Joanna Gaines Vs. Ree Drummond: Queso
Both Joanna Gaines and Ree Drummond should know what good queso tastes like. Tex-Mex is not just big in Texas (where Gaines resides), it's a really big deal in Oklahoma (where Drummond's ranch is), too.
Both recipes call for two pounds of processed cheese (read: Velveeta), but beyond that, they're very different. Read through each process below to decide which one you'd actually make at home.
JOANNA'S RECIPE
Gaines calls this "Party Queso" for a reason - it's enough to feed a big crowd. Trust me when I say, you're going to need a big pot.
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Start by sautéing jalapeño and onion in butter, then add heavy cream (3 CUPS OF IT!) and cheese. Get it melty, then stir in pinto beans, black beans, chopped fresh tomatoes, and a ton of cilantro.
REE'S RECIPE
Ree's recipe is more traditional. First, cook a pound of hot breakfast sausage and onion in a large nonstick skillet. Next, add cheese, a can of diced tomatoes and green chiles (aka Ro-Tel) and 2 cans chopped green chiles. Once the cheese has melted, can you stir in the jalapeño. Six ingredients and three steps later, you're done.
THE VERDICT
While some appreciated Gaines' effort to add fresh elements like cilantro and vine-ripened tomatoes, most were annoyed. Apparently there's a time and place for fresh produce, and that time and place isn't queso. But even greater of an offense, in my opinion, was the copious amount of heavy cream. People want something substantial to dip their tortillas chips in, not queso soup.
On the other hand, the Pioneer Woman's recipe is blissfully uncomplicated and exactly what people expect out of queso. And sometimes, that's what it takes to win.
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