Really Easy, Really Cheap, Really Fast, and Really Good Recipes - No. 1: Cheese Dip

Easy, fast, cheap, and good food.  That you make at home.  It's possible.  Here, my first in a series of recipes with instructions for those on a budget, who hate to cook but are tired of fast food:

Chili con Queso

This isn't very healthy in its simplest form but there are lots of ways to make it better for you.  It's never going to make Dr. Mercola really happy, but it will sure make everyone around the TV happy on movie night, or game time, etc.

Basic version (and the one that my ex-husband swore made him fall for me):

• 1 box of Velvetta (the box about the size of a textbook cut in half lengthwise)
• 1 can of Rotel tomatoes (canned diced tomatoes with hot chili peppers)
• chips of some sort

Cut the Velvetta into little squares so it heats up faster and easier.  Throw in the canned tomatoes.  Heat until the cheese melts (in the microwave, in a pot, on a campfire, wherever) and stir.  Serve with tortilla chips or Fritos, whatever you like.


Other ways to eat this stuff:

You can add cilantro to this.
Take away the canned tomatoes and use fresh Pico de Gallo instead (cut up tomatoes, onion, and chili peppers, usually jalapeno or serano)
Use real cheese instead of the Velvetta, add a little milk as needed as it melts
Add beans and use less cheese
Add chili and use less cheese
Pour this stuff over lettuce and eat cheesy salad
Pour over grilled chicken
Pour over sliced avocado