Thanks to Laura for hosting us for Menu Plan Monday. My menu plan is shared below.
Link up for Merry Merry Munchies with Mister Linky. The link will be open through Christmas.
I teach seventh-grade English at our local middle school. As a group, our faculty decided one year to abandon the Christmas party that few really wanted to attend. I mean, I like my coworkers but you know how hectic the holiday schedule can be.
Anyway, what developed is the best idea. The last week before Christmas break, we have a week-long event called Merry Merry Munchies. Each day, faculty members just bring whatever “munchies” they want to share place them in our workroom for all to sample. Some share every day; some opt to buy the plates and napkins. It works, and we really enjoy it. We’ve even gotten to where we make an annual cookbook from it.
So, what I decided to do this week for MPM was to share what my entries will be for Merry Merry Munchies as well as our daily dinner plans. I’d love your suggestions on goodies I could make if you are willing to share. Link up below to share some of your favorite holiday favorites with
Remember to come back for Crock Pot Wednesday. Mister Linky will be up by Tuesday.
- Monday: Almond Pinecone, Sausage-Cheddar Balls (recipes follow) , and Cinnamon Pecans.Dinner will be leftovers for Hubby. This is my Bunco night:)
- Tuesday: Blueberry Cobbler and Orange Sourdough Bread with Cranberries with cranberry butter (scheduled post for Saturday)
Dinner: Crock Pot Ham with Raspberry Chipotle Glaze (this week’s CPW) and Southern Living’s Pimiento Cheese Biscuits (Thursday’s post)
- Wednesday: Cranberry Upside Down Muffins and Gary’s Favorite Pumpkin Bread
Dinner: Dance and Date Night (We are
taking ballroom dance lessons. It’s
such fun!
- Thursday: Mexican Hot Chocolate and pecan pie brownies and Southern Living’s Pecan Pie Brownies (scheduled for Friday)
Dinner: Ham and Cheddar paninis with Tomato-Basil Soup
- Friday: Hot Cinnamon Cider and Apple Walnut Bread (recipes posted Sunday)
Dinner: travel night to see Perfect
Babies:)
Do you have something that resembles this?
That contains these?
That’s where I keep this recipe. I wish I could tell you where it came from, but the best I can recall, is that it was part of an advertisement. I thought it was pretty and that we would like the flavors, so I tried it out. It is always a hit.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups whole natural or smoked almonds
- 1 8-ounce package cream cheese
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 5 crisply cooked bacon slices, crumbled
- 1/2 teaspoon dill weed
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
Instructions
- Spread almonds in a single layer in a shallow pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 15 minutes, stirring often, until the almonds just begin to turn color. (Smoked almonds are already roasted.)
- Combine softened cream cheese and mayonnaise; mix well.
- Add bacon, onion, dill and pepper; mix well.
- Cover and chill overnight.
- Form cheese mixture into shapes of two pinecones on serving platter.
- Beginning at the narrow end, press almonds at a slight angle into cheese mixture in rows. Continue overlapping rows until all of the cheese is covered. Garnish with artificial pine sprigs. (I used real pine sprigs with the stem wrapped in aluminum foil.)
- Chill until serving.
- Serve with Ritz or other favorite crackers
Spread almonds in a single layer in a shallow pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 15 minutes, stirring often, until the almonds just begin to turn color.
Combine softened cream cheese and mayonnaise; mix well. Add bacon, onion, dill and pepper; mix well. Cover and chill overnight. Form cheese mixture into shapes of two pinecones on serving platter. Beginning at the narrow end, press almonds at a slight angle into cheese mixture in rows. Continue overlapping rows until all of the cheese is covered. Garnish with artificial pine sprigs. (I used real pine sprigs with the stem wrapped in aluminum foil.) Chill until serving. Serve with Ritz or other favorite crackers.
You can, of course, serve this without shaping it into a pinecone. It makes such a pretty presentation when it is shaped, however.
I figure many of you already know this recipe by heart just as I do. These are always in my freezer ready to go for breakfast or whatever.
Sausage-Cheddar Balls
1 pound hot sausage
3 cups Bisquick
2 cups finely grated extra-sharp Cheddar (I used already grated sharp Cheddar for this batch because I had that on hand. I prefer the extra-sharp.)
1/2 – 1 Tablespoon red pepper flakes
Mix all ingredients together (do not over mix or they will be tough) and form into balls about the size of a golf ball. I make much larger ones for our use at breakfast. At this point, I always individually freeze the sausage balls and package them for the freezer and our later use. There is no need to thaw them before cooking. Bake at 325 degrees 15-20 minutes. Depending on the size, you may need to cook them a little longer. I don’t like them to be extra brown, however, because they get dry.
Be sure to come back for Crock Pot Wednesday this week. The link will be up Tuesday evening.
Linked to:
Mouth Watering Mondays@ A Southern Fairytale
Blessed With Grace’s “Tempt My Tummy Tuesday”
Balancing Beauty and Bedlam “Tasty Tuesday”
All the Small Things, “Tuesdays at the table”
Southern Fried Mama, “Tasty Thursday”
Ann Kroeker “Food on Fridays
Foodie Fridays @ Designs by Gollum
Friday Feasts @ Mom Trends
Menu Plan@ Chive Talkin’
Menu Plan Monday @ I’m an Organizing Junkie
Those look so delicious. Thank you for sharing them with me.
Great plan! Date nights are the secret to a great marriage… Have fun!
Once again you are so creative. LOVE the title. Your almond pinecone is so cute and looks delicious. I must try the sausage cheese balls. Everything looks and sounds delicious!!
How fun, love the pinecone.
I am also hosting a Holiday Treats week this week and will be posting a new recipe everyday, hope you stop by to check it out and maybe link up some of your holiday treats like these..
Debbie, what a beautiful pinecone. Your munchie idea sounds like a plan to me. I’m looking forward to the pimento cheese biscuits. I too make the sausage-cheddar balls and everyone adores them. They are gone before you know it.
Sam
A few years before she died, my mother saw the recipe for sausage balls on Paula Deen’s show. I’ve made them for several holidays since then (using sweet sausage) and they are always a hit. I love them with an old throwback–Saucy Susan.
The sausage balls have my mouth watering but wow – that pinecone is just so creative! I’ll bet it’s a hit at get-togethers. Almost a shame to cut it.
Wow so many ideas are here to choose from..
It all looks wonderful, but the pine cone is truly outstanding.
Found you via OrgJunkie….I love the idea of Merry Merry Munchies. I may have to carry that over to the week of Christmas when we will be getting together with our extended family and everyone is to bring something different for the week long of meals/snacks. Great recipes you’ve shared here!
I’m excited that you posted the sausage ball recipe! Someone had them at work last week, and I’ve been wondering how they were made ever since!!
Those sausage cheddar balls are so good, I need an excuse to make them again!
The almond pinecones sounds and looks wonderful How clever. Also we love sausage balls at our house!
Love that pinecone recipe. It looks so festive and tastes delicious!
Christi @ A Southern Life
The pinecone is a great idea! I make the Sausage Cheese balls also, my oldest got the recipe from his HomeEc teacher in Middle School, just thought I would mention that since you teach 😉
Thanks for inviting me to join in!
~Liz
Oh ha ha. I have an old year planner from about 1985 that I write recipes I have tried and which work well that I have found in magazines, or been given by friends and family. I write notes to myself underneath the recipes saying adjustments or what optionals I might add to make it better or different. I write notes in all my recipe books too, so that when I make the recipe again I remember that I needed the oven a little hotter/colder, less/more spice etc.
Hi Debbie!
Thank you for visiting my blog and inviting me to join in Merry Munchies! I added a link to my post of eggnog recipes 🙂
Hi Debbie, thanks for the invite to link up with everyone.
I love how you all share at the holidays and cut out the pressure of “yet another party” to attend.
The pinecone is beautiful, but I’m looking for the recipe for your pecan pie brownies, my daughter’s two favorite sweets!
Hello Debbie,
Thanks for the invitation to link up to this party, and I’ve had fun visiting your blog.
You’ve shared some really good recipes– the pinecone looks great!
Merry Christmas!
Amazing as always
Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!