nom nom nom

Are you looking for a healthy Meatless Monday meal?

Move along, this recipe is not for you!

This is decadence at its best!

Oh sure, I used chicken breakfast sausage and soy chorizo …  don’t let that fool you, this is not a healthy, low-fat, low-cal recipe. It is deliciousness to the max!

Are you still with me?

Good… Enjoy!

The recipe makes two skillets of Queso. It is best to do this in two small 8-inch cast-iron skillets, as it is best eaten hot from the oven.

A larger skillet would allow the queso to cool and harden, which is exactly what we don’t want! It’s best while hot and melty.

Now you don’t have to use cast iron, but look how good it looks! You just need to make sure your skillets are oven-safe, meaning the handle won’t melt. If your skillet is not oven-safe, or if you’re not sure, just wrap the handle with at least 3 layers of foil… now it’s oven-safe and ready to rock and roll!

Assemble both skillets at the same time, cover one, and place in the refrigerator until the other is about gone (This is guaranteed to happen within minutes of being placed in front of a hungry group!) then pop the second in the oven.

Hungry Queso fans will be hanging around the oven, waiting for it to come out… that’s fine, it takes less than 10 minutes to bake.

Queso Fundido

• 12 ounces chicken breakfast sausage
• 12 ounces pork or soy chorizo
• 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
• 1 red and 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded, cored, and diced
• 1 ½ pounds pepper jack cheese, grated
• Chili powder and ground cumin
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
• Tortilla Chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large skillet, break up and cook the breakfast sausage until brown. Remove from skillet and drain on a paper towel. Add the chorizo to the same skillet and cook and crumble until cooked through. Drain on another paper towel. Pour off any excess fat.

Add onions and bell peppers to the skillet and cook over medium-high heat until the onions are translucent; continue to cook until all are soft and golden brown, about 8 minutes total. Remove from heat and set aside.

To assemble; divide the cheese into 4 equal portions, divide the breakfast sausage into 2 portions, and the chorizo into 3 portions.  Set two 8-inch cast-iron (or other oven-proof) skillets side by side and assemble each in this manner:

Take 1 part of the cheese and divide it evenly between the two skillets.

Take 1 portion of the breakfast sausage and 1 part of the chorizo and divide it evenly between the two skillets.

Use another portion of the cheese and divide evenly between the skillets to cover the sausage layer.

Divide the onion-bell pepper mixture evenly between the two skillets. Add another layer of cheese. Use the last part of breakfast sauce and divide between the skillets and then top with another portion of chorizo.

Top with the last portion of cheese. Sprinkle with the last bit of chorizo and then sprinkle to top with chili powder and ground cumin.

Cover one skillet and refrigerate until ready to use. Place the other skillet into the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and hot and bubbling slightly. Do not let it begin to brown.

Remove from the oven, top with the diced tomatoes, sprinkle with the cilantro, and serve immediately with tortilla chips.

Each pan serves about 6