Master Your Card

Welcome to the August 7, 2008 edition of the Finance Fiesta - Nachos edition. Mmmm! Wikipedia enlightens us about the origins of this delicious dish:

“Nachos originated in the city of Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, just over the border from Eagle Pass, Texas, around 1943 at a restaurant called the Victory Club. The account goes that the wives of several U.S. soldiers from nearby Eagle Pass, who were in Piedras Negras on a shopping trip, arrived at the restaurant after it had closed for the day, so chef Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya invented a new dish for them with what little he had available in the kitchen: tortillas and cheese. Anaya cut the tortillas into triangles and fried them, then added yellow Wisconsin cheese, calling the dish nachos especiales, or “Nacho’s Specialty”. The Moderno Restaurant in Piedras Negras uses the original recipe.”

The August 7th Finance Fiesta - Nachos edition:

This week our Editor’s Pick goes to Jim’s post PSA: Double Check Wal-Mart Oil Changes posted at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity.

Joe Manausa presents HR 3221 - Good For Tallahassee posted at Tallahassee Real Estate Blog, saying, “For Fannie and Freddie, it seems they got much of what they asked for, and a few things they did not when the President signed HR 3221. It authorized $300B (B as in Billion) to expand the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan guarantee programs.”

Cash Money Life presents Do We Need Another Stimulus Check? posted at Cash Money Life, saying, “Do we need a second stimulus check? Thanks for hosting!”

The Stock Teacher presents Ouch- CROX Just Taught Me A Lesson posted at Stock Investment, saying, “Author looks back on the lessons he learned from his investment in Crocs.”

Pamela Grundy presents Fleeting Hybrid Car Tax Credit posted at Personal Finance Analyst.

Save Money presents Three Principles Of Personal Finance posted at How I Save Money.net.

Silicon Valley Blogger presents The Stock Market Bear Has Claimed Our Investment Portfolio posted at The Digerati Life, saying, “Thoughts on our investment portfolio.”

Megan presents A Little Bit About Kiva posted at Counting My Pennies.

William Blake presents Obtaining a Loan is Still Possible After Bankruptcy posted at Becoming Debt Free.

Steve Faber presents How to Save Gas Tips - The Master List posted at super gas saver.

Michael Geoffrey presents How The Credit Score Rating Scale Works posted at Debt Smackdown.

J. Savings presents One of the best $300 items we’ve ever bought - a new stove! posted at Budgets are Sexy., saying, “Sometimes the best bargains are those hidden away from the others in the store! And “floor models” count too!”

Cooupon Artist presents How to Decorate on a Budget: A Guide to Estate Sales posted at artofthecoupon.com.

Submit your blog article to the next edition of the Finance Fiesta using our carnival submission form.

And of course this edition of the Fiesta would not be complete without my personal favorite beef nachos recipe, featured in the book, Whip It Up. It’s cheap, it’s tasty, it’s delicious - what else could you possibly ask for?

Photo by LexnGer

First, you’ll need to obtain the following ingredients:

• extra virgin olive
• 400g lean beef mince
• 1 onion (chopped)
• 1 small red chilli (finely chopped)
• 3 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup tomato passata
• 400g can red kidney beans (drained)
• 1¹/³ cups grated cheddar
• 1 avocado (sliced)
• 1/2 cup light sour cream
• corn chips

Method:

Heat 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a frypan over high heat. Cook 400g lean beef mince, stirring, for 5-8 minutes or until well browned. Transfer to a bowl. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to pan and reduce heat to medium.

Cook 1 onion (chopped), 1 small red chilli (finely chopped), 3 tsp ground cumin and 2 tsp ground coriander for 2-3 minutes. Add mince, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 cup tomato passata and 400g can red kidney beans (drained) and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Place in an ovenproof dish, top with grated cheddar and cook under a hot grill for 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Add 1 avocado (sliced), 1/2 cup light sour cream and corn chips.

Have a great weekend everyone!