Homemade Cheeseball

Thanks to everyone who came last night for the exchange. I have really missed participating the past few months! Here is the recipe for the cheeseball that was made last night.

Homemade Cheeseball

*2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened (Philadelphia tastes the best)
*1 (1 oz.) package ranch dressing mix
*2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (I used finely grated, sharp cheddar)
*1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
*Bacon (about 5 slices), diced
*Green onion (I used maybe 1/4 cup chopped, be sure to use the dark green part for coloring too)

In a medium sized bowl mash cream cheese and dressing mix. Mix well using hands. Then add cheddar cheese and continue to mix until well blended. Add bacon and green onion and mix some more. Using your hands form balls with the cheese mixture. You can make them large or small. Roll balls in chopped pecans and place on a plate or in a tupperware container. LET THE CHEESEBALLS SIT OVERNIGHT IN THE FRIDGE. If you try to eat them right away they will taste like salt....awful! Although they look so yummy, you have to let them soak all the flavor from the ranch packet before you eat them. Serve with your favorite crackers, we use town house! YUM!

To freeze cheeseballs, wrap them individually in syran wrap. Then place in tupperware container and seal. Place in freezer. I'm not sure how long they last in the freezer because we eat them too fast! ;)

January Exchange Update

Okay so I'm a little slow in the brain...and forgot to check blog comments. I only went off of emails. Here is who is in for the exchange on Tuesday:

Alisha
Erin
Mitzi
Michelle
Becca

So make 4 meals to exchange, 5 if you want one for yourself. Please let me know if I missed anyone else.

Thanks,

Alisha

Count for January Exchange

I guess it's going to be a small crowd. Here's who is in for the January Exchange:

Alisha
Erin
Mitzi

Please let me know if I missed anyone who wants to exchange this month. You are welcome to just come and socialize with us/eat cheeseball if you'd like.

Thanks,

Alisha

Count Michelle and I in too. So total will be 5. Thanks!
~Becca

January Exchange

I can host the January Exchange.

Tuesday, January 17th, 2012
7:00 p.m.
Ashton Home

I will be demonstrating how to make home-made cheeseball. Please let me know if you plan on coming so when I send out the email everyone knows how much to make! Thanks!

Alisha

January Exchange

I was originally scheduled to host for January, but our freezer is filled to capacity, so I'm going to not participate in January and come back in February. Sorry for the inconvenience! ~Eva

Cowboy Casserole

1 lb ground beef
1 onion chopped
1 15 oz. can baked beans
1 cup barbeque sauce
1 T brown sugar
1 Tube refrigerated biscuits
1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Brown ground beef with onion. Remove from heat. Stir in beans, barbeque sauce, and brown sugar. Place in gallon freezer bag. Label and freeze.

To serve:
Thaw. Pour into round greased baking dish. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes @ 400. Cut refrigerated biscuits in half. Arrange like spokes around edge of baking dish, cut side down. Return to oven and bake 20 minutes. Top with cheese & bake 10 minutes more.

Chicken or Beef Enchiladas

2-3 cups cooked and shredded chicken, or 1 pound ground beef or turkey
1 large onion
3 garlic cloves
1 (29oz)can of enchilada sauce
2 (4-6oz) cans chilis, optional
1 cup sour cream
1 (15oz) can of olives, sliced
1-2 cups kidney or black beans, if desired
Cheddar cheese, grated
12 tortillas

Combine garlic and onions and fry in a little oil until golden brown. Add chicken, enchilada sauce, chilis, olives and just enough sour cream to make a creamy consistency. It will be runny, but that's okay. Add beans to make a complete protein. Allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes. Layer flat in a 13x9 pan (*or 2 8x8 pans), starting with a thin layer of sauce, tortilla, sauce, cheese, tortilla, etc. ending with a layer of cheese. Cover with tin foil, and bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes, or until heated through and cheese is melted. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes otherwise it will be on the runny side.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream!

If freezing, just skip baking step until you decide to defrost it and cook it.

*Since the tortillas are round and you are placing them in a square dish, I just trimmed off the rounded edges to make a perfect square to fit just right in the 8x8 dish.


This dish can also be cooked in the crockpot:
Cook meat, onions and garlic in a large saucepan over medium heat until nicely browned. Add enchilada sauce, chilis, sour cream, olives, and beans and mix until well combined. Cover the bottom of your crockpot with a thin layer of sauce, followed by a layer of tortillas, another layer of sauce and then cheese, and repeat in that order until all your ingredients have been added (probably 3-4 layers). Finish with a layer of sauce and cheese. Turn your crockpot on low heat, cover, and allow to cook for 5-6 hours. Serve with dollo of sour cream!