check out our nursery design idea! And learn how to not let your New Year’s Resolutions fail.
Recipe
Contrary to what a majority of recipes on this blog may imply, I’m not vegan.
Case in point:
Queso dip.
I think it’s a great way to eat, and 95% of the time, I do end up eating that way. Vegan, that is. However, the label “vegan” leaves out one very important component of a healthy diet: lack of freedom. I don’t like restriction. I like to be able to choose what I eat with each bite.
To me, healthy eating is two things:
1) Eating for health
2) Eating for enjoyment
And there’s easily room for both.
Take for example my love of Moe’s nachos. The husband and I both love Moe’s carryout, and often turn to it on football days, after long trips, or just when we feel like a treat. There’s nothing like the delicious cheesiness that is Mexican queso, especially when it’s smothered all over nachos.
So while I don’t eat cheese on a regular basis {neither my tummy nor my feet agree with it much}, there’s always room for a little queso.
The problem isn’t the cheese, really. The problem is Moe’s has started skimping on their portions. {!!} When you only put lettuce, black beans, and jalapenos on your nachos, you end up going home with a half-full take out box. No bueno.
The nacho-making isn’t the hard part. It’s mastering that gooey, oozy, slightly spicy queso blanco. Well, I’ve finally mastered it.
You can thank me later.
by with a Side of Sneakers
- 1/4 pound white American cheddar {available at the deli counter}
- 1/8 pound {a couple standard slices} pepper jack cheese {use Monterey jack if you don’t want a lot of kick to your dip}
- 1/4 cup white onion, finely diced
- 1/2 jalapeno, diced
- 1/16 tsp smoked cumin {or regular}
- 1/8-1/4 cup almond milk {or any milk}
- 1/8 cup amber or dark beer {optional..and go ahead, drink the rest;)}
- 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
In a small sauce pan, sauté finely diced onion over medium heat until the onion starts to brown. Stir in jalapeno and cook a few more minutes.
Rip the cheeses into smaller pieces and add to pot.
Slowly pour in a small amount of milk and whisk into melting cheese. Add beer if using. Slowly add milk/cheese until desired consistency is reached. Remember cheese will thicken quickly as it cools.
Stir in cumin and olive oil. Don’t skip the oil- it helps it not solidify so fast when you’re using it as a dip.
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Equally delicious as dip…
[Tweet “Imitate Moe’s queso dip at home! #copycat “]
…or imitation Moe’s nachos.
[Tweet “Check out this great homemade queso dip recipe!”]
Take that Moe’s and your rapidly diminishing portions. 
Don’t do cheese? Try this vegan queso blanco recipe instead.
If you liked this, try:
Cilantro Lime Rice
Sweet Potato Chicken Patties
Healthy Cinnamon Rolls
Right now on tiny sneakers: the potentially dangerous debate on who has it easier- working moms or stay at home moms. Go weigh in with your take.
