Cheesy, spicy without being hot, cheesy, filling, – oh, and did I say ‘cheesy’? I don’t know what is better in this meal, the perfectly spiced pork chops with the cheesy sauce or the cheesy rice ! Why don’t you decide

Zesty Mexican Pork Chops

4 servings
390 calories per serving

1 lb. boneless pork chops
2 t chili powder
1 1/2 t ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1 t oil
3/4 c white rice, uncooked
1 3/4 c water
1/2 c chunky salsa
3 oz. Velveeta 2 % cheese, cut into cubes
2 T chopped parsley

Sprinkle meat with cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Heat oil in a skillet and cook chops 5 minutes or just until browned on both sides. Remove to a plate and cover to keep warm. Add rice to skillet and cook 1 minute then add water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 16 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in half of the salsa and half of the cheese and place the chops on top. Simmer 5 minutes. Melt the rest of the salsa and cheese together with the parsley in the microwave for 30 seconds then pour over meat and serve.

These make a great snack, a perfect appetizer, or a wonderful dinner side dish. The shake and bake crumbs really give them a nice flavor through and through.

snacker potato balls

2 balls = 111 cals
Makes 24 balls

2 lb. baking potatoes (about 5), peeled and cut into chunks
2 scallions, thinly sliced
¼ c egg beaters
Salt and pepper to taste
4 oz. low fat velveeta, cut into 24 cubes
1 pouch Shake and Bake

Cook potatoes in boiling water 20-25 minutes or until tender then drain and cool for ½ hour. Mash them and add scallions, egg beaters, salt and pepper. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Roll potato mix into 24 balls (about 2 T each) inserting a cube of velveeta into each and making sure it is all sealed up in the middle. Sprinkle shake and bake on a baking sheet and place potato balls on sheet and turn so they get coated. Bake 16 minutes.

I like when you can take a healthy vegetable and disguise it enough that you can get a picky kids to eat it This one has enough cheese and crumbly topping to make it disappear !

Broccoli AuGratin

8 servings
120 calories per serving

3 c water
2 c baby carrots, cut in half
4 c broccoli florets (very small pieces)
10 whole wheat Ritz crackers, crushed
3 T grated parmesan cheese
1 T butter, melted
4 oz. light Velveeta, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 oz. light cream cheese

Preheat broiler. Boil water and add carrots. Simmer for 8 minutes then add broccoli and simmer another 3 minutes. Drain and place in a bowl.

Microwave Velveeta and cream cheese on high 1 minute then stir and cook another 30 seconds or until completely melted. Pour on top of veggies. Mix crackers and parm and butter and sprinkle on top of the veggies and cheese and place under broiler for 2-3 minutes to brown the crumbs.

This one is as versatile as it gets – take any veggies, steam them, and then add the sauce ! The mustard and scallions add a nice dimension to the cheese sauce too

Veggies in Cheese Sauce

6 servings
80 calories per serving

1 lb. broccoli separated into florets
4 thin carrots peeled and cut lengthwise in half
4 oz. Velveeta cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 T water
1 scallion, finely chopped
1 t dijon mustard

Place carrots and broccoli in a steamer basket and steam 5 minutes. Mix water and velveeta and microwave 1- 2 minutes or until well blended then add scallions and mustard. Drizzle sauce over vegetables.

I bet this gets your kids eating their green beans ! And maybe even asking for more Cheese, sauce, stuffing – what’s not to like?!?!

Cheesy Green Bean Casserole

14 servings
157 calories per serving

2 16 oz. packages frozen French cut green beans, thawed
1 can low fat cream of mushroom soup
8 oz. Velveeta, cut into ½ inch cubes
1 1/2 c hot water
1/4 c butter
8 oz. stuffing mix (I like Stove Top)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix beans and soup and place in a baking dish then top with cheese. Mix water and butter and melt butter all the way. Stir into stuffing and then spoon that over the casserole. Bake 40 minutes.