Spicy Nacho Bake

  

Once in a while you come across a recipe that is a winner.  You make it, you tweak it to fit your taste, and bam, it becomes a staple in the home.  It becomes "your" recipe. It is good and you know it.  So you make it for your friends and for family party's.  Before you know it every time you need to make something for any get together everyone asks you about that one dish that is so good.  Well this is one of those recipes.  I found this one in the Taste of Home magazine. I love to try out different things and so it began... my "Nacho Bake",  well sort of mine. This is one of those things.  I am sharing it with you and it is bitter sweet, because I know it is not really my recipe but I have made it mine and I want to share the goodness.  So I will tell you how the original recipe goes and then I will tell you the changes I made which there are not many.

30 ServingsPrep: 1 hour Bake: 20 min.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 2 large green peppers, chopped
• 2 cans (28 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 cans (16 ounces each) hot chili beans, undrained
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cans (11 ounces each) whole kernel corn, drained
• 2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce
• 2 envelopes taco seasoning
• 2 packages (13 ounces each) spicy nacho tortilla chips
• 4 cups (16 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

• In a Dutch oven, cook the beef, onions and green peppers over medium
• heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomatoes,
• beans, corn, tomato sauce and taco seasoning. Bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes (mixture will be
• thin).
• In each of two greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dishes, layer 5 cups of
• chips and 4-2/3 cups of meat mixture. Repeat layers. Top each with 4
• cups of chips and 2 cups of cheese.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
• Yield: 2 casseroles (15 servings each). © Taste of Home 2011

OK ,you got that? Now let me tell you how I do it.  First of all I don't have a dutch oven and so I just use a large pot. If you are cooking for a crowd then you can make it in the amount that is written above but if your just making it for your family then cut the measurements in half. I some times cook it all and freeze half of it for later.  The next thing is I don't use spicy chips just Tortilla chips, the spicy ones seem to get to soggy. Al ways save some extra chips to put on the table for some extra crunch and some chill taco sauce to place on the table to add to the sauciness.  I like to have sour cream, taco sauce, and avocados on the table to add to your plate as you serve it up. Enjoy the Goodness.