Spicy Black Bean Nachos

Directions

1. Roughly chop 1/2 an onion and peel 2 garlic cloves. Saute the onion and garlic in a dollop of oil over medium heat for 5-7 minutes.
2. Drain and rinse one can of black beans. Add the black beans to the onion mixture along with 2 chipotles in adobo, 1 Tablespoon adobo sauce, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, freshly ground pepper, and 1/2 cup water (or stock).
3. Simmer for a few minutes until heated though. Combine the bean mixture in a blender or food processor. Salt to taste (I added another pinch for this recipe).
4. Shred 4-5 cups of Monterey Jack cheese. Add a dense, single layer of chips to a sheet pan. (You can line the sheetpan with foil or parchment paper if you want to make cleanup easier). Drizzle some of the beans over the chips. Note: you have enough beans and cheese for three single-layer batches. Add a layer of cheese to the chips. Bake in the oven at 400F for 5-7 minutes or until all the cheese is melted.
5. Top with your favorite fixings and serve immediately.
6. If you are making Avocado Salsa Verde, start by rinsing four fresh tomatillos. Roast the tomatillos in the oven at 400F until cooked through and they start to turn army green. Add the roasted tomatillos to a blender along with ½ onion, 1 garlic clove, 10-12 sprigs cilantro, and ½ of a jalapeno pepper. Pulse blend and taste for heat, adding the additional ½ of the jalapeno if you want more heat. Add the avocado to the blender and combine well. Salt to taste.