The best bite of the weekend

Wasn't the wild blueberries.

It has been an intense few weeks and I have nothing much to say, except nachos.

There were many campfire meals on our two laps around the country, but nachos never made an appearance. Thankfully they did this weekend in Massachusetts.

Part of their appeal is they’re more assembly than cooking, but some little moments made these ones particularly good. Like so good we keep talking about them?

Start with a layer of tortilla chips in a cast iron skillet. Zack’s Mighty Chips are my favorite for their sturdiness and popcorny corn flavor.

Dollop the chips with beans, ideally ones that are refried or saucy. Not only does the sauciness keep the nachos from being dry, but smoke sticks to moisture, so saucy beans make for smoky nachos. I used Heyday’s kimchi sesame beans, which are so savory and toasty with kimchi, gochujang, and sesame oil. (They’ve been a staple in our camper van since I started consulting for Heyday in 2022.)

Then goes a layer of pre-shredded cheese. You know what’s great? Not having to wash a grater. And the fact that pre-shredded cheese has stuff on it to keep it from melting won’t be a problem — you’ll see.

Okay repeat with another layer of chips, beans, and cheese, then cover the skillet loosely with foil. Set it on the grill grates and let it sizzle.

Ready for some real outdoorsy stuff? Use a shovel to carefully sprinkle a scoop of the hot coals on top of the foil. The chips will char and the cheese will totally melt.

Go for it with the toppings. We did avocado, salsa, cilantro, and most importantly, canned black olives — because baby it’s nacho night in the woods.