As we sat around drinking beers with our friends, I came to the realization that one of our main topics of conversation always came back to food that made us homesick. Even though my pasta in white wine sauce was good, I was dreaming of frozen fish bowl margaritas with a side of freshly made salsas, queso, and freshly fried tortilla chips. I needed a TexMex fix and I was starting to fiend.
It was time to take matters into my own hands.
A block of Velveeta in Costa Rica will run you $12-15 a block so going the ghetto route of queso is just not going to happen on our meager budget. I scoured the internet in a frenzy and came up with the following:
Grab all of your ingredients:
- Block of Queso Fresco (fresh cheese), shredded ($2) – or any cheese that suits your fancy and is available
- 2 tbsp of flour ($1 if you buy the whole bag)
- 1 onion ($.10)
- 2 tbsp of butter ($.40 for the stick)
- 5 cloves of garlic ($.10 for the whole shebang)
- A can of salsa ($1)
- 1 cup of whipping cream/heavy cream ($1)
- (optional) Sour Cream ($1)
- (optional) Extra jalapenos ($.75)
- Bag of chips ($2)
Total Cost: $7.60 (or $9.35 with optional stuff).
Yes, while I understand it isn’t CHEAP per say, it is cheaper than the alternative and I NEED MY FIX, OKAY? Please note I already had the butter, flour, garlic, sour cream and the onion due to previous cooking endeavors.
Start choppin’.
Onions, garlic, jalapenos – all that good stuff!
Then toss the jalapenos and onions in with the butter in a pot to saute until the onions are clear.
You’ll know when the onions are good and ready.
This is where it gets a bit difficult for some people. We are making a roux. I didn’t want to mention it before because I didn’t want to scare any of you out of trying this recipe.
Add in the garlic and saute for 1 minute.
Add in the flour and mix/whisk the mixture well. Cook for about 30 seconds.
Add in your cream and keep whisking until mixture is smooth and well blended.
Add in your can of salsa (or fresh salsa if you choose to make it and put in the time).
Your mixture should look something like the picture above but better – because you mixed yours in better and didn’t frantically run between your computer and your kitchen reading recipe directions. 🙂
Turn the heat on low.
Add in your shredded cheese 1/4 cup at a time.
Keep whisking/mixing away to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom. Cheese is a bitch to clean when it burns.
After a while your mixture should look like this:
This is where I tell you that queso fresco is actually a really terrible cheese to use to melt into a roux. It doesn’t all melt in. I mean, some of it does, just not all of it. I would have preferred cheddar or monterrey jack, however, those run about $8 a small block and well, I just don’t care that much. My lumpy cheese was great. Especially with sour cream.
And you know what? Happy hubby picture tells you he didn’t care either.
Buen provecho!
Note: The recipe originally came from the awesome blog, Homesick Texan. I made a few changes to fit budget and time constraints. Real salsa materials are damn near impossible to find in Costa Rica. Thank you for making this homesick Texan a happy one.
I love that travel and food are so closely related. You meet people and they cook for you and give you the recipe or you try some food that you’d never have tried at home or, in your case, you make something you craved from home and changed it to suit your budget and needs.
This recipe looks yummy by the way! 🙂
It’s dinner time for me, and this cafe didn’t have anything to eat so I’m basically super hungry at the moment and you just made me craving for food!! 🙂
Great post!
I’m super impressed with your culinary skills! The best we’ve been able to make in these tiny rental kitchens is pasta and rice. This looks sooo delicious, though.
Ohhh, that looks good! Mexican food is definitely one of those craving-making cuisines that I get urges for, being from California. There are a couple good places in Santiago, but there’s nothing like good ole Tex-Mex from home.
Still looks good to me 🙂
Oh yuuuuuum! Will you cook for me if I come to visit? 🙂
I totally feel you on this. TexMex and CaliforniaMex are the things I miss most when I travel (and living as an expat). I don’t know why it is that some food seems to travel the globe with relative integrity — Italian, sushi — but Mexican just seems to decline in quality the further you get from Mexico.
Thanks for the recipe, btw. Going to need this when I go back to Italy!
@Beverly: I definitely love when I learn how to make something new due to wonderful hosts.
It was delish!
@Juno: Sorry! (But I think you have done that to me my fair share of times. :P)
@Emily: I miss TexMex more than anything else from home. I miss good salsa. NOM NOM NOM. I know you know from your Cali food days!
@Christy: Thanks! I know it can be tricky doing he balancing act between two burners!
@Crystal: Lumpy cheese is still cheese no matter what!
@Andi: In a heartbeat. <3
@Katrina: NOM NOM NOM. Sushi hasn’t been the greatest per say but you’re right. It is still pretty damn edible while everything is subpar.
Hey guys,
You’re probably already familiar with the site, but Lesley from the Mija Chronicles had similar cravings a while back (yes, you can get TexMex craving in Mexico too apparently) and whipped up her own concoction, also based on a Homesick Texan recipe. I’ve used this one before and it turned out great (even Australians in Mexico can get TExMex cravings), although I’m not sure how you’d go finding the ingredients down in CAmerica or SAmerica. Something is awry when Velveeta becomes a luxury good.
Found any pickles yet?
…and I forgot the link.
http://www.themijachronicles.com/2010/09/mex-tex-queso-with-huauzontle-and-chorizo-verde/
@Philip: Oh that is silly! I’m glad I’m not the only one scouring the internet for chile con queso recipes. I didn’t crave it so much in Mexico because we had other things to fill our belly but I’m dying for some culinary delights!
And pickles – not yet. I did have some one my burger and it was DELICIOUS.