Recipe: Queso Fresco Cotija and Chorizo Dip

Queso should arguably be the official food of Houston. No one makes it better than us, and we cannot ever seem to get enough. Although the creamy-smooth Velveeta variety is always a nostalgic favorite, switching up cheeses and throwing in some meat and vegetables is a great way to turn this appetizer into a main dish. This version uses two types of Mexican cheeses and chorizo to give a deliciously different flavor.

Queso Fresco, Cotija and Chorizo Dip

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 jalapeño, diced and seeded
• 1/2 cup button mushrooms, sliced
• 10 ounces fresh Mexican chorizo (beef or pork)
• 10 ounces queso fresco, crumbled
• 10 ounces cotija cheese, diced
• Tortilla chips and/or corn tortillas

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook five minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeño and cook another five minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for another minute before adding the chorizo. Saute until the meat is fully cooked, about eight more minutes. Set aside.

In a roomy baking dish, combine the cheeses with the chorizo/veggie mixture. Bake in the oven until the cheeses are golden and bubbling, about ten minutes.

Serve with chips as an appetizer or hot corn tortillas and diced avocado for a hearty main dish.