Gringo Queso Dip
Feliz Navidad~ Gringo Queso Dip is a delicious spicy dip made in your crock-pot, making it perfect for holiday entertaining. There are many variations of Gringo Dip. Everyone seems to have a favorite queso dip recipe, this is ours. Give this recipe a try, it might become your new favorite too.
A Word About Queso
When I looked up the word “queso” in my Food Lovers Companion, my go-to book for anything I want to know about food, I was surprised to find a good two pages related to queso. I thought you’d too be interested in this often used ingredient that you might know very little about.
Queso; quesuco [KAY-soh; kay-SOO-koh] Spanish for the “cheese” and “small cheese,” respectively.
Queso añejo; Queso añejado [KAY-soh ah-NYAY-hoh (ah-nyay-hah-doh)] see Cojita. Cotija [koh-TEE-hah] A popular Mexican cheese named after Cotija de la Paz, a town in the state of Michoacán. It’s made from either cow’s or goat’s milk and can be semi soft to very hard. Cotija, also called Queso Añejo or Queso Añejado, is very salty and is used mainly to season various Mexican-style dishes. It’s now also being produced in the Untied States.
Queso Blanco [KAY-soh BLAHN-koh] A family of cheese that exists all over Latin America in various renditions. These cheeses were probably introduced by the Spaniards and particularly the cheesemaking monks that settled in the New World. Some are made like cottage cheese from skim milk, like queso fresco. Panela is a fresh white cheese made from either whole or partly skimmed milk; if drained in a basket it’s called queso de canasta in Mexico.
An interesting trait of all these cheeses is that they don’t really melt when heated; they get soft but hold their basic shape. They’re used in dishes like enchiladas, burritos and quesadillas and also make good frying cheeses, which are called queso para freir. Another use for queso cheese is called; Queso Fundido [KAY-soh fuhn-DEE-doh] Spanish for “melted cheese,” queso fundido is a south-of-the-border rendition of fondue. The base is usually Jack Cheese, and additions may include chopped chorizo or beef, tomatoes, onions, garlic and jalapeños. Queso fundido is usually served as an appetizer, accompanied by tortilla chips for dipping.
Ingredients
- 1 (8 oz) package
cream cheese, room temperature and cubed - 1/2 cup
sour cream - 1/3 cup
evaporated milk - 1 (16 oz) package
pepper jack or queso blanco Velveeta cheese, cubed - 1 cup
chunky salsa - 1/4 cup
grated Parmesan cheese - 1 (9 oz) package frozen
chopped creamed spinach, thawed - 1/4 teaspoon
cayenne pepper - 1/4 teaspoon
ground cumin - 3
green onions, sliced - 1/3 cup
sliced black olives - 1 can diced
tomatoes with green chilies, drained - 1 (4 oz) can diced
green chilies, drained - tortilla chips or
frito corn chips
Cooking Directions
- Place all ingredients in a 5 quart slow cooker, stir together well.
- Heat on low for 2 to 4 hours or until melted, creamy and bubbly.
- Continue to heat on low or turn slow cooker to warm to keep warm.
- Serve with tortilla chips or frito scoops.
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