There are few things that I enjoy more than Monterey’s Tex Mex Queso, I don’t think you anyone should go into a Tex Mex restaurant and pass on the queso, Monterey’s Tex Mex Queso is a wonderfully mild queso that is tasty with tortilla chips, or even spread on a crisp corn tortilla as a side dish. I had forever been stumped on finding the right cheese to make the queso that is familar in so many Tex Mex restaurants. In this recipe for Monterey’s Tex Mex Queso, we use American Cheese, not Cheddar, not Monterey Jack, but the good melting American cheese. I bought this cheese in the deli at my local grocery store. In using American cheese you get a cheese that melts quickly, and can be reheated easily.

Monterey’s Tex Mex Queso

Yield: approximately 2 1/2 cups.

1 pound American cheese
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
2 large green peppers such as anaheim or hatch peppers, diced fine
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter

The real secret to a flavorful queso is sauteeing your vegetables until they are cooked almost all of the way through, you want there to be a tough of crunch when you begin to add in your American cheese. Place the choppped onion, thinly sliced celery, and diced peppers in a saute pan over medium heat, add the two tablespoons of butter, and saute until the onions are translucent. In a medium pot add American cheese, sauteed vegetables, and milk. Heat on a low to a medium heat until the cheese is melted.

What’s your favorite dish served in Tex Mex Restaurants?