fresh & fiery queso | Torchy's queso copycat recipe

I recently made my very first trip to Austin, Texas for a long weekend signing books, meeting friends, and sharing my hospitality message at a weekend conference with the gals at Church at Canyon Creek! Everything about being in Austin filled my soul! The food, the people, the rolling hills, and THIS QUESO. 

We'd been told by several people to eat at Torchy's Tacos while we were in Austin; but our full plans booked up our mealtimes, and the opportunities had run out! It was late on the last night of our trip, I was at my book table meet-and-greet, and a sweet new friend Anna asked if we'd gotten to eat Torchy's queso yet. We said that we hadn't, and we told her we were sadly leaving and had not more meals to eat in Austin! Sam and I just agreed we must make Torchy's queso a priority on our next Austin visit - whenever that might be. So there was that.

So sweet Anna left. I sat and continued to sign books and hug necks long into the evening. And in a half hour, I saw Anna coming back into the building with a take-out bag of Torchy's queso for Sam and me! Y'all, it had been the longest day. We had schlepped books, set up a merchandise table, and then I had taught for an hour. And although the church had offered me dinner, I didn't eat before I spoke because nerves. So by 10pm, we were hungry! We took that queso back to our hotel room, kicked off our shoes, and ate every. last. bite. Y'all, Anna love-welcome-served me. She used the ministry and comfort of food to meet our needs, ushering in the goodness of God in our lives! It meant the world to me. Full bellies. Happy hearts! And just plain old kindness.

SO ABOUT THIS QUESO. Sake's alive. I wasn't prepared for it. Truly. The first bite was the most memorable bite of melted cheese I've ever had. It was entirely spicier than I expected - but in the best make-your-nose-run way! Torchy's serves their queso ladled over guacamole in the bottom so you stir it in! And the creamy guacamole is perfect with the spicy cheesy goodness. It was really sumpthin'. 

So after daydreaming about this queso for a week after returning to Arkansas, I spent a whole Saturday working on a similar recipe. It's not your quickest, weeknight queso. It's gonna take a minute. But it's worth worth worth it. It's fresh and fiery. As you'll see and love. So here y'all go, my Torchy's Tacos copycat queso!

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FRESH & FIERY QUESO

-Torchy's Tacos copycat queso-

1 red bell pepper

1 large poblano pepper

1 small jalapeno pepper

vegetable oil

3 cloves garlic, peeled

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk

3/4 lb american cheese, cubed

3/4 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

3/4 cup shredded mild cheddar

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

pinch of salt

several dashes of hot sauce like Tapatio 

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

milk for consistency

Move the oven rack to next-highest position and preheat the broiler on low. Line a sheet pan with foil, lay the three whole peppers on the sheet pan, drizzle with oil, and roast for 3 minutes per side, turning them gently with tongs to allow them to blister on all four sides. Continue to broil/roast until the peppers are tender and the skin is blackened and blistered. Carefully transfer peppers to a bowl and cover immediately with plastic wrap. Allow the peppers to steam in the bowl for 15-20 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Remove from the bowl (use gloves if needed), and use your hands under cold running water to shred/peel the blistered skin away from the flesh. Remove the stem and seeds. 

In the bowl of a food processor, add the flesh of the three roasted peppers plus the garlic cloves. Whir on high until pureed (uniformly chopped up into itty bitty bits but not liquefied.) Pour the pepper mixture in a large, wide saucepan (I use my Le Creuset 3.5qt enameled cast iron braiser), add butter, and saute over medium-low heat until butter melts and the mixture simmers for a minute. Stir in the can of evaporated milk, and allow to come just to a simmer. Stir in cheeses, stirring until melted. Add in cumin, chili powder, salt, and hot sauce. Taste and adjust. Stir in chopped cilantro; add milk one tablespoon at a time to get the consistency you want.  Serve with your favorite guacamole and cilantro for garnish!

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cheesy corn and red pepper dip with crumbled bacon

It’s game-watching season which is our favorite season of all! I’m telling you that if there are 273 games on television on a Saturday, then we will watch them all! And you can’t have game-watching season without dips. They go hand in hand. And this cheesy corn and red pepper dip is perfect for armchair quarterbacking and for your tailgate too! It’s cheesy and creamy, sweet from the corn, and peppery from the roasted red peppers and green chiles! Then top this baked dip with crumbled bacon, and you’ll be in Hog heaven! (That’s a nod to my Arkansas Razorbacks! Go Hogs!) Serve it with a big bowl of corn scoops or heap it on your grilled burgers! 

CHEESY CORN AND RED PEPPER DIP

2 tablespoons butter

½ red onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 jar roasted red peppers, drained and diced

2 (4-ounce) cans chopped green chiles

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

½ cup mayonnaise

½ cup whole sour cream

2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

6 cups of frozen corn

Taco seasoning for sprinkling

Chopped green onions and crumbled bacon for garnish, optional

Melt butter in a skillet, and saute onion until tender. Stir in garlic, red peppers, and green chiles. Reduce heat to low. Stir in cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream until combined. Stir in cheeses and corn. Season with salt and pepper. Spread in a baking dish, sprinkle top with taco seasoning, cumin or chili powder, and bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes until bubbly and melted. Remove from heat and garnish with chopped green onions and crumbled bacon. Serve with corn scoops or tortilla chips!

blackened fish street tacos

We love food trucks and carts! We find ourselves hypnotized by the wafts of good food in the air! Wherever we go – NYC, Seaside, or even locally in downtown Fayetteville – we find a food truck. These blackened fish street tacos with pickled cucumbers and onions are hand-held, sloppy, little numbers that make us think of beach vacations and summertime visits to our favorite cities! The fish is tender and spicy, but the sweet vinegar-y cucumbers cool down each bite. Roll up your sleeves because you’re sure have sauce drip down to your elbows!

BLACKENED FISH STREET TACOS

with pickled cucumbers and onions

Makes 8-10 little tacos

-for the cucumbers and onions-

1 english cucumber, thinly sliced

1 large red onions, halved and thinly sliced

1-2 cloves garlic, mashed

¾ cup apple cider vinegar

¾ cup sugar

1 cup water

1 tablespoon salt

-for the tangy cream sauce-

2 tablespoons of reserved pickling liquid

6 tablespoons of mayonnaise

Juice of one lime

Pinch of salt

Several dashes of hot sauce

-for the fish tacos-

4 tilapia filets

4 tablespoons blackening seasoning

Vegetable oil for sauteeing

20 street taco-sized corn tortillas

Shredded monterey jack cheese, sliced avocado, lime juice wedges, and cilantro for garnishing

In a medium saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, water, and salt. Bring to a boil; stir in the sliced cucumbers and onions. Continue to boil for about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the mashed garlic. Allow to cool for 30 minutes at room temperature, reserve 2 tablespoons of the liquid, and refrigerate the cucumbers and onions for at least an hour until chilled.

In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the creamy taco sauce. Taste and adjust. It should be creamy, tangy, with a little heat from the hot sauce.

For the fish tacos, season all sides of the tilapia filets with blackening seasoning. Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat swirled with oil, sear tilapia for 3 minutes on each side. Remove to a cutting board and use two forks to pull fish apart into big, rustic bites.

Stack two corn tortillas and fill with fish, pickled cucumbers and onions, a drizzle of tangy cream sauce, shredded cheese, avocado slices, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing.

mexican corn and black bean skillet

Well, our undying devotion to Mexican food lives on with this Mexican Corn and Black Bean Skillet. It’s a simple nearly one-pot meal that is cheesy and loaded with flavor! (Nearly meaning only two pans!) And it throws together in no time with some store-bought shortcuts! Gosh, I love a quick weeknight meal, don’t you? Let this little number rest before you cut it, and it’ll serve up in the prettiest wedges. Delicious, easy Mexican food that’s pretty, too?! Count me in!

MEXICAN CORN AND BLACK BEAN SKILLET

3 chicken breasts, cut into 3 pieces

1 (16-ounce) jar salsa verde

1/4 cup water

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cumin

3 tablespoons heavy cream

2 cups frozen corn

1 (7-ounce) can chopped green chiles

1 (14-ounce) can black beans, rinsed/drained

4 cups shredded Monterey Jack

10 (6-inch) corn tortillas

Set the oven to 375F. Cook chicken pieces in salsa with water, covered, for 30 minutes or until tender.

Remove chicken, shred into bites, and cover until ready to use. Stir in heavy cream, cumin, and salt to the reserved sauce.

In an oven-safe cast iron skillet, cook corn undisturbed over medium high heat for several minutes to get a nice char on one side. Season with pinch of salt, stir, and let cook for another several minutes to get color. Transfer corn to a bowl.

In the skillet, spoon a little verde sauce in the bottom. Then lay five tortillas overlapping to cover the bottom. Then layer half the chicken, half the beans, half the corn, half the cheese. Then spoon more sauce over, and continue with tortillas, chicken, beans, corn, and cheese. Dollop chopped green chiles over the top, spoon remaining verde sauce on top. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and browning around the sides. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before cutting into wedges. Serve with sour cream, cilantro, and avocado slices.

Recipe inspired by What's Gaby Cooking

Hatch green chile guacamole

There are so many wonderful things about summer! Beach vacations, fresh strawberry pie, happy painted toenails in flip-flops, and Hatch green chiles! That's right - these chile peppers from the Hatch valley in New Mexico are one of the highlights of my summer! I wait year round until late July or early August for these seasonal peppers to be available, and I'm quick to run into my Whole Foods Market to pick up a stash!

Hatch green chiles can be bought whole and roasted right over the open flame of your gas stove! The skin bubbles and chars beautifully! Just pop the roasted whole chiles in a zip-top bag and let the steam loosen the skin. Then after a few minutes, use your hands to peel them! Easy as that, y'all! And the flavor. Oh my word. Their smoky char and medium/hot heat are such a great flavor combo that go perfectly with eggs, salsa, enchiladas and more! I've even mixed chopped Hatch chiles into my ground beef for delicious burgers! Pssst...there's even Hatch cheese that you can shred or slice and melt right on top of your burger!

This week I made blackened fish tacos that begged for a pile of guacamole to serve alongside. So I made a heaping bowl of Hatch Green Chile Guacamole loaded with fresh, chopped roasted chiles for heat, then I mixed in jarred, chopped, roasted red peppers to balance the heat with sweet and to give this creamy green dip some great color! Goodness, y'all. This guacamole is limey, peppery, smoky, sweet, and good good good!

And after you've roasted your Hatch chiles (Whole Foods is even roasting Hatch chiles on their front porch starting August 5 so you don't have to roast them yourself!), you can freeze what's left! Or for that matter, you can buy a whole wheelbarrow full of them and freeze them! Their texture and taste stay true. Freeze them in 1 cup batches so you can just pull them out of the freezer, thaw them, and stir them into your breakfast tacos or your cornbread year round!

However you choose to get these Hatch chiles from Whole Foods, you must make this guacamole! It's perfect for summertime snacking or to kick off football season which can't get here soon enough!!

Three cheers for Summer!

FYI...Fresh Hatch chiles are $.69/lb through August 22, then they go to their regular price $.99/lb. Roasted Hatch chiles are $2.99/lb through August 22, then they go to back to $3.99/lb. Get yours while they're on sale! And make this guacamole for your people!

HATCH GREEN CHILE GUACAMOLE

serves 8

3 ripe avocados

1/2 cup chopped, roasted Hatch chiles

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 teaspoon cumin

Juice of one lime (or two if you like it limier)

1/2 teaspoon grated garlic

3 heaping tablespoons chopped, jarred roasted red peppers

Garnish with extra Hatch chiles, roasted red peppers, cilantro, and lime slices

In a medium bowl, scoop out the flesh of the avocados, and add in the Hatch chiles, salt, white pepper, cumin, and lime juice. Use a potato masher or two forks to mash the avocados and chiles. The texture should be creamy but have a few chunky bites of avocado mixed in. Stir in grated garlic and chopped, jarred roasted red peppers. Taste for seasoning and add more lime, salt or cumin. Garnish with more chiles, more peppers, and cilantro. Serve with lime slices and warmed tortilla chips.

I have a partnership with Whole Foods Market and have been compensated for my work, but all words and opinions are my own.

Steven's Special: mexican chicken and queso rice

At least once a week. 

That's how often my family goes out to our favorite Mexican restaurant just down the street. And what beckons us to frequent so often? What could possibly be so good that we have.to.have.it every few days? Steven's Special. An entree of creamy, queso rice with spicy strips of seasoned, grilled chicken stirred in. It's served with optional soft flour tortillas in the event that you get the itch to roll it into the tortilla and eat it. But most of us just eat it straight up. Every bite.

So I decided to make my own version at home to satisfy our regular (out-of-control) craving. And while my version is unique in its own right, it's awful good and mighty close to our cantina favorite! My Steven's Special rendition has lots of fresh ingredients and fixins too which we L-O-V-E. I'm telling ya. This recipe is sure to become a family favorite!

STEVEN'S SPECIAL

serves 4-6

-for the taco seasoning-

4 Tablespoons chili powder

4 teaspoons cumin

4 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 chicken breasts, halved lengthwise making 4 cutlets

2.5 cups water

2.5 cups 5-minute white rice

1 large shallot, minced

2 cups whole milk

Juice of one can Rotel tomatoes with green chiles (juice only)

1 Tablespoon garlic paste (or grated fresh garlic)

1lb queso blanco Velveeta, cubed

3 Tablespoons jarred chopped jalapenos with juice (or 4oz chopped jalapenos)

Garnish with sour cream, avocado, tomatoes, and cilantro.

Mix the taco seasoning together and season both sides of the chicken breasts. Allow to sit for 10 minutes so the seasoning will really flavor the meat. Work on the rice and the prep for the queso while the chicken marinates in the rub. Grill on a hot preheated grill for 3 minutes on both sides. Remove from grill, cover with foil, and allow to rest. 

In a saucepan, heat water until it boils. Stir in rice, cover, and allow to simmer on low heat until the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a heavy-bottomed saute pan with a lid, saute the shallot over medium-low heat in a little olive oil. Saute until just tender. Pour in whole milk and the juice from the Rotel tomatoes, and stir in the garlic paste. Allow to come just to a simmer, then add the cubes of queso blanco cheese. Cover with lid and allow to melt into the warm milk. Keep heat below medium and allow time to melt. Stir occasionally. Stir in chopped jalapenos with their juice. Taste and adjust. Keep covered on low heat.

When the chicken is grilled, the rice is cooked, and the queso is melted, stir the rice into the queso. Slice the chicken very thinly. Spoon a plate with cheesey rice, to with sliced chicken, and garnish with sour cream, sliced avocado, chopped tomatoes, and cilantro. Serve with warm tortillas if you choose.

braised carne asada tacos

These these THESE!! I don’t know if you have a carne asada taco recipe, but you do now! These are my kids’ favorite. Piles of tender, spicy, shredded steak folded up in a tortilla and then topped with all of the best-loved taco toppings – and you will have a hit on your hands! I make this recipe in my Le Creuset braiser, but you could do it in a slow-cooker as long as you promise me you’ll take the time to sear it first. Don’t just put a lump of meat in a crockpot and steam it. Get a good, savory crust on it first, THEN slow-cook it til it’s tender. You’re gonna love this. Scout’s honor.

Watch the online episode HERE (with some verrry silly outtakes that I wasn’t made aware of!)

BRAISED CARNE ASADA TACOS
Serves 4-6

2lb flank or skirt steak
2 yellow onions, halved and sliced
1 red pepper, cut into strips
1 yellow pepper, cut into strips
About 2 cups beef stock

-for the rub-
4 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon granulated onion
½ teaspoon granulated garlic
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Allow beef to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, then using a meat mallet, tenderize the meat by pounding a little to break down the connective tissue. Cut the meat in half lengthwise so it will fit in your pot if necessary.

Preheat oven to 325F. In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the dry rub. Rub both sides liberally with the seasoning mix, using all of the rub. Over medium-high heat, preheat an oven-safe pan, dutch oven, or enameled braiser (with a tight-fitting lid) swirled with oil. Sear the meat on both sides until a dark crust forms. If you had to cut the meat in half to fit in your pan, then sear in batches. Remove meat from pan and set aside. Pour in ½ cup of the stock, stirring to loosen the bits on the bottom of the pan. Then add the onions and peppers, stirring to cook for a few minutes. Using a utensil, divide the veggies to make a center spot for the meat to lay. Lay the meat in the pan, nestling it down between the vegetables. Pour the rest of the beef stock in the pan. The stock should come up the sides of the meat without covering the top. Cover with lid and cook in the oven for 2.5 hours. Turn oven off and let continue to cook (without peeking) for another 30-60 minutes. Remove from oven, and shred meat in the pan with two forks, stirring the shredded meat and the vegetables together. Serve in warmed tortillas, and garnish with shredded cheese, guacamole, and lime wedges.

grilled black bean and chicken burritos

If I know two things at all, I know these two things. 1) We are busy. 2) We love Mexican food. So combine those two things, and you've got a recipe for these grilled black bean and chicken burritos!  It's a quick weeknight recipe that is a crowd-pleaser. YAY! The hero of this dish is rotisserie chicken that can be picked up and pulled apart in a snap. Then these burritos are filled with gooey, melted cheese, a warm sweet-and-spicy black bean salsa, and super seasoned chicken. Load 'em up, grill 'em up, slice 'em and serve 'em! Your people are gonna love them! 

Watch the online episode HERE with step-by-step instructions and fun!

GRILLED BLACK BEAN AND CHICKEN BURRITOS

feeds about 6

1 family-sized or two small rotisserie chickens, meat pulled and shredded

¼ cup water

1 can of Rotel tomatoes with green chiles

Juice of 2 limes

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 scant teaspoon cumin

1 scant teaspoon garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

1 medium yellow onion

1 14oz can black beans, drained a little

½-1 cup frozen corn

Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Package of soft taco-sized flour tortillas

Sliced avocado

Halved grape tomatoes

Sour cream

Cilantro

In a pot over medium-low heat, mix together and heat chicken, water, half of the juice from the Rotel can (keep the rest!), lime juice, chili, cumin, and garlic powder. Stir and taste for seasoning, adding more as you’d like.

Meanwhile, slice onion and saute in a little oil until tender and golden.

In another pot over medium heat, mix together black beans, corn, the rest of the Rotel can, plus salt and pepper to taste.

Down the center of one flour tortilla, layer chicken mixture, black bean mixture (use a slotted spoon to drain off liquid), then top with shredded monterey jack cheese. Fold each side in like a burrito and grill in a preheated non-stick skillet drizzled with a little oil. Weight the burrito with another skillet or heavy spatula while it cooks on both sides. Remove from skillet and repeat with remaining tortillas and fillings. Garnish with avocado, tomatoes, sour cream, and cilantro!

Pulled Pork Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw and Avocado Crema

Click here to watch this Cooking Today episode online!

I don't have a picture of these tacos because we ate them before I could get a pic! They're that good, y'all! OH! And this recipe uses leftover pulled pork from the previous recipe on this blog. Just scroll down a little further to see the full pork recipe. So. so. delicious. 

PULLED PORK TACOS

with CILANTRO LIME SLAW & AVOCADO CREMA

-for the slaw-

red cabbage

English cucumber (seedless)

chopped cilantro

-for the dressing-

¾ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

2 Tbl honey

1 ripe lime

½ tsp salt

sugar as needed

Chop half of the red cabbage thinly or chop in a food processor. Peel cucumber, cut into long strips then chop into small pieces to make small cubes. Toss cabbage and cucumbers with chopped cilantro. Whisk together dressing and add more of anything to taste. Then toss together with the cabbage mixture.

-for the avocado crema, stir together -

1 medium ripe avocado, pit removed, flesh mashed nearly smooth with a fork

½ cup chopped cilantro

¼ cup sour cream

juice of one ripe lime

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp garlic powder

⅛ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

 

Heat pork and flour or corn tortillas. Fill each tortilla with pulled pork, cilantro lime slaw, avocado crema, and shredded monterey jack cheese if desired. Serve with tortilla chips and avocado slices.