I made this Chile con Queso recipe (courtesy of Ree) for the first time for our yearly New Years party back in the olden days (2009), and a double batch was consumed by the dozen people in attendance before I could say “Great Scot!”
It’s delicious. It uses Velveeta. It’s not the kind of food I normally make . . . but that doesn’t mean that it can’t be broken out for parties. Especially now that it’s football season–though our viewing of choice on the evening of the Velveeta was Ken Burn’s new documentary about Prohibition.
And . . . it is still football season, right? I drafted this post at least a month ago, and now I’m feeling quite uncertain about it. The world of American sports–it’s so confusing.
Anyway, I must say that there’s something so Midwestern about Chile con Queso. It just seems like one of those appetizers that every cook from Illinois to Indiana to Wisconsin to Ohio probably has in her arsenal. And being a native Midwestern woman, I feel like making this is somehow connecting me to the countless other women who use Velveeta in their homestyle cookin’, and who don’t regret a single second of it.
As I mentioned yesterday, our Bible study group meets at our house on an alternating basis this year, and I’m using this as the opportunity to make all the less-healthy foods that my little heart desires. Because once it’s spread into small portions, no one gets the brunt of the fat, but everyone gets the pleasure of the flavors.
Amen? Amen!
Ingredients
(Serves 12)
32 oz Velveeta Cheese Loaf
1 lb hot sausage (like Jimmy Dean’s)
1 large onion
1-10 oz can Rotel (diced tomatoes with chilies)
1-7 oz can chopped green chilies
1-3 jalapeños, to taste
Chips, to serve
Mince the onion!
I like the chunks on the smallish side, so that no one gets too much onion in one bite later on.
And I’d like to take this moment to point out that this sausage expires on October 20th at exactly 11:00.
Not a minute earlier, and not a minute later, apparently. At 11:01, run for the hills!
Fry the sausage and onion together in a large nonstick skillet or pot over medium heat, breaking up the sausage into crumbles as it cooks.
If necessary, when the sausage is cooked, drain the excess fat.
I did not drain the excess fat, just for the record. I was feeling vreeerrry bad, and loving every second of the experience.
Cut the loaf of Velveeta into smallish cubes. I cut it directly on its packaging to save the trouble another dirty dish.
And does anyone else pronounce the word ‘trouble’ as ‘trooblay’ every so often? Just for kicks? No?
With the heat on medium low, add the Velveeta . . .
. . . Rotel . . .
. . . and green chilies to the onion/sausage mixture.
Stir it occasionally until the cheese is melted.
Mince the jalapeño/s.
I removed most of the seeds and membrane, but in restrospect I think I could have handled the full blast of the heat. Stir it into the Queso.
Transfer the Queso to a crock pot to keep it hot.
Ponder its creaminess–then experience its creaminess firsthand.
There must be some kind of melting magique that they inject into that Velveeta.
Serve with chips!
This really shoudn’t be this good . . . but it is.
Click here for printer-friendly version: Chile con Queso
My family has been making this recipe (sans sausage) since I was knee high. It’s crack. But I have such good childhood memories of it!
Your version of Queso covers all of the basic food groups. Yup, I could definitely live on this. 🙂
I only have to bring one appetizer for Thanksgiving and this is it. Thank you! I’m not afraid to say I use Velvetta…ha! I also love the scoops you’re using but, I like the lime chips too. Wish they made lime scoops 😀
Lime scoops! Now there’s something I can get behind.
It makes me so happy to see that someone else in this world has a love affair with cheese dip. I’m prepared to get in ALL KINDS OF TROOBLAY with this pot. of. goodness.
i’ve made this before without sausage. delicious!
oh and i also wanted to say that you can make appetizers for football season til the early part of feb when the super bowl strikes. then appetizers for basketball are perfectly acceptable until april, according to my husband! 🙂
mmm, this is a favorite snack of mine!
Ahh Queso from the midwest. It’s not anything we ate in South Florida.. but upon my arrival to the midwest/South (NW Arkansas and then Tulsa, OK), I quickly noticed it was a staple at any get together.
=)
I think you’re right, that this comes from the Midwest b/c I know it’s at almost every potluck I go to. It makes me happy. Good to know the exact time the sausage expires. Am I the only one that ignores that date and goes by the smell? I live dangerously. 😉 Oh, and I have a queso recipe that has a whole stick of butter in it, so I wouldn’t sweat leaving the sausage grease in–more flavor! 🙂
Whoa! A whole stick of butter . . . all I can think is YUM! And “bring it on.” I’m not afraid.
Looks as tho’ Ree took the easiest, tastiest recipe for a cheap dip and fanciedfied [read: made it more labor intensive] than need be. With the exception of the sausage you can just use a large jar of salsa [any intensity] mixed with the velveta and get just about the same results.
Don’t get me wrong. I am not dissing Ree, but I love this dip for the simplicity alone. Elevated it by adding a few steps takes away the allure for me. 🙂
I never would have thought of adding salsa, believe it or not. Thanks for the great simplifying idea!
I never tasted a dish like this before! Now, I realy need to make this georgous looking dish! Looks very delectable!
Ha! I totally understand. Being from Ohio these Velveeta dips (along with way too many deviled eggs) are my complete favorite. Every once in a while you just have to trot it out for a party.
Queso is one of my secret cravings. I could seriously eat a whole bowl without a single blink of the eye. Good, good stuff, even if it does use velveeta.
Love your con Queso! I want a handful of chips to dip right in. 🙂