Blogging from A to Z Challenge - Q

Queso is a creamy, soft cheese that originated in Spain and then made its way to Mexico and America. It can be eaten as a snack or in cooking. It's also great crumbled over salad.

We all know that cheese is a good source of calcium, but according to Spanish Cheese: a flavorsome delight, many steer clear of it because of the fat content. Spain has a variety of cheeses made from sheep's, goat's or cow's milk. It goes on to say, "Sheep, cows and goats grazing on wild herbs and pastures in the Spanish uplands absorb a lot of extra nutrients, which are passed into their milk, and in turn are passed on to us in their wonderful tasting cheeses. There is no comparison, in flavour or health benefits, between Spanish cheeses from animals raised outside grazing on natural pasture, and cheese made from the milk of cows fed and raised industrially in compounds elsewhere in the world."

Here's a Queso Dip Recipe I found at Allrecipes.com.

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 10 min

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 tablespoon salsa

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Thoroughly stir in the cornstarch. Stir in the sour cream. When the mixture becomes hot and bubbly, mix in Cheddar cheese and salsa. Continue stirring until cheese has melted and mixture begins to thicken, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.

This post is part of the Blogging from A to Z Challenge.