Chili Con Queso

In queso emergency open a can of chili! Get it? Get it? In queso = in case of? Haha *snort* haha *snort. Sorry. That wasn't even my own joke. I googled "queso jokes" and that little zinger popped up. Sorry.

Sorry.

Chili con Queso 
Remember when I told you about the Vida Vegan Con Cookbooklette that I won on Jenn's giveaway a few weeks ago? This Creamy Cauliflower Queso is another recipe from the cookbooklette, and it is the creation of the one and only Ms Cadry McAwesomePants of Cadry's Kitchen. It's a super smooth and creamy queso that is gluten free and soy-free if you use salt instead of miso. Sautéed onions and garlic give this dip a lovely flavor, and jalapeños and hot sauce give it a nice kick. I used only half of my queso for this chili to keep the chili-to-queso ratio even, but if you want you can pour the whole thing over your chili!

The "recipe" for the Chili con Queso is not a recipe at all. If you can open a can of your favorite chili and pour Cadry's queso over it - you've pretty much made dinner! I used a can of Amy's Kitchen chili which was pretty spicy but not too fiery for my wimpy taste buds. You could make your own chili from scratch, of course, but sometimes a girl just can't be bothered to chop an onion. Amirite or amirite?


So here's what you need to make this Chili con Queso:

1 can of your favorite chili
1/2 batch of Cadry's Creamy Cauliflower Queso
minced green onions, cilantro, parsley or whatever floats your boat

And here's how to put this complicated dish together:

1. Turn the broiler on medium low. (450 degrees F)
2. Pour the chili into a saucepan or small pot and heat it on medium heat.
3. Pour the hot chili into a deep, broiler safe baking dish. Mine is a 7 x 5 ceramic baking dish that is about two inches deep. If you're going with a full batch of queso you'll need a deeper dish!
4. Pour Cadry's queso evenly on top. Place the baking dish on a cookie sheet (to catch any drippings that would otherwise fall on the bottom of your oven and then you would probably cast a curse upon my house) and broil for about 10 minutes or until the top of the queso looks a bit crusty.
5. Garnish with minced green onions or whatever toppings you choose and eat up!

Chili con Queso

This is a belly-warming meal that has lazy almost-winter evenings written all over it. The spiciness of the chili blends beautifully with the creaminess of the queso, and it's a very filling meal. It makes enough for two. I wish I had baked some cornbread to make this comfort food even more comforting! Thanks for sharing the Creamy Cauliflower Queso recipe, Cadry! :)

Autumn Geese
Late-autumn geese under a leafless weeping willow.


Comments

  1. Cauliflower queso? Heck yeah! I see some football watchin' & chili con queso munchin' in my future!

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    1. How oracular! I see some sumac roasted butternut squash in my future! :)

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  2. "In queso" hahahaha love the joke :D

    Great comfort dish there!

    Love the ducks, as usual.

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  3. In a real emergency, of course you need a can. You can't be expected to chop when the situation is urgent, and I think you've solved a dinner emergency nicely. When I made a creamy cauliflower cheese sauce for mac 'n' cheese for Miss E, it was a no go. I found it tasty but she would have none of it. I was so disappointed. :( I will have to eat my cauliflower sauces alone. Alas.

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    1. Aw, picky little thing! I used to be such a picky eater as a child but now I love most foods - there is still hope for Miss E! :)

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  4. You know that they sell chopped frozen onions? I rarely buy fresh onions because I am LAZY and the frozen ones are so easy.

    Did you see my post on Sunday!?! I SAW A SNOWY OWL!!!!

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    1. Frozen chopped onions: I bought a bag once but never remembered to buy them again.

      Snowy owl: Shut the flock up!!! Checking it out now...

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  5. Pandacookie send me a copy of that zine and shame on me I haven't had the chance to make something from it yet. I am putting that recipe on top of my list!

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    1. Isn't it a beautiful cookbooklette? I love Amey's drawings! Also check out Dreena's Mediterranean Bean Burgers from the cookbooklette.

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  6. Get it it's funny! Vegans are so creative, this recipe sounds amazing! Never tried cauliflower queso, only cachew, tofu, soy cream, variations with nutritional yeast, tapioca...can't wait!

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    1. You should definitely try it! Cauliflower is a magical vegetable that makes deliciously creamy sauces and other tasty, creamy things. You might also want to check out this Cheesy Cauliflower Sauce from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen. I blogged about it before here and here.

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