Spark / Delaware Online - KELLY HOUSEN

Velveeta is the cheesiest -- and the best for 2 Fat Guys dip

It's hard to say no to a dish with Velveeta in it. Yes, Velveeta (which was invented in 1918 by a Swiss immigrant in Monroe, N.Y.) is not actually cheese, but a "cheese product," a term used to describe something that is less than 51 percent cheese. But that big orange block melts so smoothly, enveloping the chip as you dip, that it's impossible to throw a good Super Bowl party without it.

Tom Craft, of 2 Fat Guys, shares our weakness for Velveeta, and developed this recipe for us. (You can taste Tom's dip at 2 Fat Guys on Super Bowl Sunday, when they'll be serving it as part of their Super Bowl Buffet.) It's based on a recipe a Southern friend of his makes, that involves Velveeta, Ro*Tel tomatoes and sausage. Instead of the sausage, Tom decided to use buffalo chicken in his version.

We like where this is going.

To make the dish, you start by marinating boneless, skinless chicken thighs in creamy blue cheese dressing overnight. (As someone who is not a huge fan of blue cheese, I'd use ranch.) It's also fine to use chicken breast instead of the thighs.

Heat up some oil in a frying pan, add the chicken and hot sauce, and let the whole mess simmer away until the chicken is cooked through. This is the point where the recipe can go two ways -- crock pot, or non-crock pot.

If you don't have a crock pot, heat the Velveeta in the microwave, stirring every minute or so, until it's totally melted. (You should get a crock pot though, they're fantastic. You dump some ingredients in, turn it on, leave for work, then when you come home dinner is waiting. They're fantastic. But I digress.) Once the Velveeta is melted, add a can of the drained tomatoes, with green chilies in it, so it's got a little kick. Add the chicken and serve, sticking the whole thing back in the microwave occasionally, so the Velveeta doesn't return to its room-temperature state.

If you have a crock pot, this dip is even easier for you. Dump the Velveeta into the crock pot along with the drained Rotel and chicken, turn it on low and just wait for everything to melt, stirring occasionally. Leave it on low throughout the party, so the dip will stay nice and hot.

To make this dip a buffalo beer cheese chicken dip, add an ounce or two of Guinness to the mix. It's best served with tortilla chips. If you're looking for some more heat in your version of this dip, finely chop a fresh jalapeno and add it to the cheese when you add the Rotel.