Ree Drummonds Queso Fundido Food

QUESO FUNDIDO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a 9-inch cast-iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook, crumbling it as you go, until browned and cooked through.
• Remove the chorizo from the skillet and drain it on paper towels (chorizo is very greasy!). Pour off any excess fat from the skillet.
• Without cleaning the skillet, add the onion and bell peppers.
• Cook the veggies over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until they brown and soften, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the tequila, if using. Turn the heat back on to medium-high and cook until the vegetables are golden brown and the liquor has reduced, 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove the vegetables from the skillet and set them aside. Turn off the heat.
• Mix the cheeses together, then cover the bottom of a medium ovenproof skillet with one-third of the cheese mixture . . .
• Add one-third of the vegetables . . .
• And one-third of the chorizo.
• Continue with two more layers, ending with chorizo. Sprinkle the top with chili powder.
• Bake until the cheese is totally melted, hot, and slightly bubbling around the edges, 4 to 5 minutes. Watch it constantly, as you don't want the cheese to get overly melted and hard. But you want it to be sizzling!
• Top with the tomatoes, a sprinkle of kosher salt, and the cilantro.
• Serve immediately with tortilla chips . . .
• Or carrot sticks and cauliflower florets if you want to avoid chips!

REE DRUMMOND'S QUESO FUNDIDO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Heat oil in a 9-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add chorizo; cook, stirring to crumble, until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Drain any excess fat from the skillet.
• Without cleaning the skillet, add bell peppers and onion. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until browned and softened, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and stir in tequila. Continue cooking vegetables, stirring often, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to a bowl.
• Stir together Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheeses in a bowl; spread 1/3 in the skillet. Add 1/3 of the vegetables, then 1/3 of the chorizo. Repeat with 2 more layers, ending with chorizo. Sprinkle with chili powder.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheeses are melted and bubbling, about 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with tomatoes, cilantro, and salt. Serve immediately.

TEQUILA-SPIKED QUESO FUNDIDO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook, crumbling it as you go, until browned. Remove from the skillet and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Pour off any excess fat from the skillet.
• Add the onion and bell peppers to the skillet and cook over medium-high heat until the veggies begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in 1/4 cup of the tequila. Turn the heat back on and cook until the vegetables are golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Meanwhile, stir the tomatoes and remaining 1 tablespoon tequila together in a small bowl and set aside to marinate for a few minutes.
• To build, cover the bottom of a medium ovenproof skillet with a third of the Monterey Jack and Cheddar. Add half of the chorizo, then another third of the cheese. Next, add as much of the veggie mixture as you'd like (you may have a little left over). Add almost all of the remaining cheese, the rest of the chorizo and then whatever cheese you have left. Sprinkle the top very lightly with chili powder.
• Bake, starting to watch it 4 to 5 minutes in, until the cheese is totally melted, hot and slightly bubbling...but before the cheese starts to firm up/harden. (In other words, you still want the cheese to be extra gooey.)
• Drain the tomatoes.
• Remove the skillet from the oven and top with the spiked tomatoes and cilantro. Serve immediately with tortilla chips. It's best when piping hot! Wrap a cloth around the skillet handle so guests won't burn themselves.

REE DRUMMOND'S QUESO FUNDIDO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Heat oil in a 9-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add chorizo; cook, stirring to crumble, until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Drain any excess fat from the skillet.
• Without cleaning the skillet, add bell peppers and onion. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until browned and softened, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and stir in tequila. Continue cooking vegetables, stirring often, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to a bowl.
• Stir together Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheeses in a bowl; spread 1/3 in the skillet. Add 1/3 of the vegetables, then 1/3 of the chorizo. Repeat with 2 more layers, ending with chorizo. Sprinkle with chili powder.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheeses are melted and bubbling, about 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with tomatoes, cilantro, and salt. Serve immediately.