Welcome Rebel, and congrats on getting rid of the cravings! It's worth going through Phase 1 in order to get rid of them!
I agree, variety really helps keep things interesting. There are a ton of great recipes in the recipe forum here, especially for Phase 1! I love the Taco Bake, the stuffed chicken, and the white chicken chili. I also get lots of recipes from Cooking Light. You can find them online at
www.cookinglight.com (you have to register but it's free and worth the time!).
As to doing Phase 1 longer...you may find that it drives you off plan or makes this unbearable for you. In fact, you may lose more on Phase 2 after a while than you would if you stayed on Phase 1. Dr. A recommends that you not do it for longer than 2 weeks. That said, some people on our board have done it successfully for longer.
It's your decision, but be very aware of your feelings and if you are gettin bored or dying to cheat, it's time to switch to Phase 2.