Count Down to the Super Bowl: The Best Cheeseball

I have never made a cheese ball before, and it was so easy! It is so much cheaper to make your own, and much cheaper too.

I really have a hard time when people call some "the best". I actually brought this to a party the night before the super bowl, and there was another cheese ball there, a rival cheese ball. And guess what, the rival cheese ball was better! So I guess the name of that one is, "better then the best cheese ball"? Anyway, this cheese ball is pretty good, and my husband loves it.

The Best Cheeseball from My Kitchen Cafe

4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried parsley
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
1 cup pecans, finely chopped for rolling

Place finely chopped pecans in a shallow dish and set aside. In a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), mix the cream cheese until smooth. Add the cheddar cheese and mix until just combined. Lightly sprinkle all the seasonings and sauces over the cheese mixture and mix until thoroughly combined.

With lightly greased hands, portion the cheese mixture into four pieces and roll each section into a round ball. Coat in pecans. The easiest way to do this is to hold the cheeseball in one hand and scoop up the pecans and press them onto the cheeseball with the other, turning the cheeseball as you go and letting the excess pecans fall back into the dish. Cover each cheeseball in saran wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Count Down to the Super Bowl: Caramel Toffee Fruit Dip

Yes, another dip, but this one is sweet! this is my new favorite fruit dip and it is the perfect thing to make fruit unhealthy!

Caramel Toffee Fruit Dip

1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
3/4 c brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
toffee bits, preferably chocolate covered (optional)

Mix all ingredients together, until smooth. Top with the toffee bits, and serve with your favorite fruits.  

Countdown to the Super Bowl: Cheesy Pizza Fondue

I do have to apologize for my lack of creativity on these appetizers. I had this grand plan of doing all these fun fancy appetizers, but life happened, and appetizers didn't. I will be posting several more before the big game, but hopefully next year I will be able to get a little more creative and fun!

This is a new recipe I tried out today when some friends came for lunch and we loved it. Yes it is another dip, and yes it is very easy to make.

Cheesy Pizza Fondue

1 cup spaghetti sauce
6 oz Velveeta cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese

Place spaghetti sauce in a medium microwave safe bowl; cover with paper towel (unless you want to clean your microwave after). Microwave for 1 min. Stir in Velveeta and Parmesan cheese. microwave 2 1/2/ min or until Velveeta is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after each minute. You can serve this with vegetables or bread sticks. 

I made stuffed bread sticks to dip. I used my pizza dough recipe, rolled it out into a large rectangle, used a pizza cutter to slice 3- 4 inch wide strips. I placed some pizza sauce, cheese and pepperoni on the middle of each strip, folded to sides together, and baked for about 10 min at 425.

Countdown to the Superbowl: Super Easy Chip Dip

This is perhaps the easiest chip dip ever. Even those people who are inept in the kitchen can figure this one out. Although this recipe is brainless, it happens to be very tasty. This is one appetizer we always had growing up. Therefore it has a bit of sentimental value, so I may be a little biased.

Super Easy Chip Dip

1 8 oz container sour cream
1 package of dry onion soup mix

Mix together. And your done.

I like to dip with plain potato chips, but I bet other flavors would be good too!

Countdown to the Super Bowl: Pudding Dirt Cups

Who says appetizers have to be savory? This is a great one to do because you can serve it in individual cups for your guests, it is easy, and it is delicious. You can also make this look fancy if you want to, use cute teacups or fancy wine glasses to serve it in.  Or if you want to really go crazy, you can add the gummy worms too! This is also a great recipe to make with your kids, no cooking involved!

Pudding Dirt Cups

• 2 cups cold milk
• 1 4-serving size package instant chocolate pudding
• 8 oz. frozen whipped topping (such as Cool Whip), thawed
• 1-1/2 cups crushed sandwich cookies (such as Oreos)
• 20 gummy worms

1. Whisk together milk and instant pudding for two minutes, until pudding is completely dissolved and. Let stand 5 minutes to thicken.
2. Stir in frozen whipped topping and 1/2 cup of the crushed cookies.
3. Spoon into 10 cups.
4. Sprinkle remaining crushed cookies over the pudding mixture. Top with 2 gummy worms.
5. Chill until ready to serve. Makes 10 servings.

Count Down to the Super Bowl: Crab Dip

Yes, I already posted this recipe back in the beginning months of the blog, but I have a sick little baby that has needed a lot of attention today. No time to make anything or really think about a "new appetizer". However, this recipe is good enough that I should post it twice so no one misses it. This is my favorite appetizer, and it is so easy to make. You can also freeze this, make now, serve later.

Crab Dip

1 can crab
1 package cream cheese, softened (8 ounces)
1/2 cup mayonaise
1tsp lemon juice
1 celery stalk, diced (or 1 tsp celery salt)
2 green oinoins,diced
lemon peper to taste

Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix until well blended (I use a hand mixer). It will taste better if you let it refrigerate over night (and even wait to add the lemon pepper, so you can really tell what it taste like). Tastes best with Ritz crackers!

Count Down to the Super Bowl: Artichoke Dip

This is not your momma's artichoke dip! A good friend of mine brought me this dip recipe because she knows how much I love jalapenos! This dip is a lot like the artichoke jalapeno dip you buy at Costco, which I love. This dip is really good, though for me, I will add an extra can of jalapenos next time.Oh, and it makes a lot, which is good AND bad.

Artichoke Dip

1 c parmesan cheese (powdered kind is best)
1 c mayo
1 c sour cream
15 oz. artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
4 oz. diced green chilies, drained
4 oz. chopped jalapenos, drained

Mix all ingredients together. Microwave for about 4 minutes. Stir Microwave 1-2 more minutes until melted. I also think it would be great if you then threw it under the broiler until browned on top!