A little over a year ago, we were at my sister’s house and I made a hot corn, cheese, and pickled jalapeño dip for a gathering. It was very popular so, when casting about for a munchie at a last minute dinner gathering, I thought I’d make the queso again.
It was a hoooge hit, and Rich thought it even better than the version I made at my sister’s.
I have to agree, but we have a slight disagreement as to exactly why this version was so very much better.
Rich believes that it was my sugar brined jalapeños – Cowboy Candy – that made the difference.
I posit that yes, the sweet heat of the jalapeños made a nice change from plain ole pickled jalapeños, but I think the other reason this was so very, very tasty was that, 
instead of using thawed frozen corn, I used kernels cut off of leftover grilled corn.
So. Two small changes to a recipe, big change in flavor. I highly recommend it.
INGREDIENTS
Grilled or Roasted Corn on the Cob:
•6 ears of corn, husk removed
•1/2 cup unsalted Irish butter, softened
•1/4 tsp chili powder
•1/4 tsp garlic powder
•1/4 tsp chives
•1/4 tsp celery salt
•1/4 tsp parsley
•1/4 tsp Aleppo pepper
•1/4 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika
•Aluminum foil
Mix the seasonings into the softened butter, then spread evenly over each ear of corn.
Wrap the corn in foil and bake at 350º for one hour, or grill until tender.
Enjoy your corn, then cut any leftovers off the cobs and stash in the fridge until you’re ready to make the queso.
Corn Queso:
•1 cup corn kernels
•1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
•1/4 cup Cowboy Candy (or regular pickled jalapeños)
•1 tbsp mayonnaise
•1/2 tsp Cowboy Candy Juice (or hot sauce, to taste)
Heat your oven to 350º and combine all of the queso ingredients in a bowl until nicely mixed.
Transfer to a small baking dish and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly – mebbe 30 minutes or so.
Serve with corn chips.
Note: the biggest complaint about this version was that there wasn’t more of it for the four of us gathered around the table; so I will most certainly double this recipe the next time I make it, perhaps doing two batches, warming the second while the first is being devoured.
Good stuff.