Peppermint Oreo Balls

Name: Peppermint OREO Cookie Balls
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Yield: 48
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened; 36 Mint OREO Cookies, finely crushed (about 3 cups); 16 ounce white almond bark, melted; 3 candy canes, crushed

Nov 24, 2014

Peppermint Oreo Balls are your favorite oreo balls with a wintery twist! Only 3 ingredients and so easy to make!

No bake treats are a must during the busy holiday season! Some of my other favorites are Rum Balls, Almond Bark Drop Cookies, and Crockpot Candy.

Peppermint Oreo Balls - your favorite oreo balls with a wintery twist! Only 3 ingredients and so easy to make!

It’s Oreo Balls season!

Also known as, my favorite time of year!

You guys, I love the fact that no matter where the Christmas party is or who’s invited, I know that someone will be showing up with Oreo Balls. And I also know that I’ll be strategically positioning myself as close to them as possible.

‘Tis the season!

I remember the exact moment I tried an Oreo Cookie Ball. I can tell you exactly where I was standing in my grandparents’ house and what kind of Christmas tin the Oreo Balls were in. That probably sounds weird to those of you who aren’t obsessed with food but for me, that just means that it’s true love between me and the Oreo Balls.

Ingredients

Cream cheese
Mint Oreo Cookies – the peppermint Oreos are seasonal but you should be able to find mint Oreos year round.
White almond bark – this a chocolate candy coating that you can find in the baking aisle of any large grocery store.
Candy canes

Instructions

Combine cream cheese and cookies. Mix cream cheese and cookie crumbs until blended.
Shape and chill. Shape into 48 (1-inch) balls. Freeze 10 min.
Dip in coating. Dip balls in white almond bark; place in single layer in shallow waxed paper-lined pan.
Decorate. Sprinkle with candy cane pieces. Work quickly because almond bark sets up fast!
Refrigerate. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.
Serve. Share and enjoy!

How Long Are They Good For?

Oreo balls will be good for up to 3 weeks in the fridge. Make sure to store them in an airtight container.

You can either serve them right from the fridge or let them come to room temperature. They are delicious either way!

Can You Freeze Them?

You can freeze Oreo Balls for up to 3 months. Let them set completely and then transfer them to a freezer ziploc bag.

When you are ready to serve them, let them defrost overnight in the fridge.

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📖 Recipe

Yield: 48 servings

Peppermint OREO Cookie Balls

Peppermint Oreo Balls are your favorite oreo balls with a wintery twist! Only 3 ingredients and so easy to make!

Prep Time 30 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
36 Mint OREO Cookies, finely crushed (about 3 cups)
16 ounce white almond bark, melted
3 candy canes, crushed

Instructions

Mix cream cheese and cookie crumbs until blended.
Shape into 48 (1-inch) balls. Freeze 10 min.
Dip balls in white almond bark; place in single layer in shallow waxed paper-lined pan.
Sprinkle with candy cane pieces. Work quickly because almond bark sets up fast!
Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.
Share and enjoy!

Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms

Nov 10, 2014

Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms are baked mushrooms stuffed with spinach and artichoke dip and topped with crunchy breadcrumbs!

Stuffed mushrooms are one of my favorites to serve at parties. Try Sausage and Cheddar Stuffed Mushrooms and my favorite Stuffed Mushrooms if you love them too!

Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms - mushrooms stuffed with spinach and artichoke dip and topped with crunchy breadcrumbs!

I don’t know that I’d ever even had a stuffed mushroom before I started crashing my husband’s family’s holiday celebrations where stuffed mushrooms are a staple and quite possibly the most important thing on the table.

I’ve been obsessed since then and they are always the first thing I put on our holiday menu.

And currently, stuffed mushrooms are the only “for sure” thing on my Thanksgiving menu. Why is it so hard to plan these things?!

Anyway, these are Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms.

If you are like me and have trouble deciding between the stuffed mushrooms and the spinach and artichoke dip when you’re standing in front of the appetizer table, these are perfect for you! They’re so delicious with so much texture and they may be one of my favorite things I’ve made all year.

Ingredients for Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms

Mushrooms
Cream cheese
Mayonnaise
Garlic
Salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese
Frozen spinach
Artichoke hearts
Bread crumbs

How To Make Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms

Prep. Put mushrooms on a rimmed baking sheet
Make filling. Beat together cream cheese and mayonnaise. Add garlic, salt and pepper, Parmesan, spinach, and chopped artichoke hearts.
Fill. Spoon a good amount of spinach and artichoke mixture into each mushroom cap
Make topping. Combine bread crumbs and the remaining Parmesan. Sprinkle a small amount of bread crumb mixture on the top of each mushroom
Bake. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes until the tops are browned and the mushrooms have softened

Can You Make Stuffed Mushrooms Ahead

Yes, you can make these a few hours before you plan on serving. Just cover them well and keep refrigerated. You may need to add a couple minutes to the baking time since they will be cold.

If you need to prep them the day before, make the filling but don’t stuff the mushrooms. Store the filling in an airtight container in the fridge and then stuff them right before you plan to bake them.

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📖 Recipe

Yield: about 20 servings

Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms

Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms are baked mushrooms stuffed with spinach and artichoke dip and topped with crunchy breadcrumbs!

Ingredients

1 pound small mushrooms, cleaned and stems removed
1 8-ounce block cream cheese, softened
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons Parmesan shredded cheese, divided
1 10-ounce package frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed of all liquid
1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained roughly chopped
2 tablespoons bread crumbs

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F. Place mushrooms on a large rimmed baking sheet, hole side up.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together softened cream cheese and mayonnaise, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Once combined and smooth, add garlic, salt, pepper, ½ cup Parmesan shredded cheese, spinach, and chopped artichoke hearts. Beat until everything is just combined.
Spoon a good amount of the spinach and artichoke mixture into each mushroom cap. You want it piled on top.
In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs and the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan shredded cheese. Sprinkle a bit on top of each of the stuffed mushrooms.
Bake 20 minutes, until the top of the spinach mixture/breadcrumbs are browned and the mushrooms have softened. Serve hot.

Cheesy Corn Dog Muffins

Nov 05, 2014

Cheesy Corn Dog Muffins – only 4 ingredients! Cheesy cornbread muffins with sliced hot dogs in the center. Even the pickiest eaters love these!

I don’t think I ever talked to you guys about how much I love corn dogs. I’d definitely put them on my top 10 list favorite foods list. Maybe in the top 5. I love them so much.

Once, way back when I was an itty bitty college freshman, I had a vegetarian roommate.

For weeks and weeks I craved a Sonic corn dog but refused to get one because I was so worried that she’d be offended by me bringing a corn dog into our room!

So eventually, after weeks of stressing myself out and even consulting my internet friends because I hadn’t made any actual friends who wouldn’t be scared off if I told them about The Great Corn Dog Debate of 2003, I finally got brave enough to get a dang corn dog and then almost fell down our stupid skinny spiral staircase 5 times trying to get to our room because I was so nervous. And then guess what. She wasn’t even there! I was safe to eat my corn dog in peace, burn the the evidence (just kidding) and then I went back to not eating meat in our room.

Gahh, I was weird. Also, why is this one of the only memories I have of living in the dorms?

I’m hoping this story proves that I really love corn dogs. Not that I spend too much time thinking about food.

How to Make Cheesy Corn Dog Muffins

Anyway, I’ve been spending most of my time napping, being addicted to CNN’s election coverage, and reading Phillippa Gregory books in preparation of my husband coming home soon which leaves very little time for things like cooking dinner.

We’ve been having a lot of sandwiches or easy meals like these Cheesy Corn Dog Muffins. They are my current favorite, mostly because I love any excuse to use a Jiffy cornbread mix. I love those things.

You mix the cornbread mix with an egg and a can of condensed cheddar soup. Spoon that into a muffin tin and top with a sliced hot dog. So easy!

My kids all love them too and we easily go through the entire batch. And bonus: they’re super cheap to make!

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📖 Recipe

Yield: 12 muffins

Cheesy Corn Dog Muffins

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 8.5 ounce box corn muffin mix
1 egg
1 10 ¾ ounce can condensed cheddar cheese soup
4 hot dogs, cut into thirds

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with baking spray.
Beat the corn muffin mix, egg, and cheddar cheese soup until almost no lumps remain. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the batter into each muffin cup. Top with a piece of hot dog.
Bake for 15 minutes or until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing.
Serve hot.

Pumpkin White Chocolate Scones

Nov 04, 2014

I know, it’s November and I’m still posting pumpkin recipes. I’m sorry. I strongly believe that pumpkin season runs from October 1 until Christmas.

Yes, I have strong beliefs about pumpkin. Whatever.

Plus, I haven’t yet transitioned from a PSL to a Gingerbread Latte so… still pumpkin season!

Anyway, we didn’t talk about Halloween yesterday. How was it?! Did you eat ALL THE CANDY?!

I did. But it’s not my fault.

We got ONE trick-or-treater. ONE. So I now have 3 bowls of candy staring at me every time I walk into the kitchen.

I had a game plan that involved spending the first hour (trick-or-treating on post is 2 hours long) walking around the ‘hood and then the next hour sitting on the porch, handing out candy. Apparently everyone else had the same idea because the neighborhood was completely dead by the time we were ready to hand out candy.

Gahhh, so yeah, I have all this candy. And the good stuff! Almond Joys and White Chocolate Kit Kats! They’re just calling out to me every time I walk by.

Back to the pumpkin. I made scones! Because the cool weather just makes me crave scones for some reason.

These are Pumpkin White Chocolate Scones and since I love both pumpkin and white chocolate more than I probably should, you know I’m obsessed with these. My children were oddly into them, too. I had one (or two, shhhh) as a midnight snack the day I baked them and then the next morning, my children polished them off.

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📖 Recipe

Yield: about 12 scones

Pumpkin White Chocolate Scones

adapted from Creations by Kara

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

For the scones:

2 cups all-purpose flour
⅓ cup packed brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
½ cup white chocolate chips
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs and the largest butter pieces are no bigger than peas. Mix in the butterscotch chips.
In another mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, pumpkin puree and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir together just until the dough comes together. Be careful not to overwork the dough.
Transfer to a well-floured surface and roll into a large rectangle, about ¾" thick. Cut scones into desired shape and transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until the tops are browned and the scones are cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before glazing.
To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and milk. Drizzle over the cooled scones. Let set before serving.

Biscoff Blossoms

Nov 03, 2014

Today is an exciting day!

I know, it’s a Monday and that sucks. But really, it’s an exciting day!

One of my favorite people in the blogosphere wrote a book and it’s officially on shelves!

I got my copy of The Biscoff Cookie & Spread Cookbook a couple weeks ago and have been drooling over the gorgeous photos and the delicious recipes ever since. (I also may have cried when I saw my name in the acknowledgements but we won’t talk about that.)

Katrina kind of made Biscoff a thing in the blogging world. I’d never even tried it until she started baking with it and it quickly became a staple in my pantry. Truth: I have to hide it from my kids because they will beg and beg and BEG for it.

If you’ve never had it, it’s literally a spread made from those delicious Biscoff cookies and you should probably rush out and buy a jar today. My favorite thing to do is dip animals crackers in it. Because dipping a cookie in a cookie is pretty amazing.

I’ve never done much baking with it but I have a list of about 20 things I want to make from this book. I started with these Biscoff Blossoms because I’m a a huge fan of the traditional peanut butter version and I knew the Biscoff would just make them even better.

They’re so delicious. Not surprisingly, my kids also loved them. It’s just so fun to have a piece of candy on top of a cookie. Especially when that cookie is perfect on it’s own.

And then head over to Katrina’s blog and tell her how awesome she is!

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📖 Recipe

Yield: 36 cookies

Biscoff Blossoms

from The Biscoff Cookie & Spread Cookbook

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter, softened
¾ cup Creamy Biscoff Spread
⅔ cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
granulated sugar
36 chocolate candies

Instructions

Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter, Biscoff Spread, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add egg and vanilla, followed by the dry ingredients. Beat until just combined. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes, up to an hour.
Preheat oven to 375F.
Using a cookie scoop, shape dough into 1-inch balls and roll into the granulated sugar. Place on a large cookie sheet lined with parchment. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes. Immediately press a chocolate candy into the center of each cookie.
Allow cookies to cool on a baking sheet for 4 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Bourbon Apple Sidecar

Oct 27, 2014

Bourbon Apple Sidecar – your new favorite fall cocktail! Bourbon, apple juice, orange liqueur, and a splash of fresh lemon juice.

Today we’re going to talk cocktails.

Because Thanksgiving is officially one month away. And for whatever reason, planning Thanksgiving really stresses me out. Even though it’s just going to be the kids, the husband, the dogs, and me.

Yep, the husband’s scheduled to be home in time for Thanksgiving.

Which is another layer of stress. That sounds crazy, huh? You’d think after 9 months, excitement would be the main emotion. Nope. Stress.

Is the house clean enough? Did I lose those 10 pounds yet? The dang dog needs a haircut but I have to time it just right so she’s grown out of the awkward haircut stage when he gets home. (Like he cares.) The kids needs haircuts, too. We all need a special “homecoming” outfit. Have I found a hiding spot for all that Pyrex I bought? I never did find a photographer for the ceremony. I take that back. I never even looked for a photographer!

Stress. Ugh.

Anyway, with Thanksgiving ONE MONTH AWAY, it’s really time for me to think about this whole menu thing. Most important thing is officially checked off the list: cocktail!

I bought my first ever (tiny) bottle of Bourbon to make this Bourbon-Apple Sidecar. Even the lovely lady that owns the liquor store was all, “Hmm, this is different for you!” because she’s used to me only buying cheap white wine and Straw-ber-ritas.

It turns out that Bourbon is quite tasty! Especially with a little apple juice!

…

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins

Oct 26, 2014

I think muffins are the thing I crave most. Like, I crave muffins over ice cream or cake or pizza. I routinely have strong urges for a 500 calorie Starbucks blueberry muffin and, you know what? Those cravings are really, really hard to quiet. Especially when I know they’re just a drive-thru stop away.

I’ve been making a lot of muffins recently because my children have decided they don’t like cereal for breakfast. And real breakfast is absolutely not happening during the week. They’re lucky if I remember to set out vitamins and pour milk for them.

So I’ve been making muffins at night (yeah, every night – they eat entire batches of muffins for breakfast) which works out well for them because the muffins usually have chocolate chips or a sugary topping. And it works out well for me because I can start my daily 6 hours of CNN viewing as soon as I’m out of bed.

You know, when I was small, I used to think it was so lame that my mom would come home from work, turn on a news channel, and just leave it on as background noise all night while she cooked, cleaned, whatever she needed to do.

But that’s totally what I do now.

And it’s amazing.

Anyway, muffins!

These are Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins and I think the healthfulness (is that a word?) of the oats negates the unhealthfulness of the chocolate. They’re super light and fluffy and chocolatey and delicious.

Make ’em today and you won’t be stressing about breakfast tomorrow!

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📖 Recipe

Yield: about 12 muffins

Chocolate Chip Oat Muffins

from Taste of Home

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

½ cup butter, softened
¾ cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup applesauce
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg. Combine dry ingredients; add alternately with applesauce to the creamed mixture. Stir in oats and chips. Fill paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full.
Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Jack-O-Lantern Layer Dip

Oct 23, 2014

How cute is Jack-O-Lantern Layer Dip for a Halloween party! Layers of refried beans, guacamole, salsa, cheese, and green onions topped with tortilla chips and olives to look like a scary pumpkin!

Halloween is just over a week away and I cannot be more excited.

Mostly because I gave up wine in an attempt to lose the 10 pounds of tacos and wine I’ve put on since July and I’m totally allowing myself some before/during/after trick-or-treating. Because kids. Kids everywhere. Kids ringing the doorbell. Eep.

If you’ve got a Halloween party coming up, I’ve got the perfect thing for you to make! Who doesn’t love a layer dip? Especially if it’s dressed up as a Jack-O-Lantern?!

Ingredients

Refried beans
Chopped green chiles
Sour cream
Prepared guacamole – you can use homemade or store-bought!
Salsa
Green onions
Shredded cheddar cheese
Blue corn tortilla chips
Sliced black olives

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.
In a deep dish pie plate, spread refried beans until the entire bottom of the dish is covered. Spread green chiles over the beans.
For the next layer, spread sour cream over green chiles. Continue layering the guacamole, salsa, and green onions. Cover the entire top with the cheddar cheese.
Bake about 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Decorate top with blue corn tortilla chips and olives to look like a Jack-O-Lantern.
Serve hot with more chips!

Other Variations

Use pinto beans or black beans if refried isn’t your thing
If you want a little more heat, use pepper jack cheese instead of cheddar
Stir some dry ranch dressing mix into the sour cream to make a ranch layered dip
If you don’t love guacamole, you can leave it out
Other things you can add: diced red onion, diced fresh or pickled jalapeno, or fresh shredded iceberg lettuce on top after it’s baked!

How Long Is Layer Dip Good For?

Layer dip is good for about 3 – 4 days in the fridge. The guacamole may start to brown after a day or 2 but it’s still fine to eat.

Make sure to store it in an airtight container.

You can warm it up in the microwave or pop it back into the oven just for a few minutes, until the cheese melts.

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📖 Recipe

Yield: 12 servings

Jack-O-Lantern Layer Dip

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

1 16-ounce can refried beans
1 4.5 ounce can chopped green chiles
1 cup sour cream
1 cup prepared guacamole, homemade or store bought
1 cup salsa
4 green onions, chopped
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
blue corn tortilla chips
sliced black olives

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.
In a deep dish pie plate, spread refried beans until the entire bottom of the dish is covered. Spread green chiles over the beans.
For the next layer, spread sour cream over green chiles. Continue layering the guacamole, salsa, and green onions. Cover the entire top with the cheddar cheese.
Bake about 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Decorate top with blue corn tortilla chips and olives to look like a Jack-O-Lantern.
Serve hot with more chips!

Breakfast Stuffed Acorn Squash

Oct 19, 2014

Breakfast Stuffed Acorn Squash is healthy and delicious breakfast! Roasted acorn squash filled with sausage and topped with an egg!

Breakfast Stuffed Acorn Squash - healthy and delicious breakfast! Roasted acorn squash filled with sausage and topped with an egg!

I am forever looking for new breakfast ideas for myself. I’m not really into typical breakfast foods first thing in the morning (but I love a cinnamon roll in the afternoon or pancakes for dinner) and a girl can only have so many breakfast salads before she starts to lose it.

This Breakfast Stuffed Acorn Squash is my new favorite and I’m going through withdrawals right now because Trader Joe’s was out of acorn squash the other day and I’m refusing to go to any other grocery stores until the excitement of TJ’s wears off.

Life is rough

Ingredients

Acorn squash – the easiest time of year to find acorn squash is fall and winter but I’ve had good luck at places like Natural Grocers and Whole Foods during other times of year.
Eggs
Coconut oil – you can also use avocado or olive oil
Turkey breakfast sausage – you can use pork breakfast sausage if you prefer.
Onion
Garlic

Directions

Roast halved acorn squash upside down on a baking sheet at 375F for about 25 minutes
For filling, cook breakfast sausage and onion in coconut oil until sausage is cooked through
Add garlic and cook just until fragrant, only 30 seconds or so
Spoon sausage mixture into the roasted acorn squash and make a whole in the center of the filling for the egg
Crack an egg into the center of each squash half
Season with salt and pepper
Bake about 15 minutes, or until eggs are set to your preference

Can You Make It Ahead?

I almost always prep a couple of these at once because they make sure easy, fast, healthy breakfasts.

You can prep the entire thing and just reheat in the microwave or if you like your eggs cooked fresh, just roast the squash and cook the sausage mixture and store it separately. When you’re ready to eat, just assemble the squash and add an extra 5 minutes or so to the bake time since you will be cooking from cold.

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📖 Recipe

Yield: 2 servings

Breakfast Stuffed Acorn Squash

Breakfast Stuffed Acorn Squash is a healthy and delicious breakfast! Roasted acorn squash filled with sausage and topped with an egg!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

1 acorn squash, cut in half, seeds removed
2 eggs
1 teaspoon coconut oil, or olive oil
½ lean turkey breakfast sausage
½ onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375F.
Place acorn squash cut-side down onto your baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until your acorn squash is soft when you press on the skin. Remove from oven and let cool.
While your acorn squash is cooking, add coconut oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add breakfast sausage and cook, breaking it up, until almost no pink remains. Add onion and continue cooking until the sausage is cooked completely and the onion is translucent. Add garlic and cook another 30 seconds. Remove from heat.
Spoon the sausage mixture into the cooked acorn squash halves and make a whole in the center for the egg. Crack an egg into each side of the acorn squash and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Bake another 10 - 15 minutes or until the eggs are cooked to your preference.

Everything Cheese Ball

Oct 16, 2014

A must make for cheese ball lovers! Everything Cheese Ball has sharp cheddar cheese, crispy bacon, green onions, and it’s rolled in Everything But the Bagel seasoning. Serve it with crackers or sliced veggies at your next party!

I want to start this off by saying that I’ve spent 20 minutes trying to figure out if it’s “cheese ball” or “cheeseball”. I assumed it was like basketball. But then I thought about soccer ball.

There is no real consistency when it comes to balls, apparently.

Today we’re talking about this Everything Cheese Ball. Because it’s football season and cheese balls are my favorite thing to show up with at football parties. Who doesn’t like cheese balls?! Especially when it’s cheese mixed with fun stuff like bacon and then covered in “Everything” bagel seasoning.

This turned out delicious and it may be my new favorite cheese ball. Plus, cheese balls are so simple to make and you can make this one ahead of time and store it in the fridge (without the seasoning on it) until your party starts. Or until dinner. Or until your kids go to sleep and you can finally have a peaceful moment with the cheese.

Whatever, I won’t judge you.

Ingredients

Bacon
Extra sharp cheddar cheese
Cream cheese
Butter
Green onion
Black pepper
Worcestershire sauce
Everything bagel spice mixture

Instructions

Cook bacon. Cook bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until browned and crisp, 5–8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain; let cool.
Combine ingredients.Beat cheddar, cream cheese, and butter with a mixture until combined. Beat in scallion, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and bacon; season with salt.
Shape and chill. Scrape mixture into a small plastic wrap–lined bowl; gather plastic around cheese, using your hands to shape into a ball. Chill until firm, 3–12 hours.
Serve. Before serving, roll in Everything bagel spice until coated. Serve with crackers.

What To Serve With It?

I like to serve any sort of buttery crackers like Ritz or Club Crackers with this cheese ball. You could also do baby carrots, sliced celery, cucumbers, or any other veggies you like!

How Long Is It Good For?

This cheese ball will be good in the fridge for about 5 days. Make sure to store it in an airtight container – these are my favorite containers for leftovers.

I recommend letting it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes or so before serving so that it’s not rock hard.

Can You Freeze It?

Yes, you can freeze this cheeseball. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then put it in a freezer ziploc bag.

It should be fine in the freezer for up to 1 month. When you are ready to serve it, let it defrost overnight in the fridge and then let it sit on the counter for 15 minutes or so before serving.

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📖 Recipe

Yield: about 16 servings

Everything Cheese Ball

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

2 slices bacon, finely chopped
1 ⅓ cups finely grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
salt, to taste
Everything bagel spice mixture

Instructions

Cook bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until browned and crisp, 5–8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain; let cool.
Beat cheddar, cream cheese, and butter with a mixture until combined. Beat in scallion, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and bacon; season with salt. Scrape mixture into a small plastic wrap–lined bowl; gather plastic around cheese, using your hands to shape into a ball. Chill until firm, 3–12 hours.
Before serving, roll in Everything bagel spice until coated. Serve with crackers.

Slow Cooker Three Cheese Macaroni and Cheese

Oct 15, 2014

Slow Cooker Three Cheese Macaroni and Cheese – macaroni and cheese made with gruyere, cheddar, and American cheese. It is made completely in the slow cooker and is so creamy and delicious. It is great for holidays or parties!

Slow Cooker Three Cheese Macaroni and Cheese - mac and cheese made with gruyere, cheddar, and American cheese. So easy and great for holidays!

I had a cold over the weekend (story of my life – my kids get sniffles and I am on my death bed) so all of Saturday, I laid around and watched Food Network. I haven’t watched Food Network in ages but I got sucked into old Ina episodes and next thing I knew I was watching something called My Food Obsession.

Have you seen it? It’s quite weird but I couldn’t stop watching. I saw an episode about a girl who’s boyfriend broke up with her because she ate while she was sleeping.

And then one about a guy who drinks 7 glasses of vinegar a day. Then there was a girl who was afraid of creamy foods. Yogurt, cheesy nachos, mac & cheese, stuff like that.

I mean, can you imagine?

Life without nachos and mac & cheese?

Slow Cooker Three Cheese Macaroni and Cheese

Coincidentally, I had made this Slow Cooker Three Cheese Macaroni and Cheese the day before. And it was awesome and I wondered how anybody could possibly be afraid of something so amazing.

I won’t lie, I was a little worried. I don’t really love gruyere to begin with and the one I used smelled like dirty socks. You guys know I love a stinky cheese but man, that gruyere was rough. Maybe I’m just not sophisticated enough to appreciate dirty socks gruyere.

It worked out really well though – the American cheese gave it that almost-Velveeta texture but not gummy like Velveeta. And the other two cheeses were delicious together.

And, of course, the best part is that it’s cooked in the slow cooker! It’s not something you can leave going all day while you’re at work but it’s great for parties or holidays when you already have 4 pots on the stove.

How To Make Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese

This is seriously so simple to make! You just combine the macaroni noodles, all 3 of the cheeses, regular milk, and evaporated milk in your slow cooker and let it cook until the noodles are done. It should only take about an hour and a half.

At that point, all the cheese will be melted so you can stir it all together to make sure the noodles get coated and then stir in some dry mustard, salt and pepper, and some cayenne if you like your macaroni and cheese to have a little heat.

And that is it! If you aren’t ready to serve it immedately, keep it in your slow cooker on the warm setting and give it a little stir every 15 minutes or so.

📖 Recipe

Yield: 6 servings

Slow Cooker Three Cheese Macaroni and Cheese

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

12 oz dry elbow macaroni
1 cup gruyere cheese, shredded
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
10 slices American cheese, chopped
1 12 ounce can evaporated milk
1 ½ cups milk
½ teaspoon dry mustard
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper, optional

Instructions

Spray the inside of the slow cooker bowl with nonstick cooking spray.
In the bowl of the slow cooker, combine the macaroni, cheeses, evaporated milk and skim milk. Stir until combined and the macaroni is almost completely covered by liquid and cheese. Cover and cook on low for 1½ hours.
After 1½ hours, the cheese should be melted and the macaroni should be cooked. Fold and stir in the dry mustard, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Make sure to stir well to make sure all the macaroni is coated with cheesy goodness.

Apple Fritters

Oct 14, 2014

Easy Apple Fritters made by dipping sliced apples in a quick batter and frying until golden and delicious! You won’t believe how easy and delicious these are!

Easy Apple Fritters - sliced apples dipped in batter and fried until golden and delicious! The easiest apple fritters you will ever make!

I made these Apple Fritters over the weekend, because I figured I could get away with serving them for lunch. I mean, apples. Healthy! Fiber! Stuff like that! And then flour which is basically bread. So an apple sandwich.

My kids loved them and I had a lot of fun making them. Plus it gave me an excuse to buy an apple corer.

Ingredients

Apples
Buttermilk
Sugar
Flour
Cinnamon
Salt
Powdered Sugar

Instructions

Heat a couple inches of vegetable oil in a large, heavy pot to 350F.
Peel and core the apples; slice into ¼-inch thick rings.
Whisk together the buttermilk and sugar.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon and salt.
Toss the apple slices with the buttermilk mixture; then dredge them in the flour mixture. Return to the buttermilk and then dredge in the flour again.
Fry the apple slices until golden and crisp; drain on paper towels.
Once cool, dust the tops with powdered sugar.

How Long Are They Good For?

These are best served shortly after frying them but they will stay good for about 2 days. Keep them at room temperature in an airtight container to keep them fresh for as long as possible.

The coating will start to get soggy the longer they sit so I recommend warming them in either the oven or a toaster oven.

Can You Freeze Them?

I don’t recommend freezing these apple fritters. The coating would soak up too much moisture and become soggy once defrosted.

More Apple Recipes

📖 Recipe

Yield: about 8 servings

Apple Fritters

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

2 large apples
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 ½ cups flour
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
powdered sugar, for dusting

Instructions

Heat a couple inches of vegetable oil in a large, heavy pot to 350F.
Peel and core the apples; slice into ¼-inch thick rings.
Whisk together the buttermilk and sugar.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon and salt.
Toss the apple slices with the buttermilk mixture; then dredge them in the flour mixture. Return to the buttermilk and then dredge in the flour again.
Fry the apple slices until golden and crisp; drain on paper towels. Once cool, dust the tops with powdered sugar.

Sloppy Joe Fries

Oct 09, 2014

Sloppy Joe Fries are crispy fries topped with sloppy joe meat, melted cheese, green onions, grape tomatoes, and jalapenos! Perfect football food!

Sloppy Joe Fries - fries topped with sloppy joe meat, melted cheese, green onions, grape tomatoes, and jalapenos! Perfect football food!

Today starts 5 days off school for all my children.

Who decided this was a good idea?

Someone should’ve consulted me before such an important decision was made.

On the brightside, I don’t have to go anywhere today. I will change into workout clothes and then right back into pajamas after my workout. And a shower, of course.

Tomorrow, however, is parent/teacher conferences. The reason the kids have 5 days off.

Uggghhhh.

I’m always so nervous going into those things.

You guys already know that I’m prone to crying when I’m aggravated and there’s nothing worse than crying in a meeting with your kid’s teacher.

Because then you’re that parent the rest of the year.

Sloppy Joe Fries!

Another good thing about today (and Thursdays in general this time of year) is that we get football!

And you should probably make some Sloppy Joe Fries to eat while you watch football. Why have a boring dinner when you can have fries covered in sloppy joe meat and cheese?

I had my doubts about sloppy joe meat on fries but you guys, it was so good.

Especially with all the melted cheese on top! I put green onions, cherry tomatoes, and jalapeños on mine but you can leave them plain or pile on whatever toppings you like!

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📖 Recipe

Yield: 8 servings

Sloppy Joe Fries

Sloppy Joe Fries are crispy fries topped with sloppy joe meat, melted cheese, green onions, grape tomatoes, and jalapenos! Perfect football food!

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 28-ounce bag frozen steak fries
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 clove garlic, minced
¾ cup ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
1 ½ cups water
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
green onions, cherry tomatoes, & jalapeños, for serving (optional)

Instructions

Bake the entire bag of steak fries according to package's instructions.
While the fries bake, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add ground beef and chili powder. Cook the ground beef, breaking it up as it cooks, until no pink remains. Drain if necessary. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add ketchup, brown sugar, worcestershire sauce, and water. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until slightly thickened, about 8 minutes.
Portion the fries out on individual plates. Top with sloppy joe mixture, shredded cheddar cheese, toppings of choice.

Cheesy Garlic Crescent Rolls

Sep 15, 2014

Cheesy Garlic Crescent Rolls need only 4 ingredients! Crescent rolls stuffed with mozzarella and brushed with garlic butter!

Cheesy Garlic Crescent Rolls - only 4 ingredients! Crescent rolls stuffed with mozzarella and brushed with garlic butter!

Two breads in a row!

It’s carb week on Fake Ginger!

Just kidding. It’s carb week every week in my life.

Canned crescent rolls are probably my favorite bread to serve with dinner but I very rarely do it because I could easily eat all 8 before dinner is even on the table. What do they put in them to make them so addictive?

I decided to make them even more addictive by slathering them with garlic butter and then stuffing them with mozzarella cheese. And you better believe I ate so many that I was too full to even have a bite of the spaghetti that was supposed to be dinner.

Super simple and I bet you have most of the ingredients on hand already!

Ingredients

Can of crescent rolls
Butter – it does not need to be room temperature because it gets melted.
Garlic salt – use garlic powder and salt if you don’t have garlic salt.
Mozzarella – mozzarella melts really nicely and gives you a nice stringy cheese pull but you can use another kind of cheese if you prefer.

Instructions

Prepare. Preheat oven to 375F. Line a large baking with parchment paper.
Separate crescent rolls. Unroll your crescent rolls and separate them into the 8 rolls.
Make garlic butter. Melt the butter; stir in the garlic salt. Brush each roll with the garlic butter.
Add cheese. Sprinkle with about a tablespoon of mozzarella.
Bake. Bake in preheated oven according to instructions on the crescent roll package (should be around 10 minutes).

How Long Are They Good For?

These crescent rolls are fine for about 2 days at room temperature. Make sure to store them in an airtight container to keep them fresh for as long as possible – I’m a big fan of these super airtight glass containers for all our leftovers.

I recommend warming them up slightly when you are ready to serve so the cheese gets all melty and delicious again.

What To Serve With Them?

In these pictures, you can see Chicken and Noodles but I think any pasta dish is delicious. Here are a few ideas:

More Recipes with Crescent Rolls

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📖 Recipe

Yield: 8 servings

Cheesy Garlic Crescent Rolls

Cheesy Garlic Crescent Rolls need only 4 ingredients! Crescent rolls stuffed with mozzarella and brushed with garlic butter!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 can of crescent rolls
2 tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon heaping garlic salt
½ cup shredded mozzarella

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375F. Line a large baking with parchment paper.
Unroll your crescent rolls and separate them into the 8 rolls.
Melt the butter; stir in the garlic salt. Brush each roll with the garlic butter. Sprinkle with about a tablespoon of mozzarella.
Bake in preheated oven according to instructions on the crescent roll package (should be around 10 minutes).

Taffy Apple Pizza

Sep 08, 2014

Taffy Apple Pizza is the most delicious dessert pizza! Sugar cookie crust with a peanut butter and brown sugar sauce, sliced apples, chopped peanuts, and caramel sauce.

Caramel and apples are so perfect together! Some of my other favorites are Creamy Caramel Apple Dip, Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls, and Slow Cooker Caramel Apple Crumble.

I don’t know if you guys have noticed but I am SO READY FOR FALL, SNOW, WINTER, SNOW, HALLOWEEN, SNOW, CHRISTMAS, and most importantly SNOW.

It’s like that scene in Knocked Up when the guy says he wishes he liked anything as much as his kids like bubbles. I imagine my husband probably says, “I wish I liked anything as much as my wife likes snow!”

We had a day last week where our high was in the 50s and I was in heaven. I broke out my boots, my winter coat, my big scarf that my mom made me. It was awesome. I’m sure everyone who saw me thought I was crazy pants but… I’m just excited, y’all.

One of the great things about fall is, of course, apples. Oh man, I can’t even wait for the honeycrisps to show up. They are probably the thing I like most about fall.

After football.

Obviously.

But while we wait for honeycrisps, I had to make something with apples. This is a Taffy Apple Pizza with a sugar cookie crust, a peanut butter cream cheese sauce, apples, peanuts, and a caramel drizzle.

I totally don’t mind eating fruit if it’s served on a cookie with caramel on top.

Taffy Apple Pizza - sugar cookie crust with a peanut butter and brown sugar sauce, sliced apples, chopped peanuts, and caramel sauce.

Ingredients

Refrigerated sugar cookie dough
Cream cheese
Brown sugar
Creamy peanut butter
Vanilla
Milk
Green apples
Salted peanuts
Cinnamon
Caramel sauce

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Pat the sugar cookie dough into a large circle about ¼″ thick. Bake for 15 – 18 minutes or until the sugar cookie is golden brown. Cool completely before proceeding.
Beat the cream cheese, peanut butter, and vanilla together until completely smooth. Add milk as needed to get a spreadable consistency. Spread the mixture oven the cooled sugar cookie crust.
Arrange apple slices on top.
Sprinkle with peanuts and cinnamon; drizzle with caramel sauce.
Cut into wedges and enjoy!

More Apple Recipes

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📖 Recipe

Yield: about 10 servings

Taffy Apple Pizza

Taffy Apple Pizza is the most delicious dessert pizza! Sugar cookie crust with a peanut butter and brown sugar sauce, sliced apples, chopped peanuts, and caramel sauce.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes

Total Time 38 minutes

Ingredients

1 16.5 ounce refrigerated sugar cookie dough
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 - 2 tablespoons milk
2 medium green apples, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped salted peanuts
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup caramel sauce

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Pat the sugar cookie dough into a large circle about ¼" thick.
Bake for 15 - 18 minutes or until the sugar cookie is golden brown. Cool completely before proceeding.
Beat the cream cheese, peanut butter, and vanilla together until completely smooth. Add milk as needed to get a spreadable consistency. Spread the mixture oven the cooled sugar cookie crust. Arrange apple slices on top.
Sprinkle with peanuts and cinnamon; drizzle with caramel sauce.
Cut into wedges and enjoy!

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