Early Memorial

We called my mom's mom Granny Grunt. I don't know why. I think I tried asking her when I was little but she was a silly woman with us grandkids and probably gave me a comical, nonsensical answer. She had this way of talking baby-talk, usually while telling a story about her unfavorable reaction to something or someone. It was the oddest thing! Here's this little 80 year-old woman with white hair in a perpetual house dress, using w's in place of r's and l's, at a point in her story where most people would get excited or frustrated over something that upset them, and Granny Grunt would drop to her baby-routine and announce whatever pissed her off. It used to remind me of someone wrestling with themself, almost the angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other. She's reliving an event that's upset her, she has her eyebrows drawn up around the top of her nose, and she's using the soft baby voice with a little smirk of her thin lips. God I miss her.

As an April tribute to her former birthday month, I'm sharimg her version of Queso. We never did call it chili con queso. Just Queso. That's how I saw it in my child's mind, capital Q.

Most people have their own little twist on this dish. My oldest daughter Beth likes to add a little milk to it to make it creamier. Some add cheese soup and others add cooked hamburger or sausage. Granny Grunt was no different.

She started out by melting butter in a skillet. Why you ask? Because this was before microwaves! Shocking, isn't it! She would use no more than 1/2 tablespoon of stick butter. She would already have about 2 thin slices of white onion chopped. As soon as the butter melted, she added the onion and sautéed it. 

When the onion was nice and tender she drained it on a paper towel, one she had used several times because although paper towels, by their very definition, are disposable, she felt the need to get her sixty-five cents worth out of a roll by letting each sheet air dry and reusing it. 

In a double boiler, she would cube the Velveeta. 

When it melted she would add the sautéed onion and a can of Rotel. How times have changed.

Now, of course, this whole process can be completed in the microwave. If I was using Granny Grunt's recipe today, I would sauté jalapenos with the onion. 

Whether I used Rotel or Hatch brand, it would be the hottest version. As much as I love tomatoes-I grew them for nearly twenty years-I prefer to put my can of diced tomatoes and green chilies in my little food processor and pulse it a few times, so the chunks aren't so big.

Granny Grunt would offer to make my heart's desire when I spent the night with her. My two standing orders would be potato soup or stew. She finally had to quit cooking because the arthritis in her hands kept her from using a knife to cut and dice. She used to call it "Old Arthur". I never got that joke until I got older.

Now that I've recently become AARP eligible, my hands are showing signs of betrayal. I'm finding in difficult on some days to firmly grasp items like I always have. They don't hurt and ache like the way Granny would suffer. But the twinges are there.

I raise my chip to you, Gran!

Queso

Rotel Tomatoes and Chilies

1 Lb of Velveeta

In a medium bowl, melt about 1 tablespoon of butter. Then add one thin slice of onion, chopped. Saute in microwave for 2 minutes on low. Next, chunk up the Velveeta- it melts easier. Place in microwave and cook on med-high for about 6 minutes, stirring after 3 minutes. When most of the cheese is melted, add the can of Rotel(run through a food processor if you don't like big chunks of tomatoes) and continue heating for another 3 minutes. Stir and continue cooking until the cheese is nice and smooth.