National Corn Chip Day
Grab your Guac, Queso, or any other topping you enjoy. Why? It’s National Corn Chip Day!
On January 29th, us snack lovers get to celebrate the famous corn chip, which is actually made of fried cornmeal and added salt. Corn chips often get confused for tortilla chips, but are actually quite different.
Tortilla chips are made from a dough of nixtamalized corn, which gives them a milder taste and a less sturdy texture. Corn chips have a much more rigid texture and stronger flavor. While we all know corn chips or “friotes” is a tasty snack loved by all, many do not know the origins and impact of this classic chip.
History
In 1932, Charles Elmer Doolin, a candy shop owner, tried and failed to create chips for his store. One day, he tasted fried corn strips a Mexican man was selling at a gas station. He then purchased the corn chip recipe and decided to create his own company, today known as Fritos. While Doolin is the reason corn chips are so popular today, they existed way before then. These chips, along with many other delicious foods, come from the Mexican culinary impact on food made in the United States continuously today.
Recipes
Corn chips are a great appetizer to any meal. However, corn chips continue to be used in many Mexican-inspired recipes. Some easy to make recipes include corn chip casserole, taco salad, and “walking tacos.” Something in common about all these recipes is that they all use similar ingredients typically used for Mexican-style dishes. The bonus is, they all are easy to make and taste amazing!
In corn chip casserole, the only ingredients you need are:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 ounce taco seasoning
- 1 large onion
- 30 ounces Pinto beans rinsed
- 20 ounces enchilada sauce
- 2½ cups Monterey Jack cheese shredded
- 1 ½ cups of corn chips
The steps to making the perfect corn chip casserole are ever so simple.
- First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Then, cook your ground beef and onions with the taco seasoning in a skillet until cooked.
- After, add this to your casserole dish and start loading all your delicious toppings on top; beans, cheese, and of course, your corn chips.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes and add any more toppings you like after, whether that be guacamole, green onions, and more!
Another great recipe is taco salad. While taco salad is a great dish on its own, the added crunch from corn chips makes this recipe even tastier.
The ingredients you need but are not limited to are:
- 1 pound of ground beef
- 1 ounce of taco seasoning
- 1 head of iceberg lettuce
- 3 tomatoes
- 2 avocados
- 2 cups of shredded cheese
- 3 cups of corn chips
Here are the steps;
- Cook your ground beef, along with that delicious taco seasoning.
- The next step is to chop up your lettuce, tomatoes, and avocados and put them into a mixing bowl.
- Lastly, mix well and add your corn chips on top for that tasty crunch!
Another great and easy recipe is “walking tacos.”
The ingredients needed are:
- 1 pound of ground beef
- 1 ounce of taco seasoning
- 1 can of beans
- 1 can of diced tomatoes and green chiles
- 5 packages of corn chips
There are only 3 steps to this recipe.
- The first is to cook your ground beef in a skillet along with your seasonings.
- Next, Stir in all your other toppings.
- Finally, open up your corn chip packages, and add your beef mixture and any toppings you enjoy!
For more recipes with corn chips, take a look here.
We are not only celebrating corn chips on January 29th, but we are also celebrating the Mexican-culinary influence on many meals in the United States. Whether you just want a snack or to make an easy dinner for the family, don’t forget to celebrate corn chips!
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