So we did a little “Spring Cleaning” around the house over the weekend and somehow, Jeana climbed up into some high cupboards that she normally can’t see into very well. She found seven bags – some full, some nearly empty – of corn tortilla chips.

You see, corn tortilla chips are the most important ingredient for nachos. And when making nachos, you must always use the freshest chips. Usually, I use a sharpie to carefully mark each bag of chips with the date I purchase them. This way I know when they pass their ideal nacho execution date. Typically, a bag of quality corn tortilla chips (I prefer Trader Joe’s Organic White Corn Tortilla Chips – They’re AWESOME!) will maintain a reasonable quality and integrity for about 10-14 days (if kept sealed with a chip clip).

Apparently, I have neglected to throw away the old, expired bags of chips and somehow payed little attention to the stockpile of bags I had accumulated. Honestly, I was keeping them for a reason. Older, expired tortilla chips make an excellent garnish on top of black bean soup. I guess it’s time to make some soup.