Comida de TexMex

As Empty Nester's, I find it more difficult to cook for 2 than I did when we
had a full house. We love Mexican food! Who doesn’t? This is
what I decided to cook....we both wanted something cool, light, and
refreshing on a hot summer's day. The meal included Cowboy Nachos,
homemade guacamole, Pico de Gallo, chips and salsa, and ice cold
Mexican beer with lime.

Cowboy Nachos
I used left over smoked brisket for this recipe. If you plan to smoke a
brisket for the holiday...cook extra so you can enjoy Cowboy Nachos for
months to come. Brisket freezes very well and there are so many recipes
you can make with it during the year. Smoke 2 at a time....that's what we
do. The ONLY way to cook a brisket is by smoking it for many hours in
the smoker….trust me on this. I use hickory wood chips in the smoker and
cover the brisket with a heavy dusting of Cavender’s All Purpose Greek
Seasoning. This seasoning is simple and allows the beef flavor to stand out.

Nacho Chips – I prefer white or blue corn chips and lean toward the organic;
Trot Daddy prefers yellow corn.

Black Beans or Pinto Beans – your choice, but don’t forget to drain the
beans. No one wants soggy nachos.

Cheddar Cheese, grated

Pepper Jack Cheese, grated

Pico de Gallo, recipe follows

Brisket, smoked and chopped

1-can Enchilada Sauce

Guacamole, recipe follows

Place nacho chips into a baking dish; top with black beans (drained); top
with smoked brisket to which you have already added one can of enchilada
sauce and heated on the stove top - chop the brisket so it will fit the size of
your chips; top with grated cheddar and pepper Jack cheese; then sprinkle
with fresh Pico de Gallo minus the liquid…again no soggy nachos. The
Pico de Gallo adds a touch of freshness. I love fresh Pico de Gallo.....Yum!
I could eat it every day.....it's the chips that are the problem...if you know
what I mean…they head straight to the hips! Broil until cheese is bubbly.
Top each nacho with a spoon of Guacamole. We spread our nachos out so
they have a little crunch when you bite into them. (You could double stack
the nachos like the Pioneer Woman does, but we like single layer nachos
better. Thank you Pioneer Woman Blog for sharing your version of
Cowboy Nachos.)

Pico de Gallo

Go to your local farmer’s market and look for tomatoes that have an acidy
bite to them. You know what I mean, don’t you? You could use
the traditional Roma tomatoes; make sure they are ripe, but firm. Truthfully,
any ripe tomato will do. Also, another key ingredient, second only to ripe
tomatoes, is fresh cilantro. I love the smell of cilantro and how it adds that
extra freshness to any dish. Chop everything pretty small, not minced.
Pico only lasts one day….but you won’t have to worry about leftovers…they
will eat every bite! If you are going to use this recipe on your nachos and
in your guacamole, you might want to double the recipe.

5 Roma tomatoes, ripe, but firm

1 small onion

3 Jalapenos, no jar stuff!

Cilantro, a nice size amount

Lime Juice, ½ lime Use fresh only.

Salt; taste first, then salt lightly if needed. Don’t forget, your chips will
have salt on them.

Remember, Pico is all about the right balance of your ingredients.

Guacamole

Guacamole is one of those dishes that have a lot of variations. It seems
everyone has their own preference. To me it is all about the texture. While
some people like it smooth and creamy, my recipe makes a chunkier, fresher
tasting guacamole. But one thing is for sure, guacamole from the grocery
store sucks. Guacamole needs to be made fresh. I think you will enjoy my
recipe below. The process begins with selecting the perfect avocado.
The ingredients that make my guacamole unique are a dab of Mayo,
Serrano chilies, and jalapeno juice.

1 ripe tomato, finely chopped, not minced and watch your tomato juice

2 tbl. or more white onion, finely chopped, not minced

2 Serrano chilies, finely chopped, not minced

2 tbl. Finely chopped cilantro…or a little more!

1 tbl. Lime juice, fresh

If you don’t have enough vegetables, you could add some of your
Pico de Gallo.

2 – 3 large avocados

1 tbl. or less Mayo ….just a little dab for creaminess

Black pepper

½ tsp. salt….remember, your chips will be salty. Mine doesn’t usually
need the salt.

To adjust the consistency, I add jalapeno juice. Using a fork, mash all
ngredients together keeping the mixture very chunky. Don’t over mix.
Makes about 2 cups. Serve immediately, if possible. To keep at room
temperature for up to 1 hour, cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly
onto the surface.