I made this on a whim as a quick Thanksgiving appetizer and it was quickly a hit, in fact, it was better than most of the queso that I found available around Texas. It's a simple enough recipe that it is easy to add your own signature spin on it easily.
Ingredients:
4 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely diced white onion
2 - 3 Tablespoons minced/chopped garlic
4 oz can fire roasted diced green chilis drained
1 can of Rotel tomatoes and green chilis
2 fresh jalapenos, cleaned and de-seeded
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper for a spicier queso
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon table salt plus additional to taste as needed
12 oz can full-fat evaporated milk
1 cup of shredded or cubed cheese + additional as desired
Small carton of half & half (to thin as desired)
Instructions:
Melt butter in a large pot or skillet over medium heat.
Add onion and cook until softened and translucent (not browned).
Add garlic, jalapenos, tomatoes and chilis and cook for 3 - 5 minutes (trying to soften, not brown)
Sprinkle cornstarch over the ingredients and use a spatula to stir and cook until absorbed.
Add cumin, chili powder, paprika, cayenne (if using), pepper, and salt.
Gradually drizzle evaporated milk into the pot while stirring. Cook, stirring until milk is completely combined, warmed, and slightly thickened.
Turn stovetop heat to low and add cheese. Stir until cheese is melted and completely combined. Taste-test and add salt and pepper (and additional cayenne pepper if you like some heat!) as needed. If the mixture is too thick, use half & half in small increments (1/4 - 1/2 cup at a time) to thin. Be sure to mix thuroughly before adding in more liquid as it will thin more when under heat.
