No, she seems to have corn chips clearly in mind -- curious maize crisps from the Americas.

I'd say both the refried beans and a layer of the turkey chili atop the bean layer. Or somewhere in the middle anyway to moisten quite a few of the chips' parts that are towards the center of the dish.

Refrieds are absurdly simple, and while usually done with pinto beans, they could readily enough be done with any bean other than kidney. I think kidney beans refried would come off rather too strong, too -- not-refrieds. First, simmer beans until they are very tender and the bean water has gotten pretty full of bean carbohydrates and is thickening. Add 1-2 TBSP (30-60ml) of bacon dripping or lard, either works fine. It's done when the fat is melted and stirred in. Remove from heat and mash by hand or puree in blender. To prepare for eating, reheat gently. If you prefer, the fat may be added in the reheating. It's ready when the fat is melted, and you stir this in as above.

Guacamole from scratch is no harder and you don't have to light a burner. All you really need to ensure is that your avocados are the black, lumpy-skinned Haas variety, for this kind mushes up best into green avocado goop, and that they be ripe -- giving somewhat under your finger when pressed. If they're very soft, they're going overripe and make ugly looking guac. Some like to use either one of the bright green variety of avocado or a somewhat less ripe Haas for a bit of chunky texture mixed in with everything else. Your other ingredients are, and as fresh as you can get 'em: 1-2 large cloves of garlic for every two avocados, half a large shallot, one largeish jalapeno pepper, 1-2 limes, and one Roma tomato per batch of guac. Salt to taste. Guac can be fooled with quite a lot as far as quantities go; to make a batch bigger, just add more avocados and adjust your lime and salt. The lime juice keeps the guacamole from browning in the air.

If you need to ripen your avocados, stow them in a paper bag as you would ripen any other fruit, check daily for that somewhat yielding texture. You'll need a mixing bowl, a chefs' knife, a potato masher, a tablespoon, and a fork.

Halve your avocados with the chefs' knife, cutting all around the pit and periphery and unscrewing the two halves of each fruit. To remove the slippery hard smooth pit, thunk your knife edge into the pit and unscrew it out of the avocado half. Holding the knife's edge away from you over your kitchen wastebasket, put your hand on the blade's back and use thumb and forefinger to pinch the pit off the knife edge and into the wastebasket. Works a treat, and quite safe! With your avocados halved and pitted, use the spoon to scoop the green and yellow flesh out of the skin and into the mixing bowl.

Cut the limes into quarters suitable for squeezing. Peel and mince the garlic and the shallot, and mince the jalapeno, all very fine. Chop the tomato fairly fine. The garlic, shallot, jalapeno and tomato can all go in together, but first we mush up the avocados with the potato masher, which will likely reduce the avocados to a chunky paste. Now complete the job by mushing the avocados even smoother with the fork against the walls of the bowl. Add garlic, shallot, jalapeno and tomato, and mix in with the fork. Squeeze at least four of the quarters of lime into the mixture and stir in. Be prepared to use six quarters of lime or even more if it's a large batch, but taste test after four to see if it's citrusy enough. Sprinkle in a small palmful of salt, to taste. Your salting can vary quite a bit.

You can optionally garnish with chopped fresh cilantro, or stir some into the batch if everybody likes cilantro.

If you're in a hurry, you can substitute salsa cruda, which is minced-everything-but-the-avocados above, lime juice being optional but tasty. Bottled cooked salsa maybe not so great -- guacamole seems at its best with its ingredients all raw.

Once you've made your own guacamole, "guacamole dipping sauce" simply tastes feeble and vitiated. They keep cutting the stuff with mayonnaise or something... moderate feh!

When you've made guacamole from scratch thrice, you shall be the acknowledged master of guacamole for blocks around!

I draw the line at guacamole. Avocados are GROSS!

:greenface

Yes, I know I'm in the minority here. Buy no loathsome green squishy stuff will ever pass my lips.

Don't be so sure about that. I bet most people avoid that green crap.

Dunno. Most people give me "the look" when I tell them I hate avocados. Like, get me away from this crazy woman look!

I've never given so much thought to the proper layering of nachos.

Mostly when I make nachos at home, it's Tostitos brand tortilla chips (the round kind); and grated cheddar cheese on top. Nuke for 1 minute on half power, top with Pace picante sauce and sour cream if I want to be extra messy. That's it.

. . .

Excuse me, I have to go grocery shopping now!

Debating authenticity when it comes to nachos is kind of silly. As far as I know, nachos are a Tex-Mex invention; there is a lot of flexibility in interpretation.

I don't actually hate avocados but I don't like them. I want my fruit juicy, sweet, a little tart, but not oily.
Just my take.

Same here.

We could do a poll.

Not down here. Guacamole is a staple, and avocado slices are quite standard on sandwiches at any place better than a Subway... But I realize it's entirely a regional love.

yes, they're everywhere! Lurking in perfectly otherwise-palatable burgers, sandwiches, and salads. And nachos.

Our local chinese restaurant makes salmon fried rice with brown rice, topped with a sliced avocado - it's wonderful... I might have it for dinner...

so, I never did get a clarification, SG--are the nachos you're familiar with made with tortillas? (as opposed to tortilla chips?) Just curious, honest.

Oh, and nobody has mentioned the Anti-Nachos: those tough round things of a vaguely corn-like nature topped with orange hydrogenated vegetable oil, aka cheez soss, which abound at convenience stores and movie theaters.

Ick. Ook. and Gobbledygook!

Shop-bought Ceasar Dressing here has anchovies in it. They're just ground up really small.

Poor waitress was only trying to help. I would have had no idea about pronunciation or what to do before I moved here. Maybe she was new and keen to make a good impression and it never occurred to anyone to tell her the pronunciation. Or maybe she was joshing you and you just didn't get it. I hope you tipped well, bloody yankee tourists. :lol:

I was talking about tortilla chips (unsalted) because they are they easiest thing to get hold of here. When we go to the cinema we get the hard round things and are called nachos, but I wouldn't go out of my way to find them. No idea what you mean by the two different names but I'll use them correctly if you can explain the difference.

Anyway, all went well. If my camera was working I'd have taken a photo but I guess they would be messy to anyone without the ability to taste through the screen... Just a big ole pile of chips with molten cheese and chopped jalapenos from the outside. Inside the treasure of more cheese, chips, guacamole and chilli.

HM complimented me and thanked me on more than one occasion - I could tell he really enjoyed them. He also said he knew exactly what I meant about the poor excuse for loaded chips last week. Although he did say he was so hungry he wouldn't have noticed how bad they were until I said - I think this is a little bit of getting off the stick because he saw how much of a point I had... may be wrong. Anyway - feel all bloated now, but really really pleased I did it.

Then we watched Hot Fuzz. Heaven.

i bought that movie on your advice and was underwhelmed. jinx fell asleep to it twice that i know about.

Sad to here that. I can watch it again and again (and have done)
It's just so... sly :)

Cloud I think I know what you mean know - no, not the big soft floury tortillas, the small triangular chips. But they are often called nachos on the menu, hence my confusion.