Rachael Ray: Rachael's Daytime Talkshow

Chili Con Queso Fondue

Aired on: June 2, 2008, October 25, 2007

This snack is a great way to use up leftover meat -- of any kind!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 tablespoon (about a palmful) chili powder
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup chicken stock (eyeball it)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup shredded smoked cheddar cheese
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
2 cups leftover meat (steak, chicken, pork – whatever you’ve got), chopped or shredded up into bite-size pieces
For dipping:
Tortilla chips
Spinach flour tortillas
Pretzel rods
Veggie sticks (bell peppers, carrots, celery – whatever you like)
Cherry tomatoes

Yields: 4-6 snack-size servings

Preparation

Place a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat with two turns of the pan of EVOO, about two tablespoons. Add the onion, garlic, jalapeño and sauté until the veggies are tender, 5-6 minutes.

If your fondue pot can be used on the stovetop, you can cook the veggies right in that!

While the vegetables are cooking, melt the butter in a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook for about 1 minute. Whisk the chicken stock into the butter-flour mixture, add salt and freshly ground black pepper, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook until thickened, a couple of minutes.

Add the leftover meat to the gravy and cook until heated through. Mix in the shredded cheese and simmer until all of the cheese has melted, about 1 minute. Remove the cheesy gravy from the heat and keep warm.

When the veggies are tender, add the tomato sauce and chili powder and simmer until slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes.

Once the veggie mixture is cooked, remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the cheese gravy. Serve in a fondue pot and eat it up with your choice of dippers.