Pioneer Woman Nacho Casserole Recipes

COWBOY NACHOS

Steps:

• Heat up the Pinto Beans and doctor them to your desired "temperature," adding some ground black pepper, Tabasco sauce, minced garlic and jalapenos if using. Make them as spicy or mild as you like.
• Preheat the broiler.
• In a very hot skillet, add a bit of canola oil and the Braised Beef Brisket. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, and then flip and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Next, pour some of the red sauce over the meat to make it nice and moist. If you have them, also add a bit of the pan drippings from the brisket-cooking process (or a bit of beef broth--again just enough to bring the meat to a nice moist consistency). Stir to combine and remove from the heat.
• To assemble: In a heatproof dish, layer half of the tortilla chips, beans, brisket, cheese and Pico de Gallo. Repeat the layers but leave off the second layer of Pico de Gallo until after the dish is cooked.
• Place on the middle or bottom rack of your oven and broil until the cheese is melted. Watch closely so they don't burn. Sprinkle the remaining Pico de Gallo over the top before serving.
• Inhale, exhale and then ravenously consume!
• Rinse the beans in cool water; pour into a pot and cover with water by 2 to 3 inches. Cut the bacon into large pieces and add to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cover. Simmer until the beans are tender, about 2 hours, adding water to the pot as needed. (The beans should have a thick broth.)
• Toward the end of the cooking time, add 1 teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons pepper. Check the seasoning before serving, and add more salt and pepper if desired. Don't over-salt.
• Combine the beef consomme, soy sauce, lemon juice, liquid smoke and garlic in a large roasting pan (a disposable is just fine). Place the brisket in the marinade, fat-side up. Cover tightly with foil. Marinate in the refrigerator for 24 to 48 hours.
• When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Cook the brisket in the foil-covered pan until fork-tender, about 40 minutes per pound (6 to 7 hours). Transfer to a cutting board, slice against the grain and put the slices back into the cooking liquid. Serve immediately, spooning the juice over the slices.
• You may store the pan in the fridge for up to 2 days, or freeze for use at a later date. If fat collects and hardens at the top, remove and discard.
• Chop the tomatoes, jalapenos and onions into a very small dice. (Leave the seeds in your jalapenos for a hotter pico.) Adjust the amount of jalapenos to your preferred temperature.
• Next, chop up a nice-sized bunch of cilantro. Just remove and discard the long leafless stems before chopping. No need to remove the leaves from the stems completely.
• Put the tomatoes, jalapenos, onions and cilantro together in a bowl and give it a good stir. Squeeze the juice of the lime half into the bowl. Add salt to taste and stir again.

MEXICAN TORTILLA CASSEROLE

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the tomatoes, onion and garlic, stir and cook for a minute or two to soften the onion. Add 2 teaspoons of the chili powder, 1 teaspoon of the paprika and 1 teaspoon of the cumin. Stir and cook the mixture for another minute or two to release the flavors of the spices. Remove the mixture to a bowl and set aside.
• In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the chicken along with the remaining 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon cumin and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Saute the chicken until it's deep golden brown and done in the middle, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add 1 cup water and stir to make a sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook until it's reduced by half, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the beans and set aside.
• To assemble the casserole, pour half a jar (about 1 cup) of salsa verde into the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish or disposable foil baking pan. Add a layer of half the tortillas on top of the salsa verde, overlapping the edges. Spoon the rice over the tortillas, spread the tomato mixture over the rice, then sprinkle the corn over the tomatoes. Next, add the chicken and bean mixture, then sprinkle on half the cheese and pour over half the enchilada sauce. Next, add the rest of the tortillas, then pour on the rest of the salsa verde and the rest of the enchilada sauce and sprinkle on the rest of the cheese.
• If you're baking the casserole right away, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and bake, covered with foil, for 20 minutes. Then remove the foil and continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Serve with sour cream and cilantro.
• Find this recipe and more in Ree's new book, The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime ($30, William Morrow Cookbooks).

NACHOS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Lay the whole tortilla chips in an ovenproof dish. Sprinkle over the cheese, add jalapeno slices of using and repeat the process until you have 3 layers. Bake until the cheese has melted.