Galaxy Nachos (p. 46)

Roast Beef's Galaxy Nachos are one of the only recipes in this book actually mentioned in the comic strip. Beef makes them for the guys at several get-togethers (Ray's weekly parties, watching Braveheart, etc). They seem to be really popular, especially in situations where there is beer to be consumed. Would this popularity translate from the 2D world to the very 3-dimensional Los Angeles? In short, yes.
The recipe is pretty laid back- it doesn't list amounts for ingredients (insisting that you should just use your common sense) and the last ingredient is essentially, "anything else you think would be good." This is very in character for Roast Beef. Even when he knows he's got a good thing, he doesn't want to force anyone to do it his way because, you know, their way is probably better. No need to speak up or force anyone to do anything. This is probably the same reason I haven't written any cookbooks (or recipes, for that matter)- I have a hard time convincing myself that other people will like what I do (incidentally, this is a big reason why this blog has had so much down time in the past). Whoa, what is this? A cookbook discussion or a personal therapy session. Can it be both? Is this even possible? I'd better get a team of researchers on that right away.

We had a couple of friends over this weekend, and we bought a bag of tortilla chips. They showed up with their own bag of tortilla chips, and we ended up with a surplus. Galaxy nachos were both a dinner and a solution to a problem. So, I proceeded with the baking, as instructed. You pre-bake the chips, which makes a huge difference. They stay crunchy and have a nice toasty flavor. In the past, I've made nachos just by alternating layers of chips and cheese and microwaving it. This is a method I would qualify as "edible" (in a, "look at me, I'm in College!" kind of way). Galaxy nachos were like something you'd get at a restaurant. Maybe not Rick Bayless' place, but a Sharky's or high end bar at the very least. I did have one issue. The cheese didn't melt the way it was supposed to. Of course, I screwed up and put it on top of the beans, where the recipe called for the cheese to go on first. It didn't matter, the taste was there. The only thing I added was some sour cream (I love the cool, smoothness of sour cream on a hot, spicy dish) and we had a bowl of guacamole on the side. I cracked a beer and it made for a nice, relaxing dinner.

I can totally see making this again. Maybe when I'm having some of the guys over (this almost never happens) or we need to bring a dish to a party (this happens more frequently). It would be a nice addition to one of our movie nights, as well (hmm, haven't had one of those in a while). Heck, I'll probably just make them for dinner again sometime. If I make too many, no worries, the recipe provides convenient instructions on what to do with leftovers (throw them out). Ok, I'm out (for now). Be sure to check back later this evening, as I may have another post up (every other sentence in this paragraph has a parenthetical, so now this one does, too).

Cheers,
Eli