As part of the Community Circle effort at Redgate, we’ve released a cookbook: A Byte of Redgate. You can read about the story in this blog, and it was a fun project. Andy Warren had the idea and I suggested it for us since Redgate has a baking club, a cake club, a cooking club, and probably more.  We even have a real cookbook author, Dave Rook.

You can download the free book (pdf/epub), and it includes a guacamole recipe from me. However, I had a bonus recipe that I sometimes make with the guac. I don’t do this too often, as it’s not the healthiest dish, but my family loves when I do.

If you want to enjoy a Mexican-American themed Memorial Day, you might enjoy this with the guac, some chips, and a refreshing drink. That might be all you need for dinner today.

Ranch Queso

The ingredients needed are these

• 12oz sharp cheddar

• 4 oz cream cheese, softened (room-ish temperature)

• 1 Tbsp cornstarch

• 1 Tbsp butter

• 1-2 jalapenos, diced

• 2-3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped

• ½ small yellow onion, finely diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 ½ cups half and half. I often use half milk and half whipping cream

• optional – chorizo

Instructions are fairly quick, but require you to pay attention for a few minutes.

1. Optional – cook the chorizo and set aside

2. Grate the cheddar cheese first, set aside. I usually hand grate from a block, but you can use shredded is you wish.

3. Chop up the onion and jalapenos

4. Open the chipotle peppers and have ready.

5. Set aside a tablespoon of corn starch

6. Heat a medium sized saucepan over medium heat

7. Add the butter, as this starts to melt, drop in the onion, jalapenos, and garlic, stirring for 3-4 minutes

8. While this heats, I usually chop the chipotle peppers

9. Once the vegetables are softened, but not browned, add the half and half and chipotle peppers

10. Stir to combine everything. As this gets heated, add the cornstarch and mix in thoroughly.

11. Lower the temperature to low. For my gas stove, not quite the lowest setting, but pretty close

12. Next add the cream cheese in small chunks and stir to combine.

13. Once this is combined, start to add the cheddar, stirring to combine. The mixture should then thicken.

14. Pour into a bowl and serve. Optional, drop a spoonful or two of chorizo on top

This usually makes about twice when my family of five will eat with chips before dinner, so I drop rest in plastic and reheat a day or two later.