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!