Queso Dip (Southwest)

I'm a huge fan of big plunges.  I'm not a dip-your-toe-in kind of girl; I'm more of a 'dive in to the deep end, then realize you can't swim and flail out of control' type of woman.  So, it was no surprise to any of my friends and family that I got married, moved to the Southwest and became a homeowner within a matter of four days.  After tying the knot, my husband and I got into our cars and headed toward our destinies the next day.  Oklahoma has provided a treasure trove of experiences to us--the beautiful scenes of rich, red dirt baking in the sun, the rolling green hills of Northeastern Oklahoma and the sparking blue rivers that flow through our capital city.  Yet nothing has been more transformative than the sight of velvety, light orange queso flecked with tiny bits of red and green peppers.

Every Tex-Mex or Mex-Mex restaurant here starts you off with a big basket of chips and a little cup of something slightly creamy, slightly salty and wholly unnecessary called queso.  Derived from the Spanish word for cheese, queso dip may not really be made of real cheese in some instances.  The worst of queso tastes a lot like pasteurized cheese product melted down with some powdered milk and water.  A better queso actually tastes more like cheese with a slight spicy tangy.  The best queso, most of the times, is no queso at all.  Considering queso and chips are the prelude to an enchilada platter or a grande burrito fiesta meal, it's usually a waste of valuable stomach space.  As a stand alone snack, it's fantastic.  It's reminiscent of the neon yellow nachos you get at movies or roller rinks, but without the radioactive threat.  

So, consider serving queso at your college football party this weekend. (My teams are: the Missouri Tigers, then the USC Trojans, then that nameless team from Illinois with that offensive name and mascot that really should know better, I only support them because they hail from my home state).  My recipe for a reformed queso contains a lot less fat and some extra veggies.  It's nice and simple.  First, melt your favorite part-skim or reduced fat cheese (8 oz) in about half a cup of skim milk and a pat of butter spread (the only frankenfood I'm comfortable with).  To melt cheese in skim milk, start with the milk on low heat and gradually add the cheese until fully melted.  Chop up some jalapenos, red and green peppers, fresh corn cut off the cob, and tomatoes, toss them with a bit of olive oil and roast them in your oven at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes.  Yes, 450 degrees.  Don't be afraid to crank up your oven!  If you have a little bit of time before your kickoff fete, slow roast them for 4-6 hours at 200 degrees.  Throw the roasted bits to the queso and serve with blue corn chips.  Follow up queso and chips with four enchiladas, two soft tacos and a vat of beans and rice, if desired.

Happy Eating!