[NewTexas]

NewTexas Cheese



Come and get you some!™

Nation: NewTexas
Home Region: Texas
Entry Category: Best Imported Cheese
Entry: Chili Con Queso
Nation Imported to: Boricuastan

Introduction

In NewTexas, we have a multi-purpose cheese product we simply call "Queso". More properly, it is "Chile con Queso" (Spanish for "chile with cheese"). It started out as a an appetizer of melted cheese and chili peppers typically served in Tex-Mex restaurants as a dipping sauce for fried tortilla chips. Now, it is served any time, all the time, in everywhere from homes to sporting events to restaurants to lunchboxes. Queso is as ubiquitous to NewTexas as is the cowboy hat.


Ingredients

Chile con queso is a smooth, creamy sauce, primarily used for dipping, that is made from a blend of melted cheeses. There are many, many varieties of queso and they run the gamut of colors from white to electric yellow to bright orange. This range of colors come from the different kinds of cheese used in the preparation. The most common cheese used in queso is a pasteurized processed cheese spread made by the Texveeta Cheese Company run by The NewTexas Cheese People. Although the process of making the creamy cheese is a closely guarded secret, it is common knowledge that is composed of Cheddar, Colby and Swiss cheeses. The most common chili component is a product made by the Tex*tel Chili Factory that is simply diced tomatoes and green chili peppers. The white varieties are generally made from Monterrey Jack cheese and the electric orange are made from Cheddar.


Accompaniments

Queso can be put on anything and everything from a humble tortilla chip to a flip-flop and it will be delicious! While tortilla chips are the traditional dipping vehicle, cocktail wieners, saltine crackers, carrot sticks, grilled steak cubes, corn chips and celery sticks are all perfectly acceptable dipping instruments.

While traditionally used as a dipping sauce, queso is a perfect topping for an infinite number of food items. Hamburgers become Queso Burgers when topped with a generous portion of queso. Any kind of egg benefits from queso, from scrambled eggs to fried eggs to being incorporated in deviled eggs! Steak con Queso is considered a delicacy in NewTexas. The only limit to things you can top with queso is your imagination!


Varieties

Queso is completely versatile when it comes to add-ins. Queso Fundido is queso with sautéed mushrooms. Queso con Chorizo is a delectable mixture of queso and a traditional hot and spicy Mexican sausage. Spicy ground beef flavored with taco seasoning turns your queso into a virtual taco-in-dip-form. Shredded spinach turns queso into a vegetarian friendly meal. Like the foods you can serve queso on, the sky is the limit to the things you can add to queso.


Recipes


Everyday Queso

Ingredients

1 can (10 oz each) Tex*Tel® Green Chilies & Diced Tomatoes, undrained
1 package (16 oz each) Texveeta®, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Method #1 - Stovetop

Combine undrained tomatoes & chilis and Texveeta in medium saucepan.
Cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until Texveeta is melted completely and mixture is blended, stirring frequently.

Method #2 - Microwave

Combine undrained tomatoes & chilis and Texveeta in 2-quart glass bowl.
Microwave on high 3 minutes, stir, until mixture is blended, microwave 2 more minutes or until Texveeta is melted completely and mixture is blended.

Method #3 - Slow Cooker

Combine undrained tomatoes & chilis and Texveeta in a 4 to 6-quart slow cooker.
Set slow cooker on Low, cook for 2 hours or until Texveeta is melted completely and mixture is blended.

Serve warm as a dip with tortilla chips.



Homemade Queso

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
½ medium yellow onion diced (about 3/4 cup)
2 medium jalapeños, seeded and finely diced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups warm milk
1 cup shredded Longhorn Jack cheese (a marbled combination of Longhorn cheese and Monterrey Jack cheese)
1 cup shredded Extra Sharp Cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon cumin (or Comino as we say in NewTexas)
½ teaspoon red pepper
½ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon crushed Mexican Oregano (optional)


Method

In a medium saucepan melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and jalapeños and sauté until soft and cook until onions are translucent and jalapeños are soft. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the roux is pale yellow and frothy, about 1 minute. Do not allow the roux to brown. Slowly whisk in the milk and continue to whisk until the sauce thickens and comes to a boil, about 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to a simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the cheese and whisk until melted. If the sauce seems to thick, thin with a little milk. Add cumin, red pepper, chili powder, salt and oregano (if using).

Serve warm as a dip with tortilla chips.



Images



The Cheese Makers - The Cheese People - 2006 Version[b]




[b]The Cheese Makers - The Cheese People - 2016 Version[b]




[b]The Ingredients[b]




[b]The Tools[b]




[b]Basic Quesos[b]




[b]The Meaty Quesos[b]




[b]The Veggie Quesos[b]




[b]Queso, come and get you some!™[b]
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