Song of my Life

Once upon a time, there was a girl from Texas. Being a native Texan, she loved all things Texas. One of her most favorite Texas things was Tex-Mex food. As a child, her family perfected the art of chicken fajitas and her mom's tamale casserole was one of the most requested menu items at her house. When she moved out on her own, she and her Texan friends frequented Mexican restaurants and when she cooked at home, she often made those yummy Tex-Mex dishes reminiscent of her youth.

One day, the Texan girl met a Yankee boy. He HATED Mexican food. Fortunately, the yankee boy loved the Texan girl enough to stick around. Unfortunately for him, her love for Tex-Mex was a lifelong affair, whereas his affections had only been found recently. The affinity for Tex-Mex was one that could not be shaken. She decided to begin introducing him to her favorite food just a little at a time, easing him into what was sure to eventually be a wonderful relationship.

The first place she ever took him was to On the Border, a very safe Tex-Mex restaurant. Because he claimed to hate salsa, the girl decided to order queso so he didn't have to eat his chips dry. It was love at first taste.

Soon after, the Yankee boy married his Texan girl and has since ventured to try more and more Mexican restaurants, expanding his palette far beyond her wildest expectations. He's even been known to request Mexican food on a regular basis. As many quesos as he's tried, though, he's rarely found a queso he loves as much as that first one. When his Texan bride made him her famous family recipe fajitas, the old standard Velveeta and Ro-Tel just wasn't cutting it.

And so, she experimented until she found a recipe that is just as good as OTB Queso, or in her opinion, even better. She fed it to her Yankee boy, his tummy was pleased, and they lived happily ever after.

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In case you hadn't already guessed, the two main characters of that wonderful story are based on me and my wonderful, albeit Yankee, husband. I've debated sharing this recipe with you, because I kind of wanted to keep it all to myself, but I've decided to share the wealth. If you're used to Ro-Tel dip (as most of us in the South are,) try this. It is SO. MUCH. BETTER. I call my recipe...

Jenny con Queso

(Cool name, right?)

(Picture courtesy of On the Border)

8 oz. Velveeta cheese, cubed
8 oz. Sharp Cheddar, grated
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1/2 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes, drained
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
dash of cumin
dash of chili powder
1 tablespoon butter or oil
milk

Saute onions and peppers in butter over medium heat until onions are translucent. Add drained Ro-Tel tomatoes and saute with onions and peppers until heated thoroughly. Add tomato/onion/pepper mixture, cilantro, and spices to cheeses in a microwave safe bowl or a double broiler. Heat until melted. Add small amount of milk to thin the queso. Add more cumin, chili powder, and cilantro to taste. You can always add more spices, but you can't take them out, so start on the low side and be careful as you add more. Serve with tortilla chips. Enjoy!