Thanks - Teresa! I can do the Velveeta. Kids (adult kids, that is) love it and they use it for that chili cheese dip. We don't have any diet restrictions. I was just looking for 'real' cheese if possible. But, perhaps not with this recipe. Thanks again for your input.

1) When you're hungry and wanting a snack, are you more likely to crave a sweet or salty/spicy snack? if it's the daytime, something salty/spicy... late at night after dinner, then usually something sweet. 2) The 3 junk-type foods that are hardest for you to resist: doritos LOVE tostitos with either a good con queso dip or guacomole-i can eat many calories with those! chewy candy--swedish fish, twizzlers, gummy lifesaves, etc. or peppermint patties. 3) Complete the following sentence: Do NOT bring any ________ into this house, because I can (will?) personally eat all of it . . . or at least waaay too much! i'm really good if it's in the house UNOPENED! lol. i usually can resist opening something, but once it's open, forget it-usually doritos, etc. 4) Although you may not eat at fast food restaurants a lot, what are your 3 favorite yummy-but-not-very-good-for you foods and from where? i really hardly ever eat fast food, but if i do i tend to order the 'wraps'... mcdonalds have them and wendy's have the chicken caeser wraps which i'll eat. i'm not big into burgers and only like the fries if they're HOT and CRISPY, which is often so hit and miss that i don't bother! 5) At nicer restaurants, what 2 or 3 foods do you have to force yourself not to order? i'll often pass on the french onion soup and choose something healthier even though i LOVE a good french onion soup crock with melted cheese and crusty bread!! i love all pastas, but will steer away sometimes to order something lighter. i love a really good carrot cake and if i see someplace has one that looks REALLY good, it's hard to pass! 6) Favorite comfort foods at home that are (sigh!) yummy but fat and/or calories-wise not that great for you or your waistline? i love making/eating pasta carbonara, but only do so occasionally. love creamy soups---buying fat free half and half makes me feels better but they still often have butter...(currently have broccoli and cheese soup leftover in the fridge--YUM!!) LOVE fruit pies/cobblers. 7) Favorite drink that you wish was "no calorie"? sweet drinks like margaritas sweet wines, like white zinfandel-love it! love chocolate coffee creamers---would be great if they were 0 calorie and still tasted great!! 8) What are 3 of your favorite "more healthful foods" to (try and) fall back on when the cravings hit? i guess popcorn is better than chips, but i usually don't really fall back on it... i buy those mini flavored rice cakes and feel better about those! i often will order fish or salad in restaurants- to either avoid fat or increase my veggie consumption! will order sorbet at the end of a meal when i'm really craving a dessert, but don't want the calories. 9) Favorite more healthful drinks? peppermint tea (with honey), icewater.

Here's a recipe I got from Opkikid (I think that's how she spells it, but I'm not sure) on this forum. It is super delicious, and after you pan sear the meat, it is basically a "dump in the crockpot and forget about it until it is ready" dish. I'm normally a vegetarian, but I make this when I want to make an easy good impression with the meat eaters for a luncheon. I serve it on buns like sloppy joes. With coleslaw and potato salad--great. Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos 1 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 3/4-inch cubes 3/4 cup bottled chunky medium-hot salsa 2 tablespoons chopped garlic 1 tablespoon (packed) dark brown sugar 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional) 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (optional) Combine the salsa, brown sugar and soy sauce and pour over the meat in the slow cooker insert. Cover and cook for 8 hours on LOW or 5 to 6 hours on HIGH, or until the meat is fork-tender. Shred the meat with two forks and stir in cilantro and lime juice if using. Set out taco shells (I like small soft corn tortillas) and all the fixings. Note: I pan sear the meat first. My mom's potato salad is the kind I like best. She has to make it this way for my finicky dad--just potatoes and eggs, with a dressing of a mix of dill, mayo and dijon mustard. When I make it I put celery or radishes in it. Another great lunch I make, but it's for more adventurous palates--falafel from a mix, pita bread or wraps, tabouleh salad and cucumber and sour cream salad from my mom's recipe. A half canteloupe filled with frozen yogurt for dessert for the adults, canteloupe pieces for the kids. Can use ice cream, it's great too, I just use frozen yogurt for a middle eastern touch. Can have baklava for dessert if you have a bakery where you can get it. Phyllis' cucumber salad (this is good even if you aren't going middle eastern) 3 cukes, peeled and sliced very thin 2-3 TBLSP chopped chives or 2-3 chopped green onions 2-3 TBLSP lemon juice 1 cup sour cream (I use lowfat) 1-1.5 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper I varied the amount of seasoning for the dressing because it does depend on your taste. I like a lot of lemon and more onion, but my dad is very sensitive to onion and my mom only makes it with the limited amount of chives for him. This needs to sit for an hour or more to develop good flavor. I don't have a tabouleh recipe, I just wing it. I also don't have a falafel recipe, I always make it with a mix--that's what makes this an easy luncheon. You can also buy tabouleh mixes and jazz them up with your own ingredients. I sometimes buy stuffed grape leaves and fancy olives from the deli to serve as an appetizer with wine for the grownups--and spincach dip with feta cheese is also nice for an appetizer--serve with pita chips or bagel chips. Just add some feta to your spinach dip recipe. Chopped canned roasted red peppers are nice too. Grapes are another nice addition to this meal. This whole thing makes a lovely luncheon buffet. If you put all the options out, there will be something for almost everyone if they are open to middle eastern food.

I don't spend a lot of time cooking-my kitchen is awful, no usable counter space so I do a lot of very simple foods, but when the urge strikes, I make more diverse dishes. Following are my faves - Beef Main Dish: I make a family dish, we call it agasate. It's a braised eye round roast, then removed from the pan to soften a couple of chopped onions and some garlic. Put roast back in, cover with water and set to boil. Once roast is cooked, remove and cook down the juices to make a thick gravey-almost like french onion soup. Serve over thick noodles and be generous with the freshly grated parmesan. - Ground Beef Main Dish: Meatloaf and scalloped potatoes - Chicken Main Dish: Chicken alfredo w/broccoli served over noodles -Ground Chicken or Turkey Main Dish: - Pork Main Dish: Baked pork chops and roasted veggies - Vegetarian Main Dish: Baked penne with marinara - Pasta Main Dish: Pasta with my homemade meat sauce - Out on the Grill Main Dish: rib eye steak smothered in crushed garlic - Main Dish Salad: Grilled chicken, chopped apple and pecans over spring greens - Fish Main Dish: Fish tacos-usually made with either mahi mahi or cod, with shredded cabbage, lime & cilantro - Other Seafood Main Dish (such as Shrimp, Scallops, Etc.): I hate shellfish, so I never make anything like that. - Vegan Main Dish: pad thai - Homemade Soup: beef bourguingon or split pea with ham - Main Dish Sandwich: Oven roasted turkey, swiss cheese, cranberry mustard on crusty french bread. - Non-Vegetable Side Dish: ? Stuffing? - Veggie Side Dish: Roasted veggies-beets, carrots, red and white potatoes and parsnips are staples. - Quick & Easy Dessert: Ice Cream! Fresh pineapple when feeling ambitious. - Breakfast Main Dish: Overnight peach french toast