tex mex

The next time you get a craving for gooey chorizo-filled queso dip, there's only one thing to do: make this amazing cheese dip! Sure, it has nothing to do with seasonal eating, but that's OK. Sometimes it's nice to break the rules and just enjoy a dip because it tastes really good.

A combination of queso fresco, white cheddar, mozzarella, and goat cheese, this queso is addictive and delicious. To make it vegetarian, simply omit the chorizo. To check out this recipe — I'm definitely making it again! — keep reading.

If someone were to ask me, "What's your guilty pleasure food?" there's only one thing I can honestly answer: Velveeta. It's so bad . . . yet it's so good! Technically Velveeta isn't a cheese, but a "processed pasteurized cheese product" that has a creamy texture, mild cheddar flavor, and characteristic artificial-orange color.

Velveeta's most endearing quality, however, is its wonderful ability to melt; once heated, it becomes as smooth as velvet. Since 1928, when Kraft first introduced it to America kitchens, Velveeta has been used to make macaroni and cheese and my personal favorite, nacho cheese dip.

While I enjoy the traditional queso dip (a mixture of Velveeta and Ro-tel, a line of canned tomatoes and green chiles popular in Texas), I prefer this jazzed-up rendition. The refried beans provide a nice meatiness and the cumin gives it an element of smoke.

See how to make this gooey, insanely delicious dip.

You can't go wrong with corn, chicken, cheddar cheese, and chiles wrapped up in a warm tortilla. This simple supper is a great recipe to cook up in a pinch and everyone is bound to enjoy it. I had chicken tenders on hand, so I used those and the recipe was even easier and quicker to cook. Employ fresh corn since it's in season and adds great flavor. You can serve this in a tortilla (like I did) with a little salsa and avocado or offer it with rice and a side salad. Bring this tasty Tex-Mex dish to your kitchen table by reading more.

In Texas, much like the cattle that dot the Lone Star State, Tex-Mex dishes like enchiladas, queso, and chimichangas dominate. As a native Houstonian, I've devoured more than my fair share of Tex-Mex fare. Nonetheless, I have a deep, dark confession to make: I've never understood the real difference between beef tacos (like tacos al carbon) and fajitas. After all, they're both hot Mexican plates that involve wrapping tortillas around sizzling meat. So is there really even a difference? Turns out there actually is. Lisa Fain of the Texas cooking blog Homesick Texan helped set the record straight: "The difference between a fajita and a taco is that the former refers to a type of meat, while the latter refers to a method of presentation," she explained. Find out why this is the case when you read more.

When I get tired of my open-faced fried egg sandwich, I like to make a different meatless meal that features the incredible, edible egg. It's a simple tortilla topped with cheese, avocado, and the fried egg. It's got a Tex-Mex spin thanks to the addition of pepper Jack cheese and spicy chipotle salsa. This recipe serves one but can easily be altered to feed your loved ones. It's fast, fresh, and delicious, so learn how it's done now.

All this margarita talk has got me craving Mexican food! While I love a delicious bowl of guacamole and an addictive queso, my all-time favorite Mexican dish is tacos. Salmon tacos, beef tacos, chicken tacos — I don't discriminate against certain proteins. Hard tacos, soft tacos: what's not to love about this versatile dish that can be filled and topped with an endless array of ingredients? On the eve of National Margarita Day, I want to know: what's your preferred order at a Mexican restaurant?

Nachos are one of my favorite foods, so when I realized the Super Bowl was around the corner, I had to whip up a batch. The thing that makes these nachos — which are not baked, but assembled — absolutely to die for is the spicy queso sauce.

I used Cabot's hot habanero cheddar, and I highly recommend seeking out this cheese to make these nachos. Combined with a quick béchamel, it results in a super creamy, sharp, spicy, and flavorful queso sauce. The chorizo pinto bean mixture is also wildly delicious and could easily be used in huevos rancheros or as the filling for quesadillas.

If you're a fan of classic fiery Tex-Mex, you must make this recipe. It sounds crazy, but I think these were the best nachos I've ever eaten — and I've tried a lot of nachos! Check out the method now.

We love a good brittle, and our heart's nearly stopped at the sight of this genius idea that thehungrytexan shared in the Savory Sights group: Frito brittle!

I've been getting into candy making lately in preparation for the holidays and trying out new ideas like this Frito brittle.

A little unusual but just as delicious as the original, Frito brittle is my new favorite! Here is my basic (peanut) brittle recipe with ideas for variations.


Have you had any recent culinary breakthroughs? Share by uploading your food photos in the Savory Sights group in our YumSugar Community!

When I had some friends over to try Bobby Flay's award-winning burger, there was only one thing I thought to pair the burgers with: fries. Not just any fries, but seasonal sweet potato fries. The burger is called the Santa Fe, so I was hoping for Tex-Mex inspired fries. Luckily, I found this recipe for baked sweet potato fries with a creamy and cooling avocado dip.

The pairing of slightly spicy sweet potatoes with a luscious green dipping sauce is absolutely sublime. Although I followed the recipe closely and I really enjoyed the flavor, my sweet potatoes weren't as crispy as I wanted them to be. Do you have tips for making them crisp? Please share with me in the comments. For the recipe, which doesn't disappoint, read on.