Cheese Balls

So with the holidays around Casey and I were talking about cheese balls and how much we like them. So I asked my facebook friends if they could recommend a good cheese ball recipe? I got a few good suggestions but could not decide on one, so I made three!! They were all very simple and I would recommend them all. We even took score as to a favorite and they all scored about the same, so basically you cannot go wrong.

If you want one with a little sweet and savory you may want to go with this one....

Pineapple Cheese Ball (I think it was my favorite! Mmmmm...)

2 (8 ounce) packages softened cream cheese
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
2 cups finely chopped pecans, divided into two one cup portions
1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
2 tablespoons grated onions or 2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions
2 teaspoons seasoning salt (I use Lawry's)
cracker, of choice
Directions:
Mix all the ingredients, using only 1 cup of the pecans listed and form into a ball.
Reserve 2nd cup of pecans for topping.
Refrigerate overnight.
Before serving, roll cheese ball in reserved cup of pecans.
Serve with crackers of choice. I like Wheat Thins

Thanks Food Network! and Jennifer Thomas

http://www.food.com/recipe/pineapple-cheese-ball-79432

If you want a real creamy, easy cheeseball I would go with this one...
2 8oz cream cheese
2 Tbsp Helmans mayo
2 Tbsp parm cheese
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 jar of Kraft old English cheese spread
Mix all ingredients above then roll in....
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Thanks Jennifer and Rebecca!

But if you want a good sharp cheddar cheeseball go with this one....
3 oz. cream cheese
8 oz mile or sharp cheddar cheese
1 T. lemon juice
1/2 tsp garlic powder
dash of red pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped nuts
1 T. chili powder
1 T. paprika
Soften cheese.  Add lemon juice, garlic powder, red pepper.  Mix until light and fluffy.  Stir in nuts.  Shape into roll (or ball if you prefer).  Mix together the chili powder and paprika and spread on a sheet of wax paper.  Roll log in mixture until coated on all sides, then refrigerate.  Let stand at room temp 10 minutes before serving.

Thanks Mama C and Tisha! 

Cheeseburger Sliders

So, I ran across this, Easy Cheeseburger Slider recipe on pinterest a few months ago and just decided to make it tonight. I am glad that I did. It was SUPER easy and a hit with the family.

Easy Oven-Baked Cheeseburger Sliders

2 pounds, 93% lean ground sirloin

1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

3/4 cup chopped onions

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 package (12-count) Kings Hawaiian Savory Butter rolls (or slider buns)

6 slices cheddar or Velveeta slices

Heat oven to 400 degrees.   In a bowl, combine beef, bread crumbs, onion, and salt.  Gently press mixture into a 9-by-13-inch pan so that it makes one large patty of even thickness.  Use the tines of a fork to poke holes throughout the meat.  Bake for 30 minutes.  As it bakes, the meat will shrink away from the sides and liquid will accumulate around the edges of pan.  When fully cooked, remove the pan from oven (keep oven turned on) and carefully drain off the liquid.

Top the meat with an even layer of sliced cheese; return pan to oven for about 2 minutes or until the cheese melts.  Remove from the oven and allow to rest for a few minutes.  Cut into 2-inch squares (or the size of the buns used), making 12 mini- hamburgers.  Serve with dill pickle slices and ketchup.  Serves 6 at 2 sliders each.

I served it with pasta salad, pickles and chips. Quick and easy for sure!

I am just a cheese and ketchup girl myself

A hit with little and big hands.

Thanks to...http://www.betterrecipes.com/blogs/daily-dish/2013/05/29/easy-cheeseburger-sliders/

Yummy appetizers...

This post kind of became a Part 2. 
Here at the appetizers from tonight....

BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken breast, shredded
• 1/4 cup of ranch or blue cheese dressing
• 1/4 cup of buffalo sauce (I used Franks)
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• Preheat oven to 350°. Mix cream cheese, chicken, wing sauce, cheese and salad dressing into an ungreased shallow 1-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese.
• Bake, uncovered, 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve with Tortilla Chips, Carrots & Celery or crackers.Yield: about 4 cups.

I think chips were my favorite!

AND lastly I made...

                 Cheddar Ranch Cheese Spread:

This was SUPER simple. A great thing to have on hand and whip up for a party. Obviously I love this stuff. I highly recommend serving it with Triscuits. The creamy cheese spread with crunchy Triscuits are fantastic. I prefer the ranch flavor, but you can also make this with Italian dressing mix. Equally as good and equally as addicting. It’s four ingredients, mix them together, and go. This could also be rolled into a cheeseball and covered with nuts if you want to get fancy. You can make this with low fat cream cheese and sour cream, but why bother? Serious snacking deserves the real stuff. Don’t even think about making this with fat free ingredients. It’s not the same taste at all.

Ingredients:

8oz cream cheese

1/2 c sour cream

0.7oz ranch dressing mix packet

1 c shredded cheddar

Mix all together and serve. I served it with Wheat Thins, Triscuits and Club Crackers

Thanks to So, how's it taste for this quick, easy and yummy recipe.There blog

Non traditional Thanksgiving

We did have a traditional Thanksgiving with my side of the family and I did not cook anything. My wonderful soul cooking Aunt Faye did and it was amazing!! On Friday night we got together with Casey's side of the family to watch the Arkansas vs. LSU game, family tradition. So since we had all eaten traditional food we decided to go casual and go more with tailgate kind of food. I made a pot of soup, chili cheese dip, chocolate cobbler and pumpkin dump cake. See, non-traditional. I wanted to share the recipes for the chili cheese dip and the pumpkin dump cake. I have previously shared the Bacon, Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup before, but I will post it on the bottom of this post as well.  Both of these recipes were Pinterest inspired!!

Chili Cheese Queso Dip

Here's what you'll need....
1 can of Hormel chili- No beans
16-ounce box Velveeta Cheese 
1 C. milk 
2 teaspoons paprika 
½ tsp. ground cayenne pepper 
4 tsp. chili powder 
1 tablespoon lime juice 
½ tsp. ground cumin

It's so simple. You can just dump it all in a crockpot and cook for about 4-6 hours OR if you are in a rush like me, just dump it all in large pot and melt on the stove top. It was a quick and easy hit.

                          For Dessert....Pumpkin Dump Cake

Ingredients

• 1 15 oz can Pumpkin Puree
• 1 10 oz can Evaporated Milk
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter melted
• 1 cup coarsely crushed graham crackers or pecans
• 1/2 cup toffee bits (optional)

How to Make

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Spray a 9×13 baking pan lightly with cooking/baking spray
3. In a large bowl combine the pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, eggs and pumpkin pie spice. Stir to combine.
4. Pour into your prepared pan.
5. Sprinkle your entire box of cake mix on top, followed by your nuts or graham crackers and toffee chips.
6. Pour your melted butter evenly on top.
7. Bake for 45-50 minutes until center is set and edges are lightly browned.

For an extra richness eat it with vanilla ice cream!! :)))

Bacon, mushroom and wild rice soup: This recipe is from my friend Lori :)

1 lb. bacon fried and crumbled

1 lg. onion sautéed in bacon drippings (optional)

2 c. wild rice, cooked

2 cans cream of potato soup

2 cans (lg.) mushrooms & juice

8 oz. american deli slices

1 pt. ½ & ½

1 pt. water

Mix all ingredients except cheese; heat thoroughly & slowly. Add cheese last.

Big Jim's Shrimp

Not the shrimp I made, but VERY similar. I hope to update soon with a picture that I took.

OH MY GOODNESS!!! This stuff is AMAZING! A hit anywhere I take them. I call them "Big Jim's" because I got the recipe from Big Jim!! About 5 years ago my sister-in-law, Tisha, and I went on a golf trip with Tisha's cousin, Ken. Ken had a house in Destin and every year he would take a beach trip with about 8-9 guys for a long weekend. They would play golf all day. After playing gold all day they did not want to go out to a restaurant to eat, that is where Tisha and I came in. He asked us to come along for a free beach trip, the only catch was make them dinner every night, DONE! It was So much fun! Big Jim was a friend of Ken's that came along. This was his "thing", making amazing shrimp. So of course it was requested every time for Jim to bring these shrimp. When I asked him what they were called, he didn't have a name, so we named them for him. The are de-lish. I did see a recipe not long a go, kind of similar to this and they called them pickled shrimp. I like Big Jim better :) You will not be disappointed. 

Large pot ¾ full of water

2lbs shrimp (with shells or all ready peeled and de-veined)

½ cup of salt

5 tbsp of shrimp/crab boil (Zataran's liquid is best)

Bring water a hard boil

Add shrimp cook for 5-7 minutes or until done (they will start to float to the top)

Drain, let cool, peel, de-vein, set aside

1 large red onion thinly sliced

8 bay leaves

1 cup veg. oil

1 cup white vinegar

2 tbsp capers un-drained

1 2/3 tsp celery seeds

1 tsp salt

1 1/3 tsp hot sauce

Place the shrimp in a 9x13 flat dish. Top with onion slices and bay leaves. Stir together oil and the next 5 ingredients. Pour over the shrimp. Cover and chill 4-8 hours. Stir occasionally. Remove bay leaves before serving.

If you don’t cook the shrimp in shrimp/crab boil they won’t be as flavorful.

Caramel Dip

It has been a while since I have posted, but we are coming up on fall and I wanted to pass this so good, so simple caramel dip recipe along. I think it is great with granny smith apples and vanilla ice cream, or just licking off a spoon!! No, really it is so good. I am sure you could think of lots of things to put it on :)

CARAMEL DIP/SAUCE:

1/2 cup butter 
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup Karo® Light Corn Syrup
2 tablespoons water
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon Spice Islands® 100% Pure Bourbon Vanilla Extract

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Stir in sugar, corn syrup and water.
2. Bring to a full boil over medium-high heat. Add condensed milk, 
stirring constantly. Bring to a full boil for 3 minutes.

 3. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Serve immediately or keep warm in a 
slow cooker or fondue pot.

**Recipe tip: Prepare ahead and reheat in microwave. If sauce seems too 
thick, stir in 1 tablespoon water or milk.

Fruit Dip!! Mmmmm...

I love summer fruit. I had never been a fan of fruit dip until I had some of Mrs. Cindy's fruit dip. Mmm... it is SO good and so simple of course too!! So I had to share :) There are a lot of different fruit dips out there, but this is my favorite. I LOVE it with grapes the best, but I am also a weirdo who doesn't like strawberries, but I have not had a disappointed friend who eats it.
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 container of Cool Whip

Mix all together and serve!

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

This is a great appetizer for any sporting event or just having some friends over for a game night. You will be a hit at any gathering with these.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

pinch of salt (optional)

pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

3/4 cup whole milk

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup cubed pepperoni

1/2 cup store-bought pizza sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375*. Grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan or whatever size you wish to use. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, Italian seasoning, salt and red pepper flakes. Whisk in the egg and milk. Stir in the mozzarella, Parmesan and pepperoni. Let stand for 10 minutes.

2. Stir and divide equally among the mini muffin cups. Bake 20-25 minutes. 

3. Heat the pizza sauce in the microwave or on the stove. Serve warm with the puffs.