Make New Mexico Green Chile Cheeseburgers In Queso Form

I have a Google Doc page always open on my browser. On it are headers marked "pizza," "burgers," "casseroles," "pies," dips," on and on. Under each section, I list established dishes and imagine how those flavors might taste in an alternate form. Such as: Korean fried chicken pizza. Carne asada ramen. Caramelized onion dip grilled cheese sandwich.

The following recipe is one such mash-up of two foods I love equally—Queso and New Mexico-style green chile cheeseburgers. This party dip is excellent with crusty bread, topped on burgers or meatloaf, and of course, a dance partner with tortilla chips. A few tips: Don't skip the sautéed onions. It rounds out the acidic zip of the chiles with a mellow sweetness. Also, be sure to drain off the excess oil after sautéing the beef and onions.

1 box (32 oz.) Original Velveeta, cubed1 can (10 oz.) Ro-Tel diced tomatoes & green chiles2 cans (4 oz. each) diced green chiles1/2 sweet onion, diced2 cloves garlic, minced1 heaping Tbsp. taco seasoning mix1/2 lb. ground beefBlack pepperHot sauce

You'll need both a large saucepan and a skillet. First, dump the contents of the Ro-Tel and two cans of diced green chiles into the saucepan, and add the cubes of Velveeta. Heat this over a low flame, stirring occasionally and allow the cheese to melt into a gooey amalgam. Meanwhile, in a separate skillet, sauté diced onions and minced garlic with a splash of vegetable oil over medium-high heat until the onions are shiny and soft. Add the ground beef into the onions and garlic, until beef is nearly cooked through. Drain excess oil, add the taco seasoning and black pepper to the beef and onions, and sauté for another minute to finish cooking the beef.

At this point, the cheese and chiles in the saucepan should have become this gorgeous yellow-orange goo. Spoon the beef-onion mixture into the saucepan and incorporate. Add however much hot sauce to your liking. Serve immediately with chips.