Irish Nachos

one potato, two potato, three potato, four...

When Steven and I visited the Chicago White Sox stadium (The Cell) last August I had one of the best baseball snacks to date - Irish Nachos! It's such a simple concept, topping french fries with the usual nacho toppings, but I love the name too. Two cultures are colliding on one plate! I knew I had to add this to my blog and I don't think I could have picked a better time - we are coming upon the month of the Irish and St. Patrick's Day.

The humble potato can be a vehicle for so many different recipes and it can be fried, stuffed, boiled, or in this case baked. I've chosen to bake my fries for this recipe to keep the calorie count down and also I think a more potato like fry is appropriate here. Add really any topping you like; I've suggested a few below. Make this easy appetizer and take in the last few days of the winter Olympics (Go USA!) before we all pretend to be Irish for a day. Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 8
4 Russet Potatoes
2-3 T Canola Oil
Kosher Salt
8 oz. Velveeta Cheese (2% okay)
1 Can Rotel, drained
Optional Toppings: sour cream, avocado, green onion, cilantro, jalapeno slices, hot sauce...

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400. Put a wire rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet. You will likely need two.

Wash and dry the potatoes. Cut each potato into french fry shapes, no more than 1/2 inch in thickness. Put the cut potatoes into a large bowl and toss with the oil until well coated. Spread the potatoes out on the baking sheets in a single layer. Bake for 25-30 minutes in the preheated oven, rotating the pans and flipping the fries halfway through.

While the fries bake, prepare any toppings you are using. A few minutes before the fries are finished cooking prepare the salsa con queso. Cube the Velveeta, put into a microwave safe bowl, and then add in the drained Rotel. Heat in the microwave for 1 minute intervals until the Velveeta is melted, about 2 minutes.

Remove the fries from the oven and sprinkle with salt, to taste. Plate the fries on a serving dish, pour the salsa con queso over the top, and arrange any other toppings you desire. Serve immediately! Enjoy with a nice cold beer, perhaps a Smithwick's is in order? Or a Corona?