Since this month is March Madness I thought you might be interested in some fun, and not to mention delicious, party food recipes from Betty Crocker!
The second annual Betty Bracket, presented by Betty Crocker and sports-loving actor and popular TV personality Mario Lopez, is all about the Battle of the Beer Party Foods. So 16 beer-infused party food recipes have been created to celebrate all of the excitement surrounding the college basketball tournament. Why beer? Because cooking with beer is a huge trend in the world of food right now! I hear this is Mario’s favorite beer recipe, so I of course had to feature it – you know Mario and I go WAY back. 😉
Here are some interesting tips about cooking with beer:
- Beer has a tenderizing effect and is a perfect matchup for meat-based recipes
- Beer helps keep baked good moist and fresh, while adding a little extra puff
- The beer flavors will be enhanced in those recipes with a longer cooking time
- Craft beers are ideal as a cooking ingredient due to the quality and variety of flavors available
Mario with his favorite cooking assistant – Julio Cesar Chavez Lopez!
Here’s the recipe for Mario’s favorite Beer Queso Nachos! It can actually be extremely frugal to prepare!
Ingredients:
- 8 cups tortilla chips
- 1/2 cup lager beer, such as a Boston lager
- 2 cups shredded American cheese (8 oz)
- 1 cup shredded mild Cheddar cheese (4 oz)
- 1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso chopped green chiles, drained
- 1 can (15 oz) Progresso black beans, drained, rinsed
- 1/2 cup Old El Paso Thick ‘n Chunky salsa
- 1 medium avocado, pitted, peeled and chopped
- 1 medium tomato, seeded, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Directions:
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- Line large cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper. Arrange tortilla chips on cookie sheet. Bake 5 minutes to warm chips.
- Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, heat beer over medium heat until just starting to simmer. Slowly add the cheeses in small amounts, stirring constantly with whisk, until melted. Stir in chiles.
- In medium bowl, mix beans and salsa. Microwave uncovered on High 2 to 3 minutes or until hot.
- To serve, pour half of the cheese sauce over warm chips; top with half of the bean mixture. Top with remaining cheese mixture and remaining bean mixture. Serve with remaining ingredients.
Don’t forget to check out the rest of the delicious beer infused recipes and vote for your favorite recipe to win the second annual Betty Bracket!
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