Holiday Party Menu

Creating a holiday party menu is easy and no stress with these easy to make recipes. Cheese and sausage balls are so simple to make, and the peppermint cake adds just enough sweetness to the spread.

Cheddar Cheese Ball and Ranch Cheese Ball

The secret to these cheese balls are Worcestershire sauce and the right amount of cheese.
Ingredients:

• 12 oz of Philadelphia whipped or regular cream cheese (at room temperature)
• 1/2-1 tablespoon worchestshire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 lb shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 box Ritz holiday crackers

Directions:

1. Let the cream cheese come to room temperature, just to soften.
2. Mix sauce, garlic salt, pepper, and 3/4 cup cheese into the cream cheese.
3. Pour the remaining cheese onto a serving plate. Form the cream cheese mix into a ball, and roll in the shredded cheddar till evenly coated.
4. Place ball on a serving platter surrounded by chips.

For the ranch cheese ball, use all the same ingredients, except the shredded cheddar. Simply add 1/2 to 1 whole packet ranch dip into the mix, and use a four cheese mix.
These would be a great addition to a holiday party.

Sausage Balls

The best sausage ball (and easiest) has proven to be Paula Deen's. Three ingredients are needed: sausage, cheese, Bisquick, and a pinch of pepper. For a neat variation, use maple sausage and sharp cheddar (it is awesome).

Of course, using the base recipe, spices could be added to give the sausage balls more kick, and a great seasonal sauce to dip them in would be hot cranberry sauce.

Ingredients:

• 1 can jellied cranberry sauce
• 1/4 cup hot sauce (or a spicy BBQ sauce)

Directions:
Simply heat the cranberry sauce till liquefies, and add hot sauce to taste. Add some salt and pepper if desired. Pour into sauce dishes and serve with meatballs or sausage balls.

Peppermint Cake

This peppermint cake is easy prep and bake, and requires no crazy mixing.

Christmas Tree, Monterey, CA 2010

Ingredients:

• 1 box yellow or chocolate cake mix (plus ingredients labeled on box)
• 2 bags Andes peppermint baking chips
• 2 cans white or chocolate frosting
• Several pieces of peppermint bark
• 1 bag peppermint Hershey kisses (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven and prepare the cake mix according to instructions on the box.
2. Fold in 1/2 bag of baking chips into the mix. Pour the batter in 2 sprayed 9 inch cake pans, and bake according to packaging.
3. Let the cake cool for a few minutes, then take out of pans and finish cooling completely on cooling rack.
4. Place the bottom layer onto a cake tray and ice the top. Sprinkle with peppermint chips, and decorate the top with peppermint bark.
5. Put unwrapped peppermint kisses around the bottom of the cake (or on the top), and serve.

This cake could be sprinkled with coconut, and if using a chocolate cake, frost with white icing and sift cocoa on top.

The cheese balls, sausage balls, and peppermint cake would make a great spread or addition to any holiday or Christmas get together. These are great, no fuss recipes, and sure to be a holiday success!

PATRIOTIC FRUIT DESSERTS
Chocolate Covered Bananas and Banana Pudding Popsicles

4th of July is around the corner, and that usually means cookouts, potlucks, and gatherings which involve food. These simple desserts are great for the family while watching fireworks or a parade, or fun for a gathering.


Chocolate Banana's with Red, White, and Blue Sprinkles

Ingredients:

6-8 Bananan's, cut in half
4 oz. unsweetened or semi-sweet chocolate
2 tablespoons butter
1 to 1 1/2 cup sugar (do not use if using semisweet chocolate
Patriotic sprinkles
12-16 popsicle sticks

Directions:

1. Cut banana's in half, and place the popsicle sticks in the center of the cut part.
2. Pour sprinkles on a plate .
3. Melt the butter and chocolate in a sauce pan over medium or medium low heat.Once melted, stir in the sugar.
4. Once melted, dip the banana's into the chocolate, let some drip off, and then roll in the sprinkles.
5. Place the banana's on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place in freezer until ready to serve.

Banana Pudding Popsicles

Ingredients:
6-8 banana's, cut in half
12-16 popsicle sticks
4 cups of milk
2 packets of instant vanilla pudding
24 crushed nilla wafers
whipped cream

Directions:

1. Cut banana's in half and place the popsicle sticks in the center of the cut part.
2. Prepare the vanilla pudding according to the box.
3. Pour crushed nilla wafers onto a flat plate.
4. Dip the banana's into the pudding and roll in the wafers.
5. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze.
6. When ready to serve, use whipped cream for dipping.

These are easy, somewhat patriotic and a hit with the kids. Happy 4th of July!

Guacamole Chicken Pizza

Avocados are wonderful fruits originating from Mexico. These delicious fruits have provided the world with flavorful dressings, dips, sauces, and as a topping on salads, fish, or other foods. It is even good in tomato and ham sandwiches. The Haas Avocado is most widely known in America and is popular worldwide. In fact, it is probably what is used in most all dips, dressings, sauces, sandwiches, and toppings, and why not? It ripens nicely and offers savory flavor to any dish.

One such dish for which it can be used is, pizza. Just whip up a simple guacamole recipe using 2-3 Haas avocados and prepare to try something new and yummy.


Ingredients:

• Pizza Dough (preferably a recipe, Alton Brown's is suggested)
• 2-3 ripe Haas Avocados
• 1 pound cooked chicken breast, shredded
• 1 package pepperoni
• 1 cup cooked bacon, broken to pieces (optional)
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 red or white onion, finely chopped (food processor suggested)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups ranchero or panela cheese (if unable to find, use Monterrey jack or Mexican four cheese)
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper
• 1 lime (optional)

Directions:

1. Prepare dough as directed. Cook chicken until temperature is 165, shred, and set aside. If using bacon, cook the night before and break it into pieces or use it as strips.
2. Cut the avocado, pit it, spoon the mesh out into a bowl, along with cilantro, and slightly mash. Place in a food processor to puree.
3. Preheat oven to 400. Brush olive oil over prepared pizza crust. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top.
4. Spread the guacamole over the crust, leaving about half an inch from the edges.
5. Sprinkle chopped onion and tomato (use food processor to finely chop) onto the pie. Followed by the cheese.
6. Place remaining meat ingredients on pizza, and cook for 15-20 minutes, until done.
7. Squeeze lime juice around the pizza and enjoy.

This is a great recipe for summer. It is different and delicious. Not to mention versatile.

BBQ Chicken Pizza (minis)

As I mentioned in the Oven BBQ Chicken recipe, it is versatile. If the thought of eating the same thing the next night or week is not appealing, then be creative. This chicken is not only good by itself, but also paired with other items on a pizza (or even a casserole, salad, or sandwich).

BBQ Mini Pizza

For the basic mini pizza recipe this is all that is needed:

• Cooked BBQ Chicken, shredded
• 1-1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar or cheddar and mozzarella cheese (try using the blocks of cheddar and fresh mozzarella)
• 6-10 flat bread sandwich breads (Nature's Own) or pita bread, bagel halves, English muffins, and flour tortilla's (note: if using bagels or English muffins, spread a thin layer of butter on before adding the toppings).

Directions:

Turn the oven on broil and place the flat bread halves on a pizza pan (with holes preferrably). Sprinkle on the cheese and place chicken on top. Pour a spoon of extra sauce over each, and put under broiler for 1-2 minutes (until cheese is melted and bubbly).

It's that simple!

Now for add-ons. In the case of our family, we had left over black eyed peas. So, I sprinkled on some cheese, placed a tablespoon full of black eyed peas on top, and then the chicken. Cooked under broiler, and the kids loved it! Even my son who never eats the peas had a 2nd piece.

Other suggestions would be: sliced peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, parsley, spinach, feta cheese or even spread a layer of cream cheese on the bottom.

Overall, this is a great quick meal that everyone will enjoy.

Oven Baked BBQ Chicken

Warm weather brings out the want for some good tasting BBQ. The best (personal opinion) is grilled, but sometimes pulling out the grill and preparing it isn't always convenient for some. This recipe is perfect for the oven or the grill. The ingredients are simple, the taste is great, and it can be used for more than just the main dish on the plate (as will be shown in future posts).

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds chicken tenderloins (or chicken breast, cut in half)
2 (1 1/2 if want) tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons sea salt or kosher salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 tablespoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon paprika
Pepper for sprinkling and taste
1 bottle of original BBQ sauce of choice (optional)

Directions:

1. Mix all the spices and the brown sugar together in a large bowl.
2. Rinse chicken under cold water, dry with paper towels, and toss into the bowl of spices. Rub each piece well with spices. Mix more spice if needed.
3. Place chicken and spices in a large ziplock bag and refrigerate 2-4 hours or over night.
4. After the chicken has set in the fridge, heat oven to 400.
5. Spread BBQ sauce on the bottom of a large rectangle baking dish. Pour about a cup into the bag of chicken, reseal the bag and shake to combine.
6. Using tongs, place the chicken in the dish. Pour more sauce over it if wish, or drizzle honey over it.
7. Cook for 30-40 minutes (if using breasts, 40-60, depending on how oven cooks), or until chicken is easy to pull apart and at least a temperature of 165-170.
8. Plate up beside slaw and beans or make a sandwich complete with pickles.

This is a great recipe for the family. It is easy, and if one has a special sauce recipe, use it instead of store bought. Not only will this feed the family, there will be leftovers for the next day.

To grill, simply follow steps 1-3. Place on grill, turning once. Brush some sauce on one side before it is done and plate.