Hawaiian Pulled Pork Nachos

Over the last couple of months we have been in a nacho phase.

We alternate between taco meat & refried beans or chicken & queso…with toppings of green onion, tomato etc.

Well last night I made the bad daddy of all nachos!!!

Huge Huge hit and can’t wait to have them again.
Seriously……these are wonderful!

A few notes:
I used pineapple chunks and cut them smaller to make my own ‘tidbits’
I did not make my own tortilla chips (I just used my favorite brand)
I did not make these in a skillet but instead made them my usual way (layer chips, meat, cheese on a sheet pan)
I did not smash the avocado but instead cut it into chunks. I also added diced fresh tomato (jalapeno/bell peppers would be good too)
I always, always put the fruit/veggies on AFTER heating the nachos and melting the cheese (We just seem to prefer fresh vs. baked fruit/veggies)

Hawaiian Pulled Pork Skillet Nachos With Pineapple Guacamole
Serves 3

Ingredients

For the Hawaiian Pulled Pork:

3-4lb pork butt, trimmed of large pieces of fat then cut in big hunks
garlic salt
15oz can chopped pineapple
1 cup BBQ sauce, divided (plus more for serving)
1 large red or sweet onion, sliced

For the Baked Tortilla Chips (could use 24 tortilla chips from a bag):
6 corn tortillas
extra virgin olive oil or nonstick spray
salt

For the Pineapple Guacamole:
2 avocados
1 garlic clove, minced
juice of 1/2 lime
1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro
1/4 cup pineapple tidbits, drained
salt

For the nachos:
4oz shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup pineapple tidbits, drained well
1/2 small red onion, chopped

Directions

Place pork into the bottom of a large crock pot then season generously with garlic salt on all sides. Add can of chopped pineapple including the juices, 1/2 cup BBQ sauce, and sliced onion. Mix slightly then cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours, or until meat shreds easily.

Shred then mix 2 cups pork with remaining 1/2 cup BBQ sauce (there will be extra pork – it freezes well!) Discard cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees then stack tortillas and cut them into quarters with a sharp knife. Place wedges onto two baking sheets leaving at least 1/4″ between each wedge. Spray tops with nonstick spray or mist with extra virgin oil then season with salt. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Chips will crisp as they cool. (Can be made ahead of time – cool completely then store in an airtight container.)

Layer half the chips into the bottom of a 12″ oven-proof skillet then top with half the pork, cheese, pineapple, and chopped red onion. Repeat layers one more time then bake for 7-10 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Alternatively you could use a baking sheet instead of a skillet.

While nachos are baking, combine avocados, garlic, lime juice, and salt in a bowl. Smash with a potato smasher or fork until desired consistency is reached. Fold in cilantro and pineapple tidbits. Serve Pineapple Guacamole with nachos, along with extra BBQ sauce for dipping.

Enjoy!

Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

Doesn’t get any better than that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chicken
Bacon
Ranch
YUM!!

This recipe is a keeper!

Note:
I doubled the recipe and made it in a 9 x 13″ dish.
Also screw the 4 (or 8 if doubling) strips of bacon….I put the whole 16 oz. in!!

Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

Ingredients

4 slices bacon, diced
2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon Ranch Seasoning and Salad Dressing Mix, or more, to taste
8 ounces rotini
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Alfredo Sauce
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup heavy cream, or more, to taste
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9×9 baking dish or coat with nonstick spray.

To make the alfredo sauce, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Gradually whisk in heavy cream. Cook, whisking constantly, until incorporated, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in Parmesan until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes. If the mixture is too thick, add more heavy cream as needed; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat; reserving 1 tablespoon in the skillet. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.

In a gallon size Ziploc bag, add chicken, 1 tablespoon olive oil and Ranch Seasoning, shaking to coat thoroughly. Add chicken to the skillet and cook, flipping once, until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes on each side; set aside.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.

Add pasta to the prepared baking dish and layer with chicken and alfredo sauce; sprinkle with cheeses and bacon. Place into oven and bake until bubbly and heated through, about 15-20 minutes.

Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

Enjoy!