CHILE CON QUESO DIP

• 1 large onion, minced
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 4 Tbsp. butter or margarine
• 1 large can tomatoes (1 lb. 13 oz.)
• 1 can chopped chiles (4 oz.)
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 1 c. evaporated milk
• salt, Tabasco sauce
• 1/2 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, grated

In medium pan, melt 2 Tbsp. of the butter; saute onion and garlic til soft but not brown. Add tomatoes (broken up into small chunks), and simmer til thick. Stir in chiles.

In a smaller saucepan, melt 2 Tbsp. butter; whisk in flour, then evaporated milk. Cook sauce til thickened; add to tomato mixture. Season to taste with salt and Tabasco.

Shortly before serving, stir in cheese til melted. Add more salt and/or Tabasco if needed. Serve with tortilla chips. This dip is best when kept hot in a chafing dish or on a hot tray.

“Many of you may remember my mother’s famous chili con queso dip that she would regularly bring to parties in a chafing dish! Anyway I thought to share it with the whole family if you are looking for a crowd-pleasing recipe. I was going through my old recipes and found this and it is a wonderful thing to remember her by and her typing it up on her IBM selectric typewriter. The clickety clack is such a sweet memory of my mom.” – Joyanne Sloan