Queso Blanco

This queso might be the best thing that's happened to me in the last month.  Okay, maybe my month hasn't been THAT rough, but I'm just saying, it's up there. 

It is sooooooooo cheesy and soooooooo de-lish.  And pretty simple to throw together.  The only trick is to keep it warm while serving.  I'm pretty sure I had a mini crockpot at some point in my adult life that I got rid of because I didn't know what I would use it for.  It would have come in handy the other night.  Instead I made a mess of my pan trying to keep it warm on the stove.

Note on white American cheese:  I bought it at the deli counter unsliced and then grated it.  If you can only find it sliced, cut it into thin strips.

This is what my perfect nachos con queso looked like.  Mmmmmmmmmm.   

QUESO BLANCO
(yields about 2 cups)

• 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 12 oounces white American cheese, shredded or sliced thinly
• 4 ounces Monterey jack cheese, shredded
• 1/4-2/3 cup milk
• 1 tomato, seeded and finely diced
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.


Add the onion and jalapeño to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes.


Reduce the heat to medium-low.  Add both of the shredded cheeses and 1/4 cup of the milk.


Stir until completely melted.


Mix in the tomato and cilantro, and add additional milk gradually as necessary to achieve desired consistency.


Serve immediately.


Source:  Mel's Kitchen Cafe