" queso verde fundido".... served in so many ways!.....at kitchen! kitchen!

This is my spin on Ricky Bayless recipe on his show "Mexico, One Plate at a Time".  He is one of my favorite TV chefs.  A dish that's so versatile that it's great filling for tortillas, tacos, corn chips or as lettuce wraps. So easy for the home cooks like us..
Okay, let's mosey on down the Mexican lane with......
1 pkg. of ground turkey (any ground meat will do or loose sausage without the casing)
1 medium onion chopped coarsely
4 cloves garlic crushed and minced
2 tablespoons olive oil or canola oil
3 tablespoons beer (stop your husband and get 3 tablespoons before he drinks it - or better yet you drink the rest). Don't panic, white wine or tequila will work too.
1 or 2 pkgs. spinach or prepared baby spinach/arugula combination for salad (prewash)
8 oz. of Monterey Jack cheese shredded
Kosher salt
1/4 cup of SOFRITO (this is a good thing to have on hand - it enhances any dish or stew you make). You could google the recipe from the Internet...however, here is my version.
SOFRITO...my way.....
1 red bell pepper -seeded and chopped coarsely
2 cubanelle peppers -seeded and chopped coarsely
2 cloves garlic peeled
1 large poblano pepper (seeded and chopped coarsely)
A handful of cilantro
1 large onion chopped coarsely
Combine everything in a food processor. (I make a lot of this and store them in small quantities in individual small Ziploc and freeze them). They last forever.
Okay, now that we have all the flavorings.....
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground turkey, season with salt, stirring and breaking up any clumps, until the meat is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Make a little well in the middle and add the onions and garlic stirring and mixing. Add the beer, SOFRITO , and the spinach or spinach/arugula, (you might think there is too much spinach - don't panic they cook down), stir until the liquid has evaporated and the mixture is dry looking. Taste and correct the seasoning.
Reduce the heat to medium low and sprinkle the cheese evenly over the mixture stirring slowly until just melted and take it out of the heat immediately - you don't want to end up with stringy and tough cheese.
Serve on tortillas or soft tacos and add some store bought salsa. I don't blame you if you start doing the macarena - but leave the hat!!....

Queso Verde Fundido Lettuce Wrap
Serve as an appetizer - let your guests
decide if they want some salsa on top or not.
One of the many ways to serve the dish.



Queso Verde Fundido Lettuce Wrap with Salsa
Who can resist such an appetizer!



A Simple Tomato Salsa
What could be more simpler than grape tomatoes cut in half;
chopped red onion, minced garlic clove, minced jalapeno for heat, salt, pepper,
olive oil, and let's not forget chopped cilantro and squeeze of 1 lime.



The star of the show of course is
QUESO VERDE FUNDIDO