Easy Chile con Queso

Yes, the secret ingredient for an easy creamy chile con queso is Velveeta. It really does make a wonderful cheese sauce . . . You can try this with “real” cheese, but you will need to be very careful about keeping it at just the right temperature so that the oil doesn’t separate out from the cheese curds . . .

1/2 cup butter
1 small/medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup flour (Wondra works well, but AP is fine)
2 to 2-1/2 cups milk
2-3 4oz. cans chopped green chiles
12-16 oz. Velveeta cheese, diced (look for it near, but not in, the dairy section
3-4 fresh jalapeño peppers, chopped (or a big spoonful of canned diced jalapeños, not pickled)

Saute onion in butter until tender. Add flour, gradually, stirring constantly. Cook for 2-3 minutes over med-low heat. Gradually add 2 cups of the milk, about 1/2 cup at a time, continue stirring. You should end up with a thick, creamy white sauce (see note). Add chiles and jalapeños and simmer over low heat for 5-10 minutes. Add cheese, stir until melted. Add remaining milk if needed for thinning. Note: the cheese will thin the sauce so be sure the white sauce is thicker than desired for dip and reserve some of the milk so you can adjust at the end.