Ritz Cheezy Football

Here's another "cheeseball w/bacon" recipe from Kraftfoods.com (exact link: http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/recipedetail.htm?recipe_id=90952 ). I haven't tried this one yet, but it sounds interesting. I don't plan on shaping it into a football though. I'm just going to make it into a big cheese ball or two.

Prep Time: 15 min
Total Time: 5 hr 15 min
Makes: 16 servings, 2 Tbsp. spread and 5 crackers each

Ingredients:

1. 2 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
   
2. 1 pkg. (8 oz.) KRAFT Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
   
3. 1/2 cup KRAFT 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese
   
4. 1/2 cup MIRACLE WHIP Dressing
   
5. 1/4 cup chopped green onions
   
6. 1/4 tsp. black pepper
   
7. 1 pkg. (3 oz.) OSCAR MAYER Real Bacon Bits
   
8. pimientos or roasted red pepper strips (optional)
   
9. RITZ Crackers

Beat cheeses and dressing in medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.

Add onions and black pepper; mix well. Cover. Refrigerate several hours or until chilled.

Place on serving plate; form into football shape. Sprinkle evenly with bacon bits. Add pimento strips for "lacing." Serve with the crackers.

**Refer to original website for substitution tips.**

Mini Cheese Balls

This is from KraftFoods.com (the exact link is: http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/recipedetail.htm?recipe_id=89886 ). I haven't tried it yet. It sounds very good though! I was searching for a cheese ball recipe with bacon in it.

Prep Time: 10 min
Total Time: 2 hr 10 min
Makes: 18 servings, 3 cheese balls each

Ingredients:

1. 1 tub (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Chive & Onion Cream Cheese Spread
2. 1 pkg. (8 oz.) KRAFT Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
3. 4 slices OSCAR MAYER Bacon, cooked, finely chopped
4. 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
5. 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
6. 1/2 cup toasted PLANTERS Walnuts, ground

Mix cream cheese spread and mozzarella cheese until well blended. Stir in chopped bacon and seasonings.

Shape mixture into 54 balls, 1 level tsp. each. Roll in walnuts. Cover with plastic wrap.

Refridgerate at least 2 hours.

**Refer to their website for nutritional information, substitution tips, & freezing tips.**

Bacon and Cheese muffins

This was always part of our Christmas dinner at home growing up. This recipe came from my mother. :)

Ingredients:

1. 1 3/4 cups plain flour
2. 1/3 cup sugar
3. 2 tsp. baking powder
4. 1 beaten egg
5. 3/4 cup milk
6. 1/4 cup cooking oil
7. 1/2 shredded cheddar cheese
8. bacon to taste (about 6 strips for me)

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl combine flour,sugar,baking powder and cheese. Make a well in the center.
2. Combine the egg,milk,and oil: add all at once to the flour mix. Stir just til moistened (batter should be lumpy).
3. Lightly grease muffin tins,or use Pam cooking spray, or either use paper muffin cups. Fill 2/3 full.
4. Bake @ 400 degrees about 20 min or until golden brown.

Tip: These are great to make a few batches ahead (and freeze) and heat up for breakfast on busy mornings. I have tried chopping the bacon and cheese in the food processor, but the finished product has more flavor when you hand break up the bacon and shred the cheese since you end up with bigger pieces. I also add another 1/4 cup of cheese to the recipe because we are cheese lovers here in this house! he he.

Sausage Balls

This is also always part of our Christmas breakfast at my mother's house. Thanks mom for the recipe!

Ingredients:

1. 1 lb of sausage
2. 1/2 lb-(8 oz) cheddar cheese
3. 3 cups of baking mix
   

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together thoroughly.

Form ball and place on cookie sheet.

Bake @ 350 degrees until golden brown, approx 8-10 min. My recipe does not actually give the amount of minutes.

Soft Pretzles (like at the mall)

I got this recipe from All Recipes. These are so delicious. I ate 3 of them & my husband ate 2 (within an hour of making them!) the first time I made them. They taste JUST like the mall pretzels. My only complaint is that it makes such a large batch & once you put them in the fridge, they taste like the frozen ones you buy in the grocery store. So best to scale down the batch if possible or make them when your having several guests over.
Ingredients:

• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 1/8 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup bread flour
• 2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 2 tablespoons baking soda
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast, brown sugar and salt in 1 1/2 cups warm water. Stir in flour, and knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover, and let rise for one hour.
   
2. Combine 2 cups warm water and baking soda in an 8 inch square pan.
   
3. After dough has risen, cut into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a 3 foot rope, pencil thin or thinner. Twist into a pretzel shape, and dip into the baking soda solution. Place on parchment covered cookie sheets, and let rise 15 to 20 minutes.
   
4. Bake at 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with coarse salt, garlic salt or cinnamon sugar.

sweet onion sauce

I use this for chicken teryaki subs. I got this recipe from 3 sites actually, they are all the same but this is the one I actually copied the recipe from.

• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1 tbsp minced white onions
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp buttermilk baking mix
• 1/4 tsp lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp poppy seeds
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 pinch cracked black pepper
• 1 pinch garlic powder

Stir all ingredients together in a microwave safe bowl and then heat on high for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes or until boiling/hot. Remove and then wisk well. Cool and then store in bottles in the fridge.

Fantastic Grilled Corn on the Cob (Kraft)

Yep, from their magazine again.

There are a few variations on the butter mixture. The butter on is the only one we've tried cause we love it! It adds just the perfect punch to the corn to go with the BBQ burgers that my husband loves to cook. You can find all the other variations here.

Ingredients:

• 4 ears of corn
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
• 2 tbsp. original BBQ sauce

PREHEAT grill to medium-high heat. Husk corn; remove silk. Rinse under cold water; shake off excess water. Wrap each ear in foil.

GRILL 15 to 20 min. or until corn is tender, turning occasionally. Remove from grill; unwrap corn.

MEANWHILE, mix butter and BBQ sauce. Spread butter mixture on corn.

Stuffed Fiesta Burgers (Kraft)

We love these!!! Once again this is from Kraft's Food and Family magazine (free!)


(picture courtesy of Kraft's website)

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 pkg. (1-1/4 oz.) Taco Seasoning Mix
• 1/4 cup Chive & Onion Cream Cheese Spread
• 1/3 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 4 hamburger buns, split, lightly toasted
• 1/2 cup Thick 'N Chunky Medium Salsa
• 8 slices ripe avocado

PREHEAT grill to medium heat. Mix meat and seasoning mix. Shape into 8 thin patties. Mix cream cheese spread and shredded cheese. Spoon about 2 Tbsp. of the cheese mixture onto center of each of 4 of the patties; top with second patty. Pinch edges of patties together to seal.

GRILL patties 7 to 9 min. on each side or until cooked through (160°F.)

COVER bottom halves of buns with burgers. Top with salsa, avocado and top halves of buns.