Freezer Meatballs and Wedding Appetizers

Bill and I did Wedding Appetizers for Logan and Erin's Wedding a few weekends ago.

Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball

Yum
This cheese ball was one of the super bowl snacks I made.  I would say it was my favorite snack of the night too.  I rolled the cheese ball in bacon instead of nuts and boy did that ever bring out the flavor in the spices.

My Favorite Appetizers --- Happy New Years!

Here are some of my favorite New Years Eve Appetizers. Click on the link below each picture to get the recipe.  Hope everyone has a Happy New Year!  Be safe as you party in the New Year!

Fried Mozzarella and a Birthday surprise

I had a great weekend.  My birthday is tomorrow and Cally had said early on that she would be home the weekend before my birthday to celebrate with me.  Then last week she said with midterm coming up she had too much work and could not make it home.  At that point it was going on 3 weeks since I had seen Cally.  I was bummed but knew she had work to do so it was ok.  I then started making my own plans to go see her on the weekend of the 13th.  I kept asking Bill about reserving a room in Portsmouth for the 13th.  He was not paying a whole lot of attention to me.  On Thursday night I found a room at the Greenbo Lake National Park Lodge.  He would not say for sure he was on board with going to see her.  On Friday I decided I was just going to book the room at the lodge because rooms were filling up fast in that area for the next weekend.  

Bill and I had plans for Friday night, we were leaving as soon as he arrived home from work to put our car in the New Carlisle Heritage of Flights car show.  We went to the car show with our cousin Greg.  Greg has a 63 Impala SS.  We have been attending car shows with him some this summer.  Below is Greg's 63 Impala SS and our Corvette at the car show.

While at the car show Cally called me a couple of times and chit chatted with me about her day and what she was doing for supper.  I told Bill and Greg about my conversations with Cally and they listened to what I had to say about her day.  Little did I know Greg was also in on the secret surprise I had later on in the evening.  It started to rain so Bill and I ordered a pizza and decided to call it a night and go home.  I was the first one in the door when we arrived home.  All the lights were off but I could see some inside the kitchen from the garage light behind me and I said to Bill, Someone has been in the house cause there is a cake, flowers and a present on the kitchen bar.... I no longer said that and the light came on and Cally jumped out of the living room yelling Happy Birthday.  It was the best surprise I had ever had.

This was my present from Cally.  We love Pioneer Woman.  I have her first cookbook and we also watch her cooking show on Saturday.  Cally and I made several dishes from the cookbook this weekend.  Below is Cally preparing and frying the mozzarella sticks.

The Fried Mozzarella sticks were our favorite.  They are the best Mozzarella sticks I have ever had.  They were super easy to make too.  We also made Lemon Blueberry Pancakes and I will blog about them soon.... they were also scrumptious.

Fried Mozzarella
from Pioneer Woman

16 pieces string cheese, removed from their wrappers
1/2 C flour
2 eggs
1/4 C milk
2 C panko bread crumbs
1 T dried parsley flakes
canola oil for frying
pizza sauce for dipping

Slices the sting cheese pieces in half for a total of 32 pieces.  Place the flour in a small bowl.  In a separate bowl whisk together the egg and milk.  In another bowl, combine the bread crumbs with the parsley flakes.  One by one roll the mozzarella pieces in the flout.  Then briefly dunk them in the egg/milk mixture.  Finally roll them in the panko mixture.  Use your hands if necessary to get the crumbs to adhere.  Place the mozzarella pieces on a baking sheet, then place them in the freezer for 20 to 30 min (I only had mine in for 10 to 15) to flash freeze.

To Fry the mozzarella, heat 1 1/2 inches of canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  When the oil is hot, add the mozzarella sticks 6 to 8 pieces at a time.  Watch them closely and turn them over to brown evenly.  They should cook for less than 2 minutes; make sure the cheese doesn't start to bubble and leak.

Remove them to a paper towel-lined plate.  Serve immediately with warm pizza sauce.

Veggie Pizza

There is just not enough time in the day.  I am running in circles and making list after list trying to make sure I do not forget anything for the party this Saturday.

I made this Veggie Pizza as a quick lunch for Bill and my Father in Law this week.  He has been up here helping Bill get ready for this weekend.

Veggie Pizza

2 rolls crescent rolls
1 C sour cream
1  8 oz cream cheese
1 t dill weed
1/4 t garlic salt
1  1oz pkg dry ranch dressing
Broccoli--chopped
Cauliflower--chopped
3/4 C shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 C shredded mozzarella cheese

Spread crescent rolls on a jelly roll pan and bake for 10 min at 350 degrees

mix sour cream, cream cheese, dill weed, garlic salt and ranch together

spread on top of the cooled crescent roll crust

put veggies and cheese on top.

You may add whatever veggies or cheese you would like.  I am just picky and only like broccoli and cauliflower but use your imagination and you can come up with your favorite toppings.

Soft Pretzels

It was a busy weekend!  We had fun making food, eating food and watching the super bowl.  We were rooting for the Giants so it was a Great Weekend!

Cally has been getting lots of attention from colleges wanting her to play golf for them but I think her mind is made up...she is visiting Mount Union again next week then the decision will be made...stay tuned

Soft Pretzels

1/4 C water 110 degrees
1 pkg dry yeast
1 t white sugar
3 C flour
1/2 C white sugar
3/4 t salt
1 C milk
1 T vegetable oil
coarse salt
1/2 C baking soda
4 C hot water

1. In small bowl dissolve yeast and 1 t sugar in 1/4 C water.  Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes

2. In large bowl mix together flour, 1/2 C sugar and salt.  Make a well in the center and add milk, oil, and yeast mixture.  Mix with mixer until dough forms.  Knead the dough until smooth.  Lightly oil the bowl and return the dough ball and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  In a large bowl dissolve baking soda in water.

4. When risen, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces.  Roll each piece into a rope and twist into a pretzel shape.  Once all the dough is shaped dip each pretzel into the baking soda solution and place on greased baking sheet.  Sprinkle with coarse salt.  Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes or until brown.

Baked Pizza Dip

Yum
If you liked the Buffalo Chicken dip I posted and you like pizza then you will love this pizza dip.

I made this dip after church today as a quick snack.  It is like taking crust (your cracker) and dipping it in pizza toppings (your dip)  wow, it sure is good!

I did not follow the directions, I was not paying enough attention.  I layered the cream cheese mixture, then the pizza sauce and then all 2 cups of mozzarella cheese and then topped with pepperoni.  Even though I did not layer the cheese in the correct order it still tasted great!

Philadelphia Baked Pizza Dip
source:  Kraftfoods.com

1 pkg (8oz) Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 pkg (8oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 C pizza sauce
1/3 C chopped pepperoni
Wheat Thins Big snack crackers

Beat cream cheese and Italian seasoning until well blended.  Spread into bottom of 9 inch pie plate.  Top with layers of 1 cup mozzarella cheese and pizza sauce, sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese and lastly sprinkle with chopped pepperoni.  Bake 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until mixture is thoroughly heated and cheese is melted.  Serve with crackers

Real Buffalo Chicken Wing Dip

If you like hot wings you will like this dip.  This dip is awesome but unfortunately our Bengals were not today. We had this dip while we watched the Bengals football game today.  Cally has also entered this dip in the Chicken dish of the day competition at the fair and she placed 2nd in 2009.

Cally and I finished editing Shelby's senior pictures this weekend.  Here is one of my favorites that Cally edited.

Shelby wanted her pictures taken in the snow but here where we live in Ohio there has been little snow.  In fact the last couple of days have been unusually warm for January.

Real Buffalo Chicken Wing Dip


4 chicken breast (I actually cheated and bought a rotisserie chicken and just shredded the chicken)

1 1/2 C bleu cheese dressing

1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese

1 cup Franks's Hot sauce

8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese

If you are using rotisserie chicken then you just have to shred the chicken off the bone. If you are using chicken breast then Boil or simmer chicken in water for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. Heat oven to 425 degrees. In oven safe dish, spread cream cheese on bottom of dish. Shred chicken in a separate bowl. Add bleu cheese dressing and hot sauce to the chicken. Spread the chicken mixture over the cream cheese and sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese becomes bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips.

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year!!  Tonight Bill and I decided to just stay home for New Years.  Cally is having her friends over tonight so I have made a few appetizers for them.  I made Real Buffalo Chicken dip, bacon wrapped jalapenos and these Little Cherry Cheesecakes.  When you start eating these cheesecakes it is hard to stop.

The cheesecakes are a bit hit with Billy and his friends.  When Matt and Mike come over I make these cheesecakes for the guys.  Not only are they good but they are fast and easy.

I hope everyone has a safe and Happy New Years!!  May 2012 be your best year yet!

Little Cherry Cheesecakes

16 ounces cream cheese
2 eggs
3/4 Cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

crust:
1 Cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 Cup sugar
1/4 Cup melted butter

Topping:
20 ounce can cherry pie filling

Line cupcake pans with liners.  Mix together crust ingredients and put about a tablespoon in each cupcake liner.  Press crust mixture down forming the crust.

In a bowl mix the cream cheese and eggs until well blended.  Mix in sugar and vanilla until smooth.  Pour into cupcake liners.  Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Cool cheesecakes and then top with cherry pie filling and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.