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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salted double chocolate sheet pan toffee

There are so many sweets associated with the holiday season, but maybe none stronger than toffee. Christmas is toffee's Super Bowl. It's toffee's season to shine! And y'all, nothin's better than buttery, crispy, chocolately, nutty bites of this sheet pan goodness. There have been 573 versions of sheet pan toffee that have circled the world and back over the course of mankind. But I'm here to tell ya, this one may be the best. There, I said it. I believe it though. And here's why. I took perfectly good, classic toffee and I added more and more flavor and yummy bits! Two kinds of chocolate, extra toffee bits, and flaked salt. Simple little changes with big fun flavor and crunch! 

My favorite way to gift this treat is by wrapping a sparkly NEW sheet pan filled with toffee in a clear bag tied with pretty ribbon and greenery. Something to eat and something to keep! Gift the whole kit and caboodle to a friend or family that you love! 

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SALTED DOUBLE CHOCOLATE SHEET PAN TOFFEE

makes one sheet pan of toffee serving who knows how many

One sleeve of saltine crackers plus a few more

1 cup unsalted butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1 cup milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup pecan chips

1/2 cup toffee bits

flaked sea salt

Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a half-sheet pan with parchment paper. Lay out crackers, touching, in rows that cover the whole sheet pan.  In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and brown sugar together, whisking until combined and the sugar is dissolved. Bring the mixture to a boil, and whisk, allowing it to boil for 3 minutes. If using a candy thermometer, the mixture should reach just below 300F or hard-crack stage. Working quickly but carefully, pour the mixture over the crackers, and use an offset spatula to gently spread the toffee over the crackers. Bake in the oven for 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, working quickly again, sprinkle the chocolate chips in a single layer over the hot toffee crackers.  Allow the chips to sit on the crackers for 3-4 minutes or until they begin to turn glossy and melted. Then gently use the offset spatula to spread the melted chocolate chips over the crackers. Evenly scatter the top with pecan chips and toffee bits. Sprinkle generously with flaked sea salt. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or longer until set and brittle. Use a knife or ice pick to break into bite-sized pieces.

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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!

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.

sticky oven-baked drummies

It has taken me years to enjoy chicken on the bone. And I confess that although I have come to a mature appreciation of the tender meat that accompanies any meat-on-the-bone, I still examine nearly every bite I take...UNLIKE the men in my house who chew whatever until they're holding a dry, nekked bone. My daughter Grace and I watch in fascination as we nibble and pick at our carefully-selected premium bites.

So when these sticky oven-baked drummies made all of the people in my household happy - picky eaters and non-picky eaters, males and females alike - I knew we had a winner on our hands! The tangy, sweet marinade becomes the glaze on these chicken drumsticks. And the oven works its magic on the sugar in the honey to make the charred, sticky, and delicious! Perfect for the big game! They are mouth-watering and finger-licking good!

STICKY OVEN-BAKED DRUMMIES

makes 12 drumsticks

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup soy sauce

2-3 cloves of garlic, mashed

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

pinch of salt

12 drumsticks

2 scallions, green parts chopped

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, mashed garlic, and pepper flakes. Place 12 chicken drumsticks in a glass or ceramic baking dish, nestling them down into a single layer as best you can. Pour the marinade over the drumsticks, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, turning them over with tons at least once soaks in the marinade. They may marinate in the fridge for as long as 6 hours!

Set the oven to 450F. Line a metal sheet pan with a metal cooling rack that has been sprayed or brushed with oil. (You may want to put a sheet of foil on the pan underneath to help with cleanup!) Remove the chicken from the pan, line them up on the wire rack, and reserve the marinade. Season each chicken drummie with a little salt. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes or until the skin begins to crisp and caramelize.

While the chicken is in the oven, pour the marinade in a small pan. Bring just to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook and stir over low heat until it reduces and thickens, about 15-18 minutes.

Remove the drumsticks from the oven, spoon a little of the marinade on each piece of chicken, and return to the oven for a final 7-10 minutes.

To serve, arrange the chicken drummies on a large platter or serving board and sprinkle with chopped scallions. Serve with a good cool dip of your choice!

NOTE: The garlic is intended to flavor the marinade only. Mashing the cloves allows the garlic to release its good garlicky flavor. Let them float around in the marinade and simmer in the glaze, then discard. 

brown sugar chili and cheese grits

I feed a lot of folks at my house. Adults, families, teenagers, small groups, watch parties, you name it. And when it turns cool outside, THIS is one of my favorite go-tos to feed said folks.  I know, I know. Chili doesn’t get your motor going because it’s so “been there, done that.” But this chili has a few surprises and a spicy sweetness that sets it apart. AND THEN I spoon it over a shallow layer of cheese grits which really fills up bellies. Y’all. So many good things.

BROWN SUGAR CHILI AND CHEESE GRITS

{serves about 8 with leftover chili for chili dogs}

-for the brown sugar chili-

1 small yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2lbs ground beef 80/20

1 14oz can dark red kidney beans

1 14oz can light red kidney beans

1 14oz can pinto beans

1 14oz can black beans

2 cans diced tomatoes with green chiles

1 4oz can tomato paste

1 4oz can chopped green chiles

1 packet chili seasoning

1 packet dry ranch dressing mix

2-3 Tablespoons brown sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

-for the cheese grits-

1lb velveeta, cubed

½  teaspoon salt

1 cup uncooked 5-minute quick-cook grits

2 cups of water

2 cups of milk

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into about four pieces

1 teaspoon garlic powder

3 Tablespoons jarred chopped jalapenos and juice, optional

In a 5.5qt heavy-bottomed pot, saute onion in a swirl of olive oil until tender. Stir in garlic and saute until fragrant. Add ground beef and cook until browned. Drain just a bit of liquid off of the top of the cans of beans, and pour into the pot. Pour the tomatoes and chiles into the pot with the juice. Add in the remaining ingredients. Stir well. Bring just to a boil, reduce to a simmer and allow to simmer on low for at least 30 minutes. Add a can of water if you prefer your chili more liquidy than thick.

Meanwhile prepare cheese grits. In a 4qt saucepan, bring water, milk, butter and salt just to a boil and whisk in grits, whisking constantly so they do not clump.  Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook grits until they've expanded and gotten creamy, about 7-8 minutes or so. Over low heat, stir in cheese and garlic powder. Stir until cheese is melted and grits are smooth. Stir in jarred jalapenos and juice. Taste as you go! Add more milk or butter a little at a time, stirring over low heat until the grits are creamy, creamy, creamy.

Serve in shallow bowls ladled with just enough grits to cover the bottom of the bowl, then filled with chili. Top with sour cream, chopped red onions, avocado slices, sliced scallions or whatever else sounds good!

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.