A Velveeta-Free Queso Dip

Ingredients

• 1/2 onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 serrano peppers, diced
• 3 jalapeno peppers, diced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup milk
• 6 cups cheese, shredded (can use any combination of Longhorn cheddar and Monterrey Jack)
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 plum tomatoes, peeled and diced (about 1 cup, can use canned if tomatoes aren't in season)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• salt, to taste

Directions

1. 1

   Melt the butter in a saucepan on medium-low heat, and then cook the onions and peppers for about five minutes or until onions are translucent.

2. 2

   Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

3. 3

   Whisk the flour into the butter, vegetable mix and cook for about 30 seconds.

4. 4

   Add the milk to the pot, and cook on medium, whisking constantly until sauce is thick, about five minutes. Stir in the cilantro and tomatoes.

5. 5

   Turn heat down to low, and a 1/4-cup at a time, slowly add the shredded cheese stirring into the white sauce until completely melted. Repeat.

6. 6

   Stir in the sour cream.

7. 7

   Add salt to taste.

8. 8

   Notes: You can vary which chiles you use to control how hot you want the queso to be. Also, if the sauce is too thick, feel free to add a bit more milk a tablespoon at a time. The key, however, to a smooth sauce is adding the cheese very slowly and not adding any more cheese until the previous addition is completely integrated into the sauce.