Appetizer Recipe: Sausage Rolls

This recipe has been with our family for... well, a long time.  I think my mom may have clipped it from the newspaper.  My recipe card says "Sausage Rolls" -- and for purposes here, I think I will stick with that, but we've always called them Sausage Balls.  I guess you can call them whatever sounds good to your family.  The recipe is easy... and it's hard.  Mostly it's easy.  But, let me explain.

The ingredient list is short.  The mixing is hard -- and mix you must for good results.  But NOW HEAR THIS. Whatever you do, DO NOT cook the sausage first!  You need to trust me on this people.  We had a friend who could not believe that you didn't have to cook it ahead of time, and so she did... with less than stellar results.

Here are the ingredients:

Sausage Rolls

1 lb. Bob Evans "ZESTY HOT" sausage, uncooked

8 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded

3 c. Bisquick

Mix ingredients well.  [Like I said, this is the hard part -- because you will swear that you'll never be able to incorporate all of that dry Bisquick into the sausage and cheese.  Again, trust me.  Your hands will be tired, but it CAN be done!]

Roll mixed ingredients into one inch balls.  [I use my Pampered Chef scoop for a consistent size.]  Bake at 375F for 20 minutes or until firm, and slightly browned.  Cool slightly on cooling rack lined with paper towel.  Serve warm.

These may be made ahead of time and refrigerated until baking time.

The ingredients...

Mix well with your HANDS.

FINALLY mixed!

Roll in one inch balls.

TaaDaa!

These are a great appetizer [one my mom serves every Christmas], but also nice for a special breakfast or brunch treat!  ENJOY!

My Top Recipes ~ A Heaping Helping of Comfort Food

If you visit here often, you know that I share recipes here on my blog.  Not often, and not regularly.  But, I do share.  Some of the recipes I share are old family favorites.  Some are new recipes that we've found via blogs or Pinterest.  Others are recipes shared by friends.

My Killer Hashbrown Casserole was a recipe originally from my husband's cousin in Minnesota.  I got the recipe via my mother-in-law who makes it for family dinners, and knows I love it.  I posted it not all that long ago, but it already comes in at #3 on my "favorite posts of all time" stats.

The next recipe-post comes in at #4, but the recipe isn't mine at all.  I found it on Pinterest.  This Pumpkin Roll was something my daughter really wanted to try.  We got the recipe from Stilettos and Diapers.  The fun part about my post is that my daughter told how SHE made the Pumpkin Roll.  It turned out NOT to be her favorite thing to eat, but I was more than willing to help her out with that! (sigh)

Another recipe that we found on Pinterest is Crescent Pepperoni Roll-Ups (#7) from Plain Chicken.  These ooey-gooey pizza-style crescents are a family favorite, and great for an easy dinner!

The recipe for Sweet Pepper Poppers (#8) came from a church-friend.  She made them for a lunch at her house, and I HAD to have the recipe.  They're a bit addicting for me, I confess!  They're a great colorful dish to share for the holidays -- but also a super summer appetizer.  No cooking involved!

The #9 favorite post of all time is a post called "Scavenger Hunt" -- and you might not think you'd find a recipe there, but... you will!  Towards the bottom of the post, you'll find the recipe for Pineapple Angel Dessert.  My mom shared the recipe with me, and it came from a friend of hers.  This is a decadently sweet dessert, and so light and fluffy.  It's a real treat!  You'll have to turn on the oven, but as far as ingredients, the only thing easier is to buy a pre-made cake at the store.  TWO ingredients here!

And coming in at #10 with NO PHOTO is my mom's Holiday Cheese Ball.  It's a real favorite as well, and I never seem to arrive in time to take pictures before it is consumed -- or at least destroyed.  You'll just have to trust me.  It's yummy.

Do you cook/bake a lot during the summer?  We definitely tend to keep things simpler on the cooking side, and don't do anywhere CLOSE to the baking that we do during the colder months.

This has been a crazy VBS week with my sweet hubby working a late shift.  He's at home in the morning, but my daughter and I are at VBS.  We're at home in the evening, but by the time he gets home, we're thinking about bedtime.  Our son is on an ever-changing schedule, so add that to the mix.  No dinners together this week. (sad face)  I'm looking forward to next week and a fresh start!

What have you been cooking up lately?

What are your summer specialties?

Sweet Pepper Poppers

This is the yummiest recipe.  It's from my friend Marisa (but thanks to our mutual friend, Jen, for sharing the ingredient list with me over the phone while I stood in the produce section at the grocery store!)  Marisa, Jen, and I worked at camp together last summer, and had many a good conversation about food!

Wait until you see how pretty and festive this recipe is -- a nice little holiday appetizer!

Here's what you need:
Mini sweet peppers
8 oz. cream cheese
4 oz. feta cheese (I used tomato-basil, but you could use whatever flavor you prefer)
2 cloves garlic, crushed.

1. Put cheeses out to soften in a bowl, and wash peppers.

2. Remove cap, seeds and veins.  (A serrated fruit spoon is great for the seeds and veins!)

3. Mix cream cheese, feta cheese, and crushed garlic well.

4. Carefully spoon cheese mixture into peppers.

You've got yourself a beautiful little appetizer (or a really great, healthy snack to have tucked away in your refrigerator).

When I had filled all of the peppers, I still had at least half of the cheese mixture leftover. Hmmm, guess I'll have to pick up some more sweet peppers next time I'm at the grocery store!

And, for those of you who like to see a recipe all in one place, here's a re-cap:

Here's what you need:
Mini sweet peppers
8 oz. cream cheese
4 oz. feta cheese (I used tomato-basil, but you could use whatever flavor you prefer)
2 cloves garlic, crushed.

1. Put cheeses out to soften in a bowl, and wash peppers.

2. Remove cap, seeds and veins.  (A serrated fruit spoon is great for the seeds and veins!)

3. Mix cream cheese, feta cheese, and crushed garlic well.

4. Carefully spoon cheese mixture into peppers.

ENJOY!

             

Recipe: Holiday Cheese Ball

Remember when I said that we (our family) likes our holidays predictable when it comes to food?  Well, we do.

If there's one thing I know, it's that my mom will have a cheese ball set out as an appetizer on Christmas Day.  This isn't the kind of thing that we make very often, and so we really, and truly look forward to it at Christmas time!

Cheese Ball (sorry, no photo)

1 - 8 oz. cheddar cold pack

1 - 8 oz. cream cheese

2 t. chopped onion

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 t. lemon juice

chopped walnuts

1.  Blend all.

2.  Form into ball.

3.  Roll in finely chopped nuts.

Make ahead and refrigerate, or even freeze.

If there are leftovers, those can be frozen as well.

Serve with Keebler Toasteds Wheat crackers or Original Triscuits.  I'm just sayin' - these are the best!!!

(My mouth is watering just thinking of this tradition!)

Labor Day Review

Labor Day P.M.

I was up with the birds this morning to trim the chicken breasts and get them in the honey-lemon & rosemary marinade.  The plan?  Dear Hubby offered to grill.

Also on the menu?  My mom brought a salad (spinach w/ the fixins'), and my sister brought dessert  (these NO-BAKE CHEWY COOKIES AND CREAM BARS from Jenny at Picky Palate.)  I made guacamole, as well as a black bean salsa that is to die for.  I can say that because it's not my recipe.  It's from a friend - a young college student who I was privileged to work at camp with this summer.  (If he ever reads this, it will TOTALLY go to his head - I'm just sayin'.)

The day?  Unpredictable at best.  Rain was forecast, and rather than worry, I just planned to eat inside.  Temperatures were supposed to drop as well (and they did!)

We ate, and laughed, and talked, and ate some more.  Then we had dessert, and my sis got out her iPad for some reason, and ended up reading my (previous) blog post.  And so of course, when she saw the note about Nutella, she had to ask how I liked it.  (Remember, she's the girl that eats it on a spoon...)  Turns out our parents had never tried Nutella either, and our kids were all too happy to eat again when they saw the bag of pretzels and something to dunk them in!  We are such an accomodating family.  If you put food out, we will eat it.  Isn't that big of us?  We even did a second round of dessert -- each taking a little chunk of the few leftovers.

Then, my brother-in-law tried to leave, but none of his other four family members moved, so he sat down again.  About an hour-and-a-half later, he tried for a second time.  This time, he was slightly more successful (meaning that it didn't take quite another hour-and-a-half to get everyone out the door.)

What a good day.  Everyone is back in their assigned living spaces right now, and my sister and I are already sending quips back and forth on Facebook because we miss each other.  I'm pretty sure we're both on a little sugar high.

I hope your holiday weekend was filled with people you love, lots of fun, and delicious food.  Speaking of delicious food... here's that salsa recipe I mentioned.  Enjoy!

Ryan's Black Bean Salsa

14 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup frozen corn (I actually rinsed and drained this with the beans)

1 large tomato, chopped

1/4 c. green onion, chopped

2 T. cilantro

2 T. lemon juice

1 T. vegetable oil (I omitted this!)

1 tsp. chili powder 

1/4 tsp. salt

1-2 T. lime juice

Mix & chill.  How easy is THAT?  You will love it.

[Thanks for sharing, Ryan!]

Also linking to the COOL, impromptu Linky Party at Hating Martha.