Let's pinky promise to never again use Velveeta cheese, ok? I mean, no judgment. I've eaten (and served) plenty of it in the past. But my goal is to eliminate as much processed food as I possibly can from my life and the lives of the people I feed. And with a recipe this simple, we just don't need that stuff anymore. Let's eat real cheese from now on, k? Like this stuff. It's yummy!
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons cornstarch
12 oz. half and half
4 oz. light cream cheese (at room temperature)
8 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, freshly shredded*
8 oz. extra sharp Cheddar cheese, freshly shredded*
1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound chorizo
*You can really use any cheese. I like the cheddar for the flavor, but it's good to combine it with something a bit "meltier". Monterey Jack works well, but mozzarella would probably be just as good. Also, you could use pre-shredded if it's easier. I find that pre-shredded cheese is much less flavorful since it tends to dry out, so I like to shred just before using. But that's just me. ;-)
1. Brown chorizo. Drain and set aside.
2. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in cornstarch until combined and cook for about a minute, stirring constantly until nice and smooth and no longer grainy.
3. Add half and half and whisk until combined and smooth. Reduce heat to low and stir in cream cheese until melted and well-combined. Add cheese, one handful at a time, stirring after each addition until fully melted. (Keep at low heat to avoid graininess or separation.)
4. Stir in tomatoes w/ green chiles, salt, onion powder, garlic powder and cooked chorizo. Serve with raw vegetables or tortilla chips.