Halloween nachos use black and orange tortilla chips and the fabulous meaty garlicy spicy nachos recipe to make a wonderful party favorite for Halloween
4 years ago, I saw Mission Halloween Tortilla Chips at King Soopers and couldn’t resist! They are just orange and black tortilla chips. They make a very colorful dish that begs for decorating it even more. I just called several King Soopers and didn’t find them …. but, it is up to Mission and the individual stores if and when they will show up. Best guess is roughly a week before Halloween. Supposedly Albertson’s also carries them. Call first to see if they are in.
This is a variation on my Meaty Garlicy Spicy Nachos, which I think are the best nachos I’ve ever had (and some readers emailed me to let me know they thought so too!). A reason I came up with these originally was because I was frustrated with the nachos you get in restaurants – they all seem the same, namely full of lots of beans. Bottom line is nachos are on most restaurant menus because they make them cheap with lots of beans and not much meat. So this recipe is meaty.
My original recipe was garlicy and really hot (with hot chiles). These Halloween Nachos were
being served to some who like it hot and some who like it mild. It is very easy to split this recipe
into hot and mild, and that’s what I did.
Plus, I attempted some Halloween decorating – I tried to make a ghost out of sour cream & olive pieces. I think a 3rd grader could make a better ghost. How about a gremlin or Incredible Hulk out of guacamole?
Can you do a better job of decorating Halloween Nachos? Please email me a photo at anita@denvergreenchili.com and I will publish it!
½ tsp taco seasoning (or ¼ tsp pepper & ¼ tsp red chile flakes)
½ tsp salt (or to taste)
½ cup hot diced green chiles (you can divide meat in half & use ¼ cup hot
in 1 half and ¼ cup mild in the other)
2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese *
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar *
1 12-oz bag Mission Halloween Chips
* 1 lb cheese = 4 cups shredded cheese
Garnish & Decoration: Use any or all of these. Decorate the nachos with them, scatter them on top of the nachos, or serve them in bowls on the side
1 cup diced tomato
1 avocado, chopped
1 cup guacamole
(note: store-bought guacamoles like Wholly Guacamole
or Calavos are very good for decorating)
2 green onions, chopped
1 cup chopped cilantro
½ cup chopped or sliced black olives
2 cups salsa
hot sauce (to simulate blood)
Instructions
Prepare all garnishes & decorations ahead of time (chop and put in serving bowls if desired).
Brown the meat with the garlic and onion. Drain.
Add the seasonings and diced green chiles and cook another
minutes, mixing thoroughly and adjusting seasoning to taste. If making both hot and mild, separate into 2 skillets before adding chiles.
Cover a 9x13" baking dish with a couple layers of the Halloween tortilla chips. Spread half the cheese evenly over the chips, then spread the meat and top with the remaining cheese.
Note: If making half hot and half mild, use most of the pepper
jack on the hot half and mostly cheddar on the mild half. Top both
with the cheddar to make it more orange.
Immediately before serving, bake in 350 degree oven for about
minutes or until cheese melts.
Decorate or top with garnishes and serve.
Note: You may want to add more cilantro, green chiles, or jalapenos to taste.
Yummy Stuffed Pumpkins – Jack-o-Lanterns (if you carve them) that are also a scrumptious, easy main dish. And you eat the pumpkins, too! Stuffed with a classic ground beef, green chile, onion, garlic mixture, everybody loves these!
Hey, these aren’t just for Halloween decorations – you eat them and they taste really good! Of course, you can take this stuffing and use it in bell peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, whatever. And the carving the pumpkins is the hardest part. And the most fun! This is one of those dishes where you start the party hours ahead of time and have everybody carving pumpkins … then you stuff ’em, cook ’em, and eat ’em.
When I publish photos like this, I always get questions about where I bought my dripping blood cutting board. It’s awesome for parties and as a decorating accent. I always keep it out dripping over my kitchen island. I don’t use it much for cutting, though, as the top tends to scratch. You can get it here on Amazon, and I find it makes a great Christmas present. I’m taking it with me Monday night to a Halloween party.
3 small pie pumpkins, about 20 inches each in circumference
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 lb ground beef
1 lb Italian sausage
2 cans cream of celery soup
2 cups cooked rice
2 cans sliced water chestnuts
1 cup diced green chile
2 tbsp soy sauce
Instructions
Cut the tops off the pumpkins and scoop out the seeds. Carve a face (or whatever) on each as desired.
Microwave the pumpkins for 8 to 10 minutes each. Test inside with a fork to make sure they are soft. Microwave as needed until the flesh is soft but not mushy.
In a very large skillet, heat the olive oil, then cook onions until translucent. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
Mix in the ground beef and sausage, breaking up into small pieces, and brown.
Drain off fat, then stir in the cream of celery soup, the rice, water chestnuts, and green chile.
Add soy sauce to taste.
Stuff each pumpkin with the beef mixture. Bake in a large glass baking dish (or 3 smaller ones) for 40 minutes.
Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar serves an incredible combination of sweet potato fries and chipotle ranch dressing. It’s a marriage made in heaven, and easy to make.
A week ago the #DenverBloggersClub had lunch at Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar in Littleton (South Glen) and we all built our own creations from a burger bar. Their sweet potato fries were memorable – particularly when you dip them in the Chipotle Ranch Dressing. It’s a perfect flavor combination. They have a very popular create-your-own burger bar and a create-your-own salad bar. I’ll definitely visit them again!
The folks at Bad Daddy’s were very gracious and shared their Chipotle Ranch recipe with me. Well, it turned out to be very simple – they just blend their house ranch dressing with chipotle adobo sauce. It’s amazing how good such a simple recipe can be.
Of course, I came home and made a batch myself. I made it with Hidden Valley Ranch dressing. Usually, I make my own ranch using Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix; I buy the large jar of it in Costco, which means I get really good ranch dressing for a pittance. I made several versions of sweet potato fries – fried, oven-fried. I think I’d even put this dressing on a baked sweet potato. I even got creative and made pumpkin-shaped oven fries. I’d say it goes with sweet potato no matter how you cook it.
I suggest making a batch of this dressing for all your game day and holiday parties.
Bad Daddy's Chipotle Ranch with Sweet Potato Fries
2 tsp chipotle adobo sauce (the sauce in a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce)
1 lb of sweet potato fries
Instructions
Blend the ranch dressing with the chipotle adobo sauce. Do not include the chipotle peppers, just the sauce. (Well, if you want it extra hot you could add a chipotle pepper and puree it with the ranch dressing in a blender)
Serve alongside sweet potato fries. Also great on Southwestern salads, burgers, and much more.
Calabacitas is a fabulous recipe made with zucchini, corn & green chiles, a great combination of flavors. It’s a classic New Mexico side dish that’s always popular.
Calabacitas is one of my very favorite dishes – I could just about live on nothing but this. I discovered it years ago at Jack-n-Grill and then went looking for recipes. Little Anita’s used to have a smothered calabacitas burrito that I absolutely loved. It’s just full of a perfect combination of flavors and textures. Plus it’s nutritious. I make this all the time. And it’s very easy to make.
This recipe is from Southwest Flavors: Santa Fe School of Cooking, one of my favorite cookbooks. The recipe calls for topping it with shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, but I usually leave the cheese off – it’s great either way.
Southwestern Creamy Chicken Soup is super easy yet robust and satisfying and chock full of veggies. Perfect for a chilly winter day.
This is one of those family favorites where I always have the basic ingredients on hand and can whip it up on a moment’s notice. My kid loves this soup. And you can use whatever veggies you have on hand. So easy! And it has such a rich, satisfying flavor.
I used a hot chile for this – a Mosco chile. I always keep the Costco brand of boneless, skinless chicken breast and chicken thighs in the freezer. They come in packages with vacuum sealed sections that are about 1 1/4 lbs – half of one is perfect for this. So convenient! And, of course, cans of soup are a pantry staple. I hope you enjoy this – it’s great for getting through the coming winter!
Connie’s Tangy Chile Yogurt Dip won 1st place in the appetizer category at the Denver Chili Fest Recipe Contest. It’s tart, spicy and creamy – great with chips, fruits or veggies.
This dip is a surprising treat – it doesn’t taste like anything else I’ve tried. Connie Ellefson won 1st place in the appetizer category at the Denver Chili Fest on September 10 with this. The tart apricot is an interesting contrast to the spicy green chiles and spices. It’s great with tortilla chips or on fruit or veggies or – I confess – I just ate a bowl of it straight.
I made it myself several times, experimenting with some variations. I tried it with canned apricots instead of dried. It needs at least some dried apricots to get enough tang. I found the Tajin Seasoning prominently displayed in several sizes at Walmart. I assume some people may have trouble finding it, so I also experimented with substituting chile powder, lime juice, and salt for the Tajin Seasoning. The flavor is slightly different and the dip turns out a much pinker color, but all in all, I’d say it’s just as good. See the notes for this variation.
Another bonus – this is much healthier than the vast majority of dips. I’ll be making this again and again. Hope you enjoy this as much as I have!
Simple Sensational Green Chile Dip is a classic cooked combination of lots of green chiles with just a little bit of onion and spices, just the right balance for full flavor where you can really taste the green chiles
This is definitely a classic recipe to make over and over again. Full of flavor and you can really taste that fresh roasted green chile flavor – the spices enhance it without hiding it. Plus it’s sooo easy to make. You can really treat this as a salsa or a sauce.
I used 1/2 cup hot Mosco chiles and 1 cup mild Anaheim chiles. Personally, I thought this was a perfect balance. But really, this recipe will work for any heat. It’s just a matter of personal preference. I like to pulse it in a blender so it’s basically half pureed and half chunky, mixed together. You can choose to not blend it so it’s very chunky or puree it so it’s pretty smooth. Also… I’d at least double the recipe as it’s guaranteed to go fast.
Want to add a kick to those burgers, brats, grilled chicken, or whatever this Labor Day? My Garlic Chile Aioli is easy to make and adds a burst of flavor along with a spicy hot kick. In the photo, I just added some to my Polish Sausage from Costco and it turned it into a whole different animal. Put a bowl of this aioli on the table and let people who like it hot add it themselves. Or spread a little on a burger on the grill when it’s almost done, then top with a slice of cheese.
I used Lulu’s Superhot Green Chiles – only available at The Chili Guys at 55th & Federal [303-455-4030] or Lulu’s Farm at Hwy 85 & 144th in Brighton. This is a perfect use for these chiles as they are xx-hot (nearly as hot as Dynamites) but have much more green chile flavor than Dynamites.
Many of you don’t have easy access to pick up Lulu’s Superhot, so you can get a similar flavor and heat by using mild or hot green chiles and adding jalapenos or serranos. I prefer to roast them, but it’s still good if you throw them into the blender mix raw (removing seeds and veins first).
I always like simple ways to please those who like it really hot without blowing away people who can’t stand the heat. Does this freeze well? Dunno, but I suspect it freezes fine.
Happy Labor Day! Right now I’m wishing we had a Labor Week to look forward to.
½ cup x-hot green chiles (or use mild green chiles + 1 large jalapeno)*see note
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp spicy brown mustard
½ tsp smoked paprika
dash salt
Instructions
Wrap the head of garlic in aluminum foil. Before closing it up, drizzle a bit of olive oil over it. If you are adding a jalapeno, wrap it in the foil to roast it also. Close up the foil and bake in the oven or toaster oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. You can also throw it on the grill to cook it - be sure to rotate it so it gets thoroughly cooked. When done roasting, open the foil and let it cool for a few minutes.
Separate each garlic clove and squeeze to get the soft inside to pop out. Discard the papery outsides. You'll end up with a pile of soft roasted garlic cloves.
If you also roasted a jalapeno, cut off the stem and remove the veins and seeds from the inside. Chop into ½ inch pieces.
Dump the peeled garlic, olive oil, green chiles, jalapeno (if used), lemon juice, mustard, paprika, and salt into a blender. Blend until smooth.
Serve with burgers, brats, chicken, whatever. It's great to add to a burger right off the grill to punch up the spicy green chile flavor.
Hint: try flipping a burger, spreading some Garlic Chile Aioli on top, then topping with a slice of cheese that will melt while it's still on the grill.
Notes
I used Lulu's Superhot green chiles - which is an xx-hot green chile just a notch less hot than Dynamites. I much prefer them to Dynamites because they have nearly as much heat but much more green chile flavor. This aioli is definitely hot. Lulu's Superhots are only available at Lulu's Farm in Brighton & The Chili Guys on 55th & Federal (303) 455-4030.
You can get similar flavor and heat level by using mild or hot green chiles and adding fresh jalapenos, preferably roasted but raw will work. If you want it still hotter, use serranos.
I like to adjust the heat to taste by only adding some of the hot chiles, tasting, and adding more if I want.
Lori’s First Place White Bean Chicken Chili – easy to put together, healthy, and full of flavor, this recipe has become a family favorite.
This is a cookoff-winning classic white chili recipe from Lori Simpkins. It’s low-fat, nutritious and full of flavor. Plus it’s easy to make, starting with a rotisserie chicken and using canned beans and broth from the pantry.
I used the rotisserie breast meat from Costco, even more of a shortcut. They sell it in about a 4-lb vacuum packed block right across from their rotisserie chickens. I made this with hot Sandia chiles, which I thought were just perfect. My son wanted his less spicy, so I came up with a simple variation – I made a standard white sauce and blended it in with the chili. So it turned this chili into a cream soup. Worked great. It became more of a rich comfort soup that was just right for him. (See photo below) You can do this with a lot of spicy soups – mix it with a white sauce and it tones down the heat while adding a rich flavor.
I think this might freeze well. I was going to try it, but … we just didn’t have any left to freeze.
optional: 2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, sour cream, salsa
Instructions
In a Dutch Oven, heat oil. Cook onion and garlic until onions are tender.
Add chicken, chiles, beans, broth, and oregano.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes.
If desired, serve topped with cheese, sour cream and salsa. Add Frank's Red Hot for an extra kick.
3.5.3208
Lori’s First Place White Bean Chicken Chili – cream-style is a variation on the flavorful and easy recipe that is basically blending the chili with a simple cream sauce. Voila! A whole new rich comfort soup!
Quick and Easy Green Chile Chicken Alfredo is about as simple as it gets, yet is an elegant guaranteed crowd pleaser. Just start with Costco prepared Chicken Alfredo and add green chiles … duh! But it tastes fabulous!
I’ve been buying Costco’s Chicken Alfredo for years … particularly when it goes on sale. It’s $3 off this month through August 8. It’s in the Costco prepared food section right next to their rotisserie chickens. I was about to pop it in the oven again this week, and it hit me just how good green chiles would be in it. Duh!! And it was even better than I expected. Basically, I just added diced green chiles and extra grated parmesan cheese and it’s instantly transformed into a more elegant dish.
Don’t go to Costco? Well, any grocery store has alfredo sauce next to the spaghetti sauces. You can just buy cooked chicken strips in the frozen foods section, cook up about 12 ounces of penne pasta, a 15 oz jar of alfredo sauce, and a half cup of shredded romano cheese. Mix the sauce and pasta, place in a 8″x8″ baking dish, layer on 1 cup of diced green chiles then the chicken then the shredded romano cheese, and bake at 350 degrees for about a half hour. That’s about 2 lbs and the Costco Chicken Alfredo runs about 4 lbs.
2 cups diced green chiles (either mild or hot are good)
1 cup shredded parmesan / romano blend cheese
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Remove the chicken from the top of the tray of Chicken Alfredo and set aside.
Spread the green chiles over the top of the noodles/alfredo mixture. You may prefer to mix the chiles in with the noodles.
Note: I prefer to spread the noodle/alfredo mixture in a baking dish. For the entire tray, a 9"x13" dish is good. In the photo, you see a single serving in its own 2-cup oven-proof baking dish. I fill each about half full, so each serving is about a cup. This way I can serve it in the dish it's baked in, which also keeps it warm very nicely.
Top the noodle/alfredo/green chile mixture with the chicken and the spread half the grated cheese evenly on top.
Cover with foil (or the lid if there is one) and bake for about 40 minutes (per directions on the Costco tray lid) or 20 minutes for the small baking dishes.
Remove from oven, take off the foil, sprinkle remaining cheese on top and bake for 10 more minutes or until cheese is nicely melted.
I’ve been buying Costco’s Chicken Alfredo for years … particularly when it goes on sale. It’s $3 off this month through August 8. It’s in the Costco prepared food section right next to their rotisserie chickens. I was about to pop it in the oven again this week, and it hit me just how good green chiles would be in it. Duh!! And it was even better than I expected. Basically, I just added diced green chiles and extra grated parmesan cheese and it’s instantly transformed into a more elegant dish.
