Queso dip: cooking options

Step 1: Grate the cheese.

• Cheddar (mild, sharp, smoked, or chipotle)
  
• Pepper Jack
  
• Monterey Jack
  
• American
  
• Havarti
  
• Munster
  
• Mozzarella (low moisture)
  
• Processed (eg Velveeta; cut into cubes)

Step 2: Prepare the additives.

• Chorizo, cooked and crumbled
  
• Bacon, cook and crumble
  
• Ground beef or turkey, cooked and crumbled
  
• Grilled chicken, skin removed, chopped
  
• Shrimp, cook and chop
  
• Crab or lobster meat, chopped
  
• Onion, chop and fry
  
• Mushrooms, chop and fry
  
• Zucchini, chopped and fried
  
• Frozen popcorn, thawed
  
• Poblano peppers, roasted and diced
  
• Canned black or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  
• Roasted red peppers from jar, chopped (use only 1/4 cup)
  
• Canned chopped green chilies, drained (use only 1/4 cup)

Step 3: Choose spices.

• Ground cumin
  
• Chili powder (regular or ancho)
  
• Spices for tacos or fajitas
  
• Ground coriander
  
• Paprika (sweet, hot or smoked)
  
• Chopped chipotles in adobo sauce (use 1 tbsp)

Step 4: Make the queso.

Step 5: Add toppings.

• Pickled jalapenos, sliced
  
• Black olives
  
• Cilantro, chopped
  
• Tomato, chop
  
• Red onion, chopped
  
• Bell pepper, chopped
  
• Green onions, chopped