Querétaro-style ChoriQuesos & a GIVEAWAY (a really, really awesome giveaway!)

This is one of the simplest...and tastiest...quick-meals ever!  ChoriQueso varies from region to region...but not by much!  Most places it's a cheesy dip-like pot for dipping tortillas in...but, Mexi is from Querétaro where they always put it between two tortillas and melt it up or so he says...and this is how they make it there. 

Querétaro-style ChoriQuesos

from the kitchen of girli Mexichef
Use as much of the ingredients as you like...smother it in cheese if you're a cheeseslut like I am...or if you don't like as much cheese...add more chorizo.  It's up to you!

Chorizo, homemade

Oaxaca (or mozzarella) cheese, shredded

Tortillas, homemade flour or homemade corn

extras:

cilantro

fresh salsa

avocado

crema

Cook the chorizo in a skillet until browned and cooked through.  If you're chorizo was fatty, drain off the fat and return chorizo to skillet.

Heat a comal or heavy skillet until hot.  Put one tortilla on the hot skillet...sprinkle it all over with chorizo.  Sprinkle the cheese all over the top of the chorizo.  Add any of the extras you wish (although if you're using crema, I'd wait and use that for drizzling).  Top with another tortilla.  As the cheese begins to melt, press down lightly with a spatula to dispurse the cheese...flip it once the bottom tortilla is golden and crisp.  Once the second side is golden and crisp...remove from skillet and enjoy! 

So, maybe  you noticed my gorgeous Talavera Plate that the ChoriQuesos were resting on.  This one...

 ...pretty gorgeous, huh?  Well, I was fortunate enough to receive a $75. gift certificate from NOVICA to use as I pleased...and this was how I pleased!

What's even better?  Well, NOVICA was generous enough to offer one of my readers a chance to win a $75. gift certificate for themselves! While I'm sure that some of you know of NOVICA...perhaps you've even ordered some amazing handcrafted items from them before...I bet somebody out there is asking...who/what is NOVICA!?  Well, NOVICA is a website, in association with National Geographic who's mission is:

" ...to give artists and artisans around the world a global platform to express their true artistic talents and to spur their creativity. And, we want to provide you with access to unique, hard-to-find items at great values that only the Internet infrastructure can allow.


At the deepest essence of our philosophy, we want to create a bridge between you and the many talented artisans across the globe.


We want you to know about who you're buying from. We want you to feel that attachment to the product and to the hands that created it."     ~taken from the NOVICA website

I'm gonna warn you now....you WILL lose yourself in their website...but you'll be lost in a world of beauty!  They offer unique gifts...everything from fair trade corporate gifts to your my dream glasses and plates, to silver and turquoise jewelry, to apparel and handbags, to gifts for the animal lover.  I've already wish-listed a bazillion things, including some awesome photographs!  You'll even find green gifts for the eco-conscious!

Okay, sounds good awesome, right!? Well, if you would like the chance to win the $75. gift certificate from NOVICA, here's the skinny....

$75. NOVICA GIFT CERTIFICATE GIVEAWAY!

*This giveaway is open to anybody who wants to enter, BUT I do recommend  you first check out the NOVICA Shipping Page to see if they ship to your location...and how much the duties/taxes/etc. would be before you enter if you are located outside of the U.S.

*The winner will receive an e-certificate (I will email you a code which you can enter upon check-out at the NOVICA site) worth $75.

*All entries are due by Monday, August 16th at 11:59 PM (Eastern time).  I will announce the winner by random draw shortly after.  The winner will need to contact me via email to receive their gift certificate.

Okay, now that you've double-checked all of that info, here's what you have to do to enter:

-REQUIRED:  Head on over to the NOVICA website...look around (don't get lost), come back and leave a comment telling me what you think you might like to get with your $75. gift certificate if you win.  Don't worry, it doesn't have to be food-related.  Please make sure you have a profile that leads back to your blog/website...or if you don't have one, leave your email address in the comment.

That will get you one entry into the giveaway.  For extra chances to win, you can also do each of the following things, each one is worth an entry....BUT you MUST leave a SEPARATE COMMENT for each one  you've done for them all to count as separate entries!  All things that aren't listed on my sidebar for easy clicking will have a link in bold type...hover and click!

-Become a follower my blog on my sidebar (or let me know that you already are)

-Subscribe to my RSS feed on my sidebar (or let me know that you already do)

-Follow ME on twitter (or let me know that you already do)

-Follow NOVICA on twitter (or let me know that you already do)

-Tweet about this giveaway.  You can simply copy and paste this for ease:   RT @girlichef is having a #GIVEAWAY http://bit.ly/bC8HCp $75. gift certificate from @Novica Enter Now!

 -LIKE girlichef on Facebook on my sidebar towards bottom (or let me know you already do)

-follow girlichef on Networked Blogs on my sidebar towards bottom (or let me know you already do)

-LIKE Novica on Facebook (or let me know you already do)

-Share this giveaway on Facebook...tag @girlichef and @novica in your share.

-Put a link to my giveaway in a blog post or a link on your sidebar...be sure to leave a link to the post in comments...or just let me know it's on the sidebar.

Okay, so that is TEN extra entries after the required entry is done.  Good Luck to everybody!!!


This post is linked to:

Monday Mania at The Healthy Home Economist

...just another cool little tidbit about NOVICA...they have the "first-ever microfinance website where customers can purchase products and lend money directly to artisans."  This means that small artisans the ability to build up credit they may otherwise be able to get...it will help them and their business!  Best of all, they are no-interest loans!  If you're able, consider donating...every dollar helps.