Roasted Turkey Breast - any day of the week.

(Uncooked split-turkey breast ready to go into the oven.)

What a wonderful surprise to find a small, fresh split-turkey breast in my supermarket. This special find fulfilled my goal of purchasing poultry that fits my criteria: Humanely Raised; Vegetarian Fed; No Antibiotics; No Growth Hormones. Thank you, Plainville Farms. www.plainvillefarms.com Check out their website or on Facebook.

The simplicity of my recipe for roasting the fresh split-turkey breast on a bed of cut veggies made up of carrots, celery and onions creates a magical sauce in the bottom of the roasting pan. The flavor dripping off of the cooking turkey into the vegetables under and around the turkey breast makes a gravey that is sweet and light in texture and flavor.
If you want to enhance and thicken this gravey, just add flour mixed in some cold water, add it to the gravey in a small saucepan, heat and stir until the gravy is your style. That's it. All done.

(Cooked split-breast turkey breast)

Preparation time before cooking is about 15 minutes.

Cooking time about one hour and forty-five minutes, depending on oven temperature accuracy and size of the turkey breast. The size of this split-turkey breast is 2.58 ounces and will serve six to eight people if serving about 4 ounces per person. (or cook and freeze small portions for fewer numbers of people eating.)
Test for doneness: A meat thermometer should read 170-175 degrees F. or
until juices flow clearly with a prick into the turkey breast meat.
During the cooking process, if you check the turkey breast and see that it is browning on top, cover lightly with a piece of aluminum foil to prevent further browning and drying out.
If you notice the vegetables have very little water around them, just add a bit more for the duration of the cooking process.

Ingredients:
Carrots, 2 medium, peeled and sliced
Celery, 1 stalk, peeled and sliced
Onion, 1/2 sweet onion, sliced
Split-turkey Breast
Salt, 1 teaspoon
Black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon, crushed
Paprika, 1 teaspoon
Olive oil, 1/4 cup dripped over the turkey breast
Water, 1/4 cup cold

Preparation:
Have oven rack in the center of the oven
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Wash and pat dry the turkey breast
Wash and dry carrots and celery. Peel and slice
Peel and slice the onion
Put all uncooked vegetables in the bottom of a roasting pan
Put the turkey breast on top of the uncooked veggies
Sprinkle salt, pepper and paprika on top of the uncooked turkey breast
Drip olive oil on top of the turkey breast
Add water around the vegetables in the roasting pan
Put the roasting pan with the uncooked turkey breast and vegetables into the oven on the center rack placement.
Roast the split-turkey breast until done.

Take the roasting pan out of the oven, cover the turkey breast with some aluminum foil and let stand without cutting for about 15 minutes to let all the juices remain in the turkey breast, leaving each slice moist and flavorful.

Calories, Carbs and Fats Repost from Tips and Tricks for the Everyday Cook

Important Nutrition Info and Why you should read food labels.
Posting this link from the foodblog Tips and Tricks for the Everyday Cook.
Vegetable picture from mentioned blog as well as my own Fruit photo from this blog.
Appreciate all the research that went into this informational nutritional post: please take a moment to view the following link:

The Souper

http://tricksforcooking.wordpress.com/2011/05/06/nutritionlabe/

19

Guacamole - Homemade

Ingredients for Guacamole

















My personal favorite recipe is from Williams-Sonoma's Recipe posted below. Give homemade guacamole a try...you won't be disappointed in the quality of flavor from making it fresh.

Note: If you own a Molcajete (a mortar and pestle carved from volcanic rock)then prepare homemade guacamole the authentic way. If not, a bowl with a fork to mash the ingredients together works just fine. Do not be intimidated in preparing this fresh recipe.

Note: When slicing or chopping chilies, use a plastic glove or gloves to prevent oil from the chilies staying on your hands. The oil is very irritating if you touch your eyes with oil from the chilies on them. If you are not wearing gloves during the cutting of the chilies, be sure to wash your hands immediately with warm soapy water to remove the irritating oils from your hands.

Hint: a ripe avocado is slightly soft to the touch. Not too mushy soft.

My recipe makes two cups of fresh guacamole.

Ingredients:
1 ripe tomato, finely chopped
2 Tbs. finely minced white onion
2 Serrano chilies, finly chopped
1 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. sea salt or Kosher Salt, plus more as needed
2 large avocados, preferabley Haas brand.
2 Tbs. finely minced fresh cilantro or fresh parsley if you do not care for the taste of cilantro.

Garnish on prepared, fresh guacamole:
1 Tbs. small fresh cilantro or fresh parsley leaves
1 Tbs. finely chopped white onion
1 Tbs. finely chopped tomato

Directions to prepare fresh guacamole:
Put the tomato, onion, chilies, lime juice and 1/2 tsp. salt into a molcajete or small bowl, and mash with a pestle or fork to a coarse paste. There should be little bits or chunks in this mixture, not creamy smooth consistancy.
Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits and scoop out the flesh of the avocado into the tomato mixture.
Add the minced cilantro or parsley and mash into the tomato mixture, leaving the mixture a bit lumpy.
Taste this mixture and add more salt if you think it will make the flavor better, more balanced.

Keep at room temperature for up to an hour before serving, covering with clear plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the prepared guacamole.
If refrigerating for up to three hours before serving, do not add the cilantro or parsley until just before serving the guacamole. Keep the plastic wrap on the guacamole as mentioned above when keeping the prepared guacamole in the refrigerator.

Raspberry Lemon Muffins

Picture and Recipe from Lemon Drop Foodblog
Posted by Linda @ Lemon Drop
http://lemondropsfoodie.blogspot.com/2011/04/raspberry-lemon-muffins.html?showComment=1303308411354#c6473407120005969861
This recipe comes from Leila Lindholm’s cookbook A Piece Of Cake.

NOTE: most of the recipe ingredients are measured in grams
so haul out your kitchen scale and get baking!

This recipe made exactly 12 glorious, golden muffins.

WHAT YOU NEED

100g unsalted butter, melted
200ml milk ( I used 2%)
zest of 1 lemon
2 organic eggs at room temperature
150g granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla sugar
240g all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
a pinch of salt
36 fresh, cleaned raspberries

MAKE IT

Line muffin tin with 12 liners
Preheat oven to 350 F.
In Medium Bowl, combine melted butter, milk and lemon zest.
In Separate Large Bowl, with electric mixer, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla 2-3 minutes MED speed
Blend butter mixture into egg mixture.
Sift together remaining dry ingredients and fold into batter with a spatula. DO NOT OVER-MIX
Stir the butter mixture into the egg mix. Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt and carefully fold into the mixture.
Add 1/2 batter to each muffin cup.
Top with 3 raspberries
Cover with batter so muffins nearly reach the top of the liner.
Bake 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean
Cool on wire rack for 20 minutes.

Caramelized Chocolate Covered Matzah

Thank you Gabby (Food Chowdown Blog)for this inspiring Passover photo and recipe. Can't wait to prepare this treat for those celebrating the holiday of Passover.

Note: If preparing this recipe for those strictly observing the dietary regulations for "Kosher For Passover", please use only ingredients marked "Kosher For Passover." All can be found in most supermarkets.

Note: Omit any nuts if preparing a nut-free treat. Or, choose one nut choice for a topping to enhance this recipe.

Also check out how David Lebowitz makes a similar recipe by adding vanilla and toasted almonds, says Gabby on her blog. This will give you choices on the way you would like to make this recipe for pleasing your tastebuds.

Now here are various ways of spelling the name of this unleavened bread:
singular: matzo, matzoh, matza or matzah
plural: matzos , matzohs , matzas, matzahs or matzoth

Ingredients:

■3-4 boards matzoh
■3/4 cup margarine or butter
■1/2 cup brown sugar
■1-1/2 cups semisweet or dark chocolate chips
■1 cup chopped walnuts, hazelnuts or pecans (optional)
■1/4 tsp. kosher salt or sea salt

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Spray with cooking spray.
2.Spread the matzohs in the pan in a single layer, breaking them to fit if necessary.
3.Heat the butter or margarine and brown sugar in a medium saucepan to a boil. Pour evenly over matzoh, spreading with a knife to make sure the matzoh is well covered.
4.Bake 10-15 minutes, until the caramel is a golden brown. Turn off the oven, and remove the matzoh.
5.Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the matzoh. Return the matzoh to the oven. Let it sit in the warm (turned off) oven for 2 minutes. Remove and spread the chocolate evenly with the back of a flat spatula or a knife.
6.Top with nuts, if using. Sprinkle with kosher salt.

Fresh Fruit with Lime

Spring is here in the Northeast and the colorful fruit and berries are coming into the markets. My eyes are attracted to bright colors and my mouth waters anticipating the burst of flavor from my favorite fruits and berries. This is a very happy pick-me-up fruit salad and so full of nutrients and vitamins. You can't help but smile when you are eating healthy like this :)

Here is my favorite antioxident fruit salad, inspired by Nigella Lawson's version which included pomegranate seeds.

Fruits in my fruit salad: wash and gently dry all fresh berries first.

One pint of fresh strawberries, sliced
One fresh mango, cut into small pieces
One pint of fresh blueberries
One half fresh lime

Put all the cut fruit and berries into a serving bowl.
Squeeze the fresh lime juice all over the cut fruit and berries.
Gently mix all the fruit and berries together to distribute the lime juice.

Serve the fresh fruit salad into your favorite dessert bowls.

The Souper

Asparagus with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Tomatoes

Picture and Recipe by Christina at: http://thiswomancooks.blogspot.com/2011/03/asparagus-with-goat-cheese-and-balsamic.html?showComment=1300972710655#c6798529586695196712

Excited about this healthy, colorful meal.

Christina posted this recipe at her blog: Source: Cooking Light

1 pound asparagus, trimmed
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups halved grape tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Cook asparagus in boiling water 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes and garlic; cook 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar; cook 3 minutes. Stir in salt. Arrange asparagus on a platter; top with tomato mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and pepper.

The Souper

Home Economics 101 - Save Money, Greater Quantity and Impressive Flavor

Bowl of Chicken Soup - picture by Shannon at "Cooking With Friends" foodblog

Above is a picture of a bowl of Chicken Soup. I chose this picture to share with you as I compare the cost of preparing homemade chicken soup with purchasing restaurant/supermarket prices for pick-up and carry-out prepared chicken soup. I base my comparison prices on one quart size of chicken soup purchased with my one gallon of homemade chicken soup. The results are below, but first here is why I chose to blog about chicken soup for my first "Home Economics 101" entry:

How silly I felt finding myself without chicken soup in my freezer when I needed it ASAP. It has been an extremely long, cold and dreary winter here in the North East. Colds and viruses are quietly spreading from relatives and close friends as well as strangers in the market places. Ugh. Washing hands, covering nose and mouth when sneezing and coughing sometimes is not enough to keep those pesky germs away.

Finding myself with repeated colds and viruses, all I wanted to bathe my raw throat was a steaming bowl of chicken soup. To my disappointment, my freezer was bare!!! No supply of chicken soup to quickly defrost. I am "The Souper" How embarassing for me. When I needed my comfort food it was not there!

Temporarily, prepared take-out chicken soup from a high-end supermarket was a substitute for my precious liquid remedy - homemade chicken soup. Consuming quarts of the ready-made chicken soup was costly. As soon as I felt up to it, I gathered my fresh ingredients (chicken, carrots, celery and onions), put them in a large pot with cold water, and in about one and a half hours feasted on the best homemade chicken soup. The clear richness of this liquid was a true testimonial to quality-cooking at home. This is my go-to remedy for soothing a scratchy throat, opening-up stuffed sinuses, and taking away the chills running through my shivering body. Let the healing begin :)

Cost break-down on Chicken Soup Purchased vs Homemade:
One Quart Restaurant Take-out: $13.00 (about two large bowls)
One Quart Supermarket Take-away: $7.99 (about two large bowls)
One Gallon Homemade: $10.98 (about eight large bowls)
(homemade based on fresh chicken parts of mixed chicken breasts & legs; four large carrots, one large celery stalk, one large onion and water.)

Here is the link to my Chicken Soup Recipe:

http://prep2eat.blogspot.com/2010/09/chicken-soup-fresh-way.html

Fresh Tomato Sauce - Quick and Flavorful

The simplicity of preparing fresh tomato sauce amazes me. This magical creation comes together in a very short time. In approximately fifteen minutes, pasta with vegetables is on my dinner plate, ready to comfort me and my tastebuds.
Knowing that once a large pot of water comes to an active boil, pasta usually takes about eight minutes to cook. At the same time, cooking chopped vegetables and adding a few more ingredients turns into a sauce for my pasta.
It is only minutes for my fork to be twirling around in the pasta in my fresh tomato sauce.
Being prepared to cook is the secret for enjoying the process of creating fresh, delicious food in minutes.

What you will need for preparing this recipe:
Large pot with matching lid
Large frying pan
Chopping board
Kitchen knife
Wooden spoon
Large slotted spoon
Measuring spoons
Pot holders
Can opener
Large serving bowl
Large serving spoons

Ingredients:
Cold water to fill the large pot about 3/4 full
Olive Oil, regular not extra virgin. About 3-4 tablespoons.
Onion, one small or half of a large onion
Garlic, 3 cloves chopped
Peppers, one green or red pepper cut into small pieces. (Assorted colors make a nice presentation.)
Zucchini, one small size cut into small pieces
Cherry tomatoes, one cup or more, washed and cut in halves.
Tomato paste from a tube, 3-4 squirts from the tube
Canned tomatoes with no salt, 28 oz. size
Pasta, one pound box of personal choice variety
Kosher salt, 1-2 teaspoons
Sugar, 1-2 teaspoons, determined by personal taste.
Dried herbs, one teaspoon or less of any of the following:
Oregano, basil, tarragon
Red pepper flakes, 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoons depending on personal taste.
Optional: chopped fresh parsley for garnish.

Fill the large pot with cold water and put the cover on the pot.
Put the covered pot of water on stove burner and turn heat up to medium-high.
Wash and cut all vegetables.
Open the can of tomatoes.
Have all dry herbs available to measure.
Put the large frying pan on another stove burner and put the olive oil in the pan. Turn stove burner up to medium-high. In a minute when olive oil is heated, add chopped onions and stir around with the wooden spoon.
Add some of the Kosher salt to the cooking onions to help release their moisture and keep stirring.
Add the chopped garlic and all the chopped vegetables. Keep stirring the mixture.
When the vegetables look softer after a few minutes, add the tomato paste and keep stirring with the wooden spoon for another minute.
Add the canned tomatoes and keep stirring the sauce. At this time add some cold water to half of this can and add to the cooking sauce.
Add the dried herbs, more Kosher salt and sugar. Keep stirring the sauce.
Turn the heat under the sauce pan to low heat.
Carefully taste the sauce and adjust seasonings with more salt or sugar (canned tomatoes may have an acid taste.)

When the pot of water has large bubbles, add the box of pasta and stir with the slotted spoon.
Cook pasta for about eight minutes, taste a cooled piece of pasta for a bit of firmness. If soft, but still firm in middle, transfer the pasta from the pot by spoonfuls and put into the fry pan of tomato sauce still cooking on low heat.
The liquid from the cooked pasta will thicken the tomato sauce. (Always put pasta into sauce, not sauce over pasta say the experts.)
Depending on the amount of prepared sauce and amount of pasta, you have an option to add a bit more of the water from the large pot that the pasta cooked in to thicken the tomato sauce even more. It is a personal choice for the thickness of the sauce.
Gently blend the pasta into the tomato sauce carefully to not break the pasta.
Transfer the mixed pasta and tomato sauce to a large serving bowl to bring to your dinner table.

Serving Options:
Grated cheese of choice can be added to your sauce at serving time. Or, have grated cheese in a bowl on the dinner table for individuals to add on their own plates.
Fresh, chopped Parsley spinkled on top of the Fresh Tomato Sauce gives a truly clean, fresh look to your sauce creation.
A drizzle of Olive Oil on top of your pasta adds more flavor.
You will experience a smooth, burst of flavor in your mouth from the freshness of this dish.

Color Your World - the Spicy Way

Here in the Northeast with blustering winds and pristine white snowdrifts, eventually turning into ruddy mounds of grayish, granular ice blocks, I have fond memories of my herbal garden. Without seasonal fresh herbs to enhance my homecooked meals to come alive, I turn to my winter friends.

Chilly winter months have me craving warm, hearty meals. This is when I enter my Spice World. Vibrant colors and flavors heat up my culinary visions, inspiring me to crank-up my creations in the kitchen. Soups and stews emerge into pure comfort for my aching tastebuds. The visual depth of colors in my Spice World transport their flavors throughout my culinary endeavors and into an embrace of warmth.

Get to know your friends in your Spice World. Spice-up your winter months.

The Souper

Couscous or Quinoa - Question of the day (repost)

Do you know the answer to this question of the day?

I am so pleased to have the answer to the culinary question of what to serve as a side dish besides rice, pasta or potatoes. The answer for me is both couscous and quinoa. Both are easy and fast to prepare. Both are easy to up the nutrition with added veggies. Both make a colorful addition to my dinner plate. This makes me very happy. Nice to know I can offer a glutenfree choice to family and friends with quinoa also.

I prefer to use Couscous Grande or Israeli Couscous found in supermarkets usually in the aisle with rice and pastas. These two variations of couscous are little tiny round balls of pasta. Follow cooking instructions on the package. It cooks up within a few minutes. This is a go-to carb when you don't know what to serve with your meal of chicken, meat or fish.

Sauteeing veggies of choice in regular olive oil with garlic and onions enhances the couscous dish as well as stretches the number of servings. Make extra for another meal the next day. Cook once, eat twice!

Quinoa is so easy to prepare and so healthy for you. Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is also found in supermarkets in the aisle with rice and pastas. Follow the cooking instructions on the package. It will say give a quick rinse of this small grain first. Again, very easy to do. Serve as is after fluffing up when cooked, like rice. Add sauteed veggies for added flavor, color and nutrients as you would with a rice dish or a couscous dish.

Enjoy

A Good Chip - my secret ingredient

I am thrilled to include a good-tasting product to compliment my soups or appetizers. I am not being paid to promote Food Should Taste Good products. Just wanted to share with you and give a mention to a quality product that never disappoints me. With many flavors to choose from I find the Multi-Grain is my favorite. The list of healthy ingredients is incredible and all their chips are gluten-free. The size of the chips, the firmness and the crunch-factor make these chips so versatile.

Along with a bowl of my Chill Buster Soup aka My Veggie Soup, I enjoy crunching-up a handful of the Multi-Grain chips into my steaming bowl of spicy soup. This is a perfect match for my tastebuds. A handy mix-in when cheese is not available or small pasta is not cooked and ready to add into the bowl of soup. I always have a bag or two of these chips to snack on or dip into salsa, hummus or top with a small piece of good cheese.

The packaging alone speaks about how this company cares about their product. Check out the list of their ingredients and charities they support. I feel satisfied when I purchase a bag, or several, of Food Should Taste Good chips because they are a local company here in MA and give back to causes via their support. Bravo.

Here is the link to their website: http://www.foodshouldtastegood.com/#/home/
Friend them on Facebook, sign-up for coupons.

Let me know when you have tried one flavor of Food Should Taste Good chips

The Souper

Roasted Party Dip

My tastebuds came alive when this creamy roasted party dip made an entrance onto my palate. My eyes sparkled with delight from experiencing new combinations of flavor. Scooping up more of this dip with cut veggies and assorted crackers, my mind was racing about with ideas of how many people I could impress with this easy-to-prepare party dip. I could easily purchase all of the ingredients and mix them all together. That is easy entertaining with no fuss.

Purchase from your market:
Roasted red peppers
Roasted eggplant
Hummus of choice
Goat cheese

What you will need:
Kitchen knife
Large spoon
Cutting board
Serving bowl

Preparation of dip:
Cut red peppers and eggplant into small pieces
Break goat cheese into small pieces
Put hummus into serving bowl
Add cut veggies and goat cheese into hummus and stir.
Option: puree all the ingreditents for a finer dip.

Serving suggestions:
Cut fresh veggies of choice on a plate for dipping.
Have an assortment of crackers or tortilla chips for dipping.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

When I smell these cookies baking in my home my mind wanders back to memories of a tummy-warming breakfast of oatmeal as well as my love for a chocolate bar. Two favorite flavors in this hearty cookie recipe.
My first bite into a warm, just-out-of-the-oven cookie 'cause I can't wait until they cool down has me saying "Mmmmmm". An old fashioned cookie with a modern twist. Does it get any better than that? This recipe produces a firm, thick cookie with a softer center even when cooling process has been completed.
Try a batch to see the difference with this recipe. (my version of Quaker Oats Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies)These cookies vanish, right into your tummy.

What you will need:
1 cup (two sticks) margarine or butter (I use Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread in a tub)
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
½ cup white granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
1-1/2 cups all-purpose white flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
3 cups Quaker Oats uncooked (quick oats or old fashioned)
1 cup Nestles Chocolate Semi-sweet Chocolate Bits
Two large baking sheets
Parchment Paper
Spatula
Wooden spoon
Large mixing bowl
Medium mixing bowl
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Electric mixer (standing or hand-held)
Pot holders
Wire cooling racks
Large platter or plate for finished cookies

Prepare to bake cookies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together margarine (or butter) with sugars using an electric mixer until mixture is creamy.
Add eggs and vanilla into the above mixture and put mixer on beat rather than cream.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Using a wooden spoon, mix the dry ingredients together.
Add the mixed dry ingredients into the large mixing bowl with the creamy wet ingredients that was previously beaten together in the larger mixing bowl.
Use the wooden spoon to stir the dry ingredients into the creamy mixture thoroughly.
Stir in the uncooked oats and mix well with the wooden spoon.
Add the chocolate bits and stir into the above mixture.

Line the baking sheets with parchment paper and prepare to bake the cookies:
With a rounded tablespoon, drop the cookie dough onto the baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Cookie size is optional therefore more or less dough will determine the size of baked cookies. I use a very rounded tablespoon and do not press the cookie dough down once it is on the baking sheet. This will allow for a very rounded cookie that is soft in the middle.
Bake the cookie dough for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown
(Hint: for a softer middle, take the cookies out of the oven before they look browned and let them cool on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes to finish cooking.)
Continue the cooling process by putting the cookies onto a wire rack.

Finished cookies:
Depending on size, this recipe will make up to four dozen cookies.
Hint: Using the Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread (or margarine) allows the cookies to be firm on the bottom and top yet softer in the middle.
These cookies practically melt in your mouth.

Nachos - Easy Appetizer or Meal

Warm melted cheese gets my attention every time. It is like a fluid sensation coating my tongue and cheeks. The gooiness sticks to any choice of food enhancing flavors to the moon! Here is a tasty snack food transforming into complete meal with very little effort, right in front of your eyes. Comfort food all to yourself or share it with your best friends. Get ready for the compliments on your cooking skills. Only you will know how simple it is to create this homemade dish. Grab your favorite easy chair and watch some football with your comfort creation or put a baking dish full of Nachos on a buffet table and quietly watch your friends stuff their mouths with joy because you cooked.

The Souper

What you will need:
1 lb. block of fresh cheddar cheese
Tortilla chips of choice - two bags
Can of beans of choice - white, navy or red (optional)
Jar of favorite salsa
Guacamole - prepared from the market
Sour cream - purchased from the market
Large baking dish
Large bowl
Small serving bowls - three
A box grater
Pot holders

Preparation:
Preheat your oven to 400-425 degrees F.
Grate your cheese into a large bowl
(Optional)Open a can of beans - rinse with cold water and drain out the liquid
Open a bag of tortilla chips
Put salsa, guacamole and sour cream into small serving bowls

Create your Nachos:
In the large baking dish, put one layer of the tortilla chips
Cover the tortilla chips with some grated cheese
Cover the layer of grated cheese with some rinsed beans (optional)
Continue layering of tortilla chips, grated cheese and beans
Tope layer is grated cheese

Bake:
Put the full baking dish of Nachos into the preheated oven
Bake until the cheese is melted - about 10 minutes depending on your oven temp.
Remove the baking dish from the oven with pot holders

Serving:
Eat Nachos directly from the baking dish
Have individual serving dishes ready to put all the fixings for the Nachos - salsa, quacamole and sour cream.

Enjoy