By a show of hands, who loves Mexican food? Who loves a good taco Tuesday or Queso Wednesday? OK, so I made up Queso Wednesday, but let’s start making it a thing.
Man, do I love me some queso! It doesn’t even have to be a Wednesday. It could be any day of the week for me to dip a warm tortilla chip right out of the fryer and dunk it right into that creamy, delicious cheese. Queso can be made in so many different ways, and I can say I have literally never had a bad queso. I have a significant love for cheese. (Except blue cheese. Yuck! It smells like feet!! *enter cheesy smile here*)
With Cinco de Mayo on May 5th, I thought it would be perfect to do a Mexican-themed column this week. I really love Mexican food and the fun colors of their celebrations. Here are my top five favorite Mexican foods, in no particular order.
– Tacos
– Chicken Quesadillas
– Steak and Chicken Fajitas
– Queso
– Fried Ice Cream
Can we just discuss the last thing on my list quickly? Fried ice cream. Oh, my goodness. I can’t even. How did anyone ever come up with the idea of something like ice cream that melts as quickly as you can eat it on a hot summer day, to thinking, “Hey, let’s dunk ice cream into a hot fryer and see what it does!” It’s wild to me. But ya know what? It was absolutely brilliant!
Oh, that delicious crispy outside, with a cold frozen center, is such a magnificent dessert. Drizzled in caramel and chocolate. Oh my!
Ozzie and Mae’s in downtown Williamsport have amazing fried ice cream along with their Fajitas. The best part is you hear your dinner coming before it’s even at the table. It comes out sizzling on a hot plate, so the entire restaurant can physically hear exactly what you ordered. It tastes just as good as it sounds. I always get their steak and chicken fajitas. They are my favorite!
We love making tacos at home with my stepdad, Mark Metzger’s, top-of-the-line beef straight from his family farm. Their meat is absolutely delicious. It makes the best-tasting tacos. Tacos are just one of those meals that’s just so easy to throw together on a busy night. Shred some extra sharp Cabot cheese and lettuce while your meat is cooking, along with whatever other topping your family enjoys. Throw some nachos on the table with a plate of fruit, and dinner is served.
My momma, Susie Metzger, always had grapes on the table back when I was growing up for taco night. Still does! So not only was it taco night, but it was a night for us to all shove grapes in our upper lips and see who could keep them in there the longest without laughing. Then, they typically would all fly out and roll onto the table with all the giggles. We were a very classy family and still are! Haha! We have no shame. Maybe someday, I’ll have to get a picture of us all doing this and surprise you all with a photo. What a treat that would be!!
So, whether you celebrate Cinco de Mayo, Taco Tuesday, or just love Mexican food anytime of the week, here is a very simple, three-ingredient queso recipe that literally anyone can do. It’s nothing fancy, but it gets straight to the point of delicious, melted cheese. Adios, Amigos!
Queso Rotel Dip
Ingredients:
• 16-ounce Velveeta
• 10-ounce Rotel
• 1 pound ground sausage
Directions:
Brown sausage in a skillet or large pan on the stove. Add Rotel tomatoes and cheese with sausage in a skillet/pan. Continue to cook on low until everything is melted together. Serve with nachos, crackers or cut up veggies.
Note: If it gets too thick over time, just thin it with a splash or two of milk and stir well.
