Monterey Jack Chile Con Queso Dip Food

CHILI CON QUESO

Steps:

• Combine the processed cheese, Cheddar, Monterey Jack and mozzarella in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it into very small pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sausage with a slotted spoon to a plate, leaving the drippings in the pan.
• Add the jalapeno to the drippings and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour into the pan and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chili powder and cumin and stir until well incorporated with the flour mixture, about 30 seconds longer. Slowly pour in the milk and cook, whisking frequently, until smooth and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the cheese mix a handful at a time. Cook, whisking until smooth. You can add the next handful once the previous handful has melted about halfway.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the browned sausage, pico de gallo and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Taste and adjust the seasonings and heat with additional salt and hot sauce. Serve warm with chips for dipping and extra pico de gallo on the side.

QUESO

Steps:

• Add the processed cheese, Monterey Jack, Cheddar and canned tomatoes (along with the juice) to a medium saucepan or 10-inch cast-iron skillet (see Cook's Note) and turn the heat to medium. Cook, stirring frequently with a rubber spatula, until all the cheese has melted and the queso is smooth, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately with tortilla chips.
• To make the queso spicy, use hot diced tomatoes and green chiles, such as RoTel Hot, instead of the Original.
• Processed block cheese is crucial due to its meltability and what it adds to the queso's texture. Do not try to substitute other cheeses.

WHITE QUESO (USING MONTEREY JACK CHEESE)

Steps:

• Heat butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat; whisk flour into melted butter until smooth. Slowly pour milk into flour mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and stir in onion powder and garlic powder; simmer for 2 minutes. Add Monterey Jack cheese while stirring constantly until melted, about 5 more minutes.

CHILI CON QUESO DIP

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425ºF.
• Bake TATER TOTS as directed on package.
• Meanwhile, combine cheeses and evaporated milk in top of double boiler placed over hot water on medium heat. Cook until cheeses are melted and mixture is well blended, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes and chiles; mix well.
• Serve TATER TOTS as dippers with the warm dip.

AUTHENTIC CHILE CON QUESO

Steps:

• Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion and tomato; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the green chile; cook for 2 minutes then stir in the cheese and milk. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently, until the cheese has melted.

CROCK POT CHILE CON QUESO

Steps:

• Microwave broth, cream cheese, cornstarch, chipotle, garlic, and pepper in large bowl, whisking occasionally, until smooth and thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in Monterey Jack and American cheeses until combined.
• For a 1 1/2- to 5-quart slow cooker: Transfer mixture to slow cooker, cover, and cook until cheese is melted, 1 to 2 hours on low.
• For a 5 1/2- to 7-quart slow cooker: Transfer mixture to 1 1/2‐quart souffle dish. Set dish in slow cooker and pour water into slow cooker until it reaches about one‐third up sides of dish (about 2 cups water). Cover and cook until cheese is melted, 1 to 2 hours on low. Remove dish from slow cooker.
• Whisk cheese mixture until smooth, then stir in tomatoes. (Adjust consistency with hot water 2 tablespoons at a time as needed. Dip can be held on warm or low setting for up to 2 hours.).