Foodie Friday: Another Way to Use Cuban Black Beans

I have shared my Grandmother-In-Law's recipe for Cuban Black Beans. It's so full of flavor and very inexpensive. I make a full pot of them about once a month, freeze into smaller portions, and serve as meals over chicken and rice or as a side dish. This recipe is not quite the same as other Cuban Black Beans, as the sauce is thicker... so yummy!

Sundays can be pretty busy, so it's one day of the week that I don't love spending in the kitchen. We usually go out for lunch after church, but dinner is not always planned so well. We're trying to be more dilligent on our journey to become debt-free, and we found that Sunday night meals are an area that I can be more deliberate about preparing. Again, it needs to be simple.

A few weeks ago, I used one of the black bean portions to make nachos. It was a super easy meal on a Sunday night.

Money saved? Check.

Time saved? Check.

Good food? Oh, yes!

Here's my basic recipe. We added some shredded chicken that was leftover from lunch. Have a little extra steak or grilled chicken? This is a great time to use it!

Cuban Black Bean Nachos

Yield: 3-4 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 cups Cuban Black Beans, thawed

Your favorite tortilla chips*

1 cup shredded cheese (monterrey jack, cheddar, jack all work great)

1/2-1 cup cooked chicken (we had some leftover from lunch, so we added it)

Toppings

Shredded lettuce (choose something with nutrients)

Chopped tomatoes

Chopped onion

Sour cream

Salsa

Other ideas for toppings: cilantro, jalepeños, black olives, green peppers, cucumbers

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350° F. 

Warm Cuban Black Beans in small saucepan. 

Prepare cheese and other toppings.

Spread tortilla chips on cookie sheet, in a single layer.

Spread a heaping tablespoon of black beans on each chip (don't be exact, just pile it on top) and sprinkle with cheese. Add any other meat toppings at this point, as well. If you want a milder onion flavor, add these now. The heat will mellow out the onion.

Bake in oven for 5-7 minutes, until cheese is melted and corners of chips are beginning to toast.

Serve nachos with all your favorite toppings!

*Have stale tortilla chips? Do NOT throw them away! Before making nachos, spread them on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Toast in the oven at 350° F for about 3-5 minutes. You'll start smelling the corn and will be golden brown around the edges.

 

Do you have a dish or recipe that can be converted into many different ways? I'd love to hear your ideas!