This one's definitely tried & true:

CHILE CON QUESO (about 2 cups)
1 TBL corn oil
1/3 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/3 chopped roasted green chile (poblano is what I use)
1/3 cup unsalted chicken stock
2 cups (8 oz) grated mild cheddar

Warm the oil in a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Saute the onion & garlic until soft. Add the tomato, green chile & stock & bring the mixture to a simmer. Sprinkle in the cheese & stir until it melts.
Serve immediately or keep it warm in a water bath or chafing dish for up to an hour.~~Texas Home Cooking

I've made this, not in a long time but I still remember that we all liked it a lot.

CHILI CON QUESO

3 cups (3/4 lb.) Monterey jack cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons salad oil
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 cups (2 medium) chopped tomatoes
1 can (4 oz.) whole green chilies, drained and diced
1/2 cup dry vermouth or white wine
1 teaspoon salt
8 drops bottled red pepper sauce
2 bags (8-1/2 oz. each) corn chips

In a bowl toss cheese with cornstarch and garlic powder, set aside. In a large skillet, heat oil; add green onions, tomatoes, chilies, wine, salt and pepper sauce. Heat mixture to boiling, stir gently, reduce hear and simmer for 2 minutes. Gradually stir in cheese with a fork until melted. Do not boil.

To serve, place in chafing dish on low flame. Serve as a dip with corn chips. Makes 3-1/2 cups.

Well, I know what I'm going to feast on for the next couple of days!! These both sound great...I never would have thought of using chicken stock or wine as the liquid. Thanks for you help and have a great weekend!!

Janet

Do a search of roselin32. She posted a great recipe a few weeks ago for Spinach con Oueso. I made two batches using tomatoes with green chilies and two using the spinach. Both were delicious.

Shirley, glad you enjoyed it. Which one of these two recipes did you try?
Spinach con Queso
From the Jalapeno Cafe
This is Chili con Queso with a difference. For more heat, subsitute Pepper Jack for the Monterey Jack Cheese.

The secret to making Chili con Quesco is to keep the heat low when melting the cheese. The first time I ever made the dish, I had my heat too high and I had a stringy mess.
1 10 oz. bunch fresh spinach or 1 10 ounce package
plain frozen spinach, cooked and finely chopped with
all the liquid pressed out
1 tablespoon oil
3 tablespoons finely minced onion
1 tablespoon flour
1 4 oz. can chopped green chilies, drained
1/2 cup whipping cream
3 oz package cream cheese, room temperature, cubed
8 ounces (2 cups)Monterey Jack or
Pepper Jack cheese, grated.

Tortilla chips for dipping
In a heavy medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring until limp and clear, 3 to 4 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Add spinach and green chilies. Cook and stir until well mixed, about 1 minute. Add cream and cook until mixture begins to boil, about 1 minute.

REDUCE HEAT to low and gradually add cream cheese, stirring until cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add the Monterey Jack cheese, stirring until melted. Do not allow mixture to boil or cheese will separate. Serve at once with tortilla chips for dipping. Server 4 to 6

Note: To keep mixture warm or to reheat, place onver a pan of hot, but not boiling water.

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Posted by roselin32 (My Page) on Tue, May 30, 06 at 11:48

Or this one:
Spinach Con Queso
4 ounces half and half

4 ounces water or chicken stock

4 ounces grated parmesan cheese

1 pound Velveeta cheese

1 10 ounce pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed, and water squeezed out

cayenne to taste

8 ounces sour cream

juice of 1 lemon

Mix all ingredients in stock pot and melt together over low to medium heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Serve with tortilla chips.

There is a Mexican restaurant in Frisco, Colorado that makes a wonderful dip with Monterrey jack cheese and poblano peppers. I think it probably has some cream in it also. We haven't figured out what else is in it, but we plan to experiment on it soon and see if we can figure it out. I may ask them next time I'm there and see if they will tell me. The poblanos really add a nice flavor to it, though.

Roselin

I made two batches of the spinach recipe and used evaporated milk and canned chicken broth. I skipped the parm as I was out. I melted the cheese and lastly added the VERY finely chopped spinach and the sour cream.
For the next two batches I substituted 1 can of well drained chopped tomatoes w/green chilies for the spinach. If too thick you may thin with broth or water.
I served it in two crock-pots on low setting.
30 college kids gobbled it all in a very short time.

Shirley, sounds good but I have to smile at college kids eating spinach! Way to go!!

I can buy a Mexican melting cheese here. I have never bought it so I can't really know what it tastes like, but it's white....might that make a good hot cheese dip?
Linda C

I am looking for a recipe for the Chili con queso dip at Chi-Chis Mexican Resturant. They are no longer in business here in Nebraska. My husband and I used to frequent Chi- Chi's when we were dating, basically for this dip. I would love to make it for him, possibly for our anniversary in September.

I made this dip for a Canada Day get together and it was a big hit.

Rita's Queso from "Rita's on the River" in San Antonio

Originally posted by Brenda55 on the Cooking Forum.

Brenda's notes: This recipe was in the SA paper several months ago and a reader had asked for this recipe from Rita's on the River because it was "the best queso we have ever eaten". I just recently fixed it and it was for us also the best queso. I changed the recipe somewhat for the heat impaired in my house and served the pica de gallo on top, which I really liked as it added the crunch with the creamy queso. I hope you enjoy as much as we did. I also halved the recipe and we still had enough left to serve over some soft tacos the next night.

Can be cut in half or thirds

Rita's Queso

3 Lb white American cheese ( Use Queso Blanco Instead ) *
2 Cup half and half
1 Cup heavy cream
1 Cup sour cream
1 Cup salsa (your favorite recipe)
1-1/2 T. Lawry's Seasoned Salt (or your favorite seasoning)
1 Tbl Tabasco sauce

Pico de Gallo

2 Cups ripe tomatoes chopped
1/2 Cup chopped onions
2 Tbl minced fresh jalapeno or serrano chiles
2-3 T. chopped fresh cilantro
3 Tbl fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste

For queso: cut white cheese into 1 to 2 inch cubes, set aside. Combine all ingredients, except cheese and Pico de Gallo in microwave-safe dish. Add cheese and microwave on high for 4 minutes, stop and stir and repeat twice; then reduce to 2 minutes until mixture is hot and well mixed.

Recipe can be reduced by half or a third.

Pico de Gallo

Combine tomatoes, onions, chiles, salt, cilantro and lime juice in bowl.

Let set for at least 30 minutes to an hour. Drain before placing on top of queso.

Food editor's notes: It can also be made in a slow cooker to keep it hot and to avoid a skin forming on the surface. You can adjust the heat level easily with salsa, pico de gallo and Tabasco.

My notes:

I could not get Queso Blanco at the cottage so used Monterey Jack cheese.

I served the Pico separate from the Queso rather than on top

Since you've been given several different versions of queso dips, I'll throw mine in with them. This recipe is quick, easy and delicious. My version of what is served at a local Mexican restaurant.

Spinach Con Queso Dip

2 C. Queso (quick melt) cheese,shredded
3 fresh jalapenos, seeded & chopped fine
1/2 C. half & half
1/3 C. onion, chopped fine
1 teas. cumin
1 T. (more or less) roasted red pepper chopped (I added this for color)
1/2 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, water squeezed out and I chopped it again

Heat all ingredients in top of double boiler over low heat, stirring constantly until cheese is melted.
Serve with tortilla chips.

I usually double the recipe (thus using the whole box of spinach). It keeps pretty well,..... if there's any left.

I hope you enjoy this as much as my family does. You can adjust the peppers to your taste.

Jude