Thanksgiving Balls

Due to the lack of posts over the last few months one may think I have either fallen off the grid, or just not made anything worthy of sharing. While the latter of the two is partially true, there are some good things that have come out of my kitchen recently and I plan on sharing all of them soon.

Since I still have Thanksgiving on the brain, mainly due to the leftovers from the 20 pound bird I cooked still lurking in the fridge, I am going to share how I used some of the leftovers, in what I would consider a genius way, a ball of course. The beauty of this one is that you can really put anything in it you like. Mine was filled with Turkey, stuffing (which had sausage and Kale in it), and some cream of mushroom soup since the green bean casserole had been eaten up. Potatoes, gravy, or sweet potatoes all could be great adds. Keep this one in mind for those Christmas leftovers!

Ingredients

2 cups chopped leftover turkey

1 cup leftover stuffing

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 10oz can cream of mushroom soup

2 rolls crescent sheets

Mix all ingredients excluding crescent rolls in a bowl, chill at least 1 hour. Roll out crescent sheet and cut into 16 even squares. Place a spoonful of filling in the middle of each and form into a ball. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until browned.  Eat with leftover warmed gravy or cranberry sauce if desired.

Chorizo Cheesy Potato Balls

I have finally gotten out my sausage maker, the best Christmas present ever, to start experimenting with some different recipes.  Chorizo was the first one I dabbled with, and there was no way I wasn’t going to put some of the finished product in a ball. The Chorizo recipe is not quite perfected, but I will post when it gets there. This ball on the other hand was delicious and will work perfectly with store bought chorizo, but feel free to substitute Italian or traditional sausage if you are looking for something with less spice.  

Chorizo Cheesy Potato Balls

1 8oz Package Cream Cheese – Softened

1 10.5oz Can Cream of Chicken Soup

½ Large White Onion – Chopped

8oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese – Shredded

½ 30oz Bag Frozen Shredded Hash Browns – Thawed

1Teaspoon Salt

½ Teaspoon Pepper

½ Pound Chorizo

1 Packages Pillsbury Crescent Rolls or Sheets 

Whisk together Cream Cheese and Soup, add chopped onion, shredded cheese, Hash Browns, Salt and Pepper; mix until combined.

Cut Crescent sheets into 16 squares. Add about

1 tablespoon of the potato mixture and place 1 teaspoon chorizo on top of potato, form into a ball.

Bake at 350 degrees until browned.  Serve with Chipotle Ranch dipping sauce.

Chipotle Ranch Dipping Sauce

2/3 Cup Homemade Ranch

1 Chipotle in Adobo Sauce – Chopped

1 Teaspoon Adobo Sauce

Combine all ingredients and chill.

National Grilled Cheese Month!

Since it is National Grilled Cheese month, I thought it was only right that I would post a recipe. This is definitely one of our favorites and a go to when we are looking for a comforting meal

Ingredients

2 Slices Sour Dough Bread

2 Ounces Smoked Provolone – Shredded

¼ Cup Mushrooms

¼ Cup Caramelized Onions

Her Butter

Spread herb butter on one side of each of the two slices of bread. Place half of the cheese on the un-buttered side of the bread. Add the mushrooms and onions and then cover with remaining cheese. Place the other piece of bread on top buttered side up. Place in a hot pan that is on medium to medium low heat. Cook until browned on both sides and cheese is melted.

There will be enough onions and mushrooms to make at least 2 sandwiches.

Mushrooms

1 Tablespoon Butter

2 Cloves Garlic – Chopped

16oz Cremini Mushrooms

1 Teaspoon Fresh Rosemary – Chopped

1 ½ Teaspoons Soy Sauce

1 Teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce

Salt to taste

Melt butter in a sauté pan and add chopped garlic, cook for 1 minute. Add mushrooms, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft. (You will not need to add liquid at this point as the mushrooms will create their own). Add Rosemary, Soy Sauce, and Worcestershire sauce and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes. Check for seasoning and add salt if necessary

Onions

2 Tablespoons Butter

1 Large Yellow Onion – Sliced very thin

2 Shallots – Sliced very thin

Melt butter in pan and add shallot, cook for 2 minutes. Add onions and cook stirring occasionally until caramelized, about 30 minutes. (If it looks like they are starting to burn add a dash or two of beef stock or white wine)

Herb Butter

2 Tablespoons Butter – Softened

1 Teaspoon Rosemary – Chopped

1 Teaspoon Thyme – Chopped

1 Garlic Clove – Chopped

¼ Teaspoon Salt

Combine all ingredients

Enjoy!!

Cheeseburger Balls

Cheeseburger Balls

A new Ball posting is a long time in the making, but these are really good and worth the wait. It is pretty pathetic to admit, but I made these for the Super Bowl… Yes I know that was months ago and it is currently March Madness, but these will be great for your Final Four party, and the kids will even love them.  I will not lie, it may resemble a McDonald’s Cheeseburger, but I am not upset about that J. I suggest you serve them with Special Sauce or even Catsup.

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

½ Large White Onion – Chopped

2 Cloves Garlic – Chopped

1lb Lean Ground Beef

8oz Cream Cheese

8oz Shredded Cheddar Cheese

48  ½ Inch Squares Velveeta Cheese

¼ Cup Chopped Pickles or Dill Pickle Relish

3 Packages crescent Crescent sheets (or rolls)

 

Sautee Onion and Garlic in Olive Oil for 5 minutes, add ground beef and cooked until cooked through. Drain in a strainer to get rid of access fat. Place softened Creamed Cheese in a bowl and add meat mixture, shredded Cheddar Cheese and Pickles; Mix until combined. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Cut crescent sheets into 16 squares. Take about a tablespoon of filling in your hand and flatten out.  Put a square of cheese in the middle and form into a ball. Place ball of filling in the middle of the crescent square and form into a ball. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until browned.

Special Sauce…

1 cup mayonnaise

4 Tablespoons Ketchup

2 Tablespoons grated Onion

2 Tablespoons Dill Pickle Relish

4 Tablespoons Adobo Sauce (from canned chipotle peppers)

½ Teaspoon Celery Salt

½ Teaspoon Salt

Combine all ingredients and serve alongside balls!

Enjoy!

 

The Best Banana Bread

So I have been trying to perfect this banana bread recipe for some time (let me tell you, I don’t think this has been upsetting to my coworkers since they have been the guinea pigs) and I think I am just about there. The milk chocolate makes it a little extra indulgent and the nuts add the perfect crunch. Try it out and let me know your thoughts!

4 Ripe Bananas (not overripe)

1 Egg

2 Teaspoons Vanilla

3 Tablespoons Melted Butter

2 Tablespoons Bourbon (optional)

2 Cups All Purpose Flour

¾ Cup Sugar

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

2 Teaspoons Cinnamon

1 Cup Milk Chocolate Chips

1 Cup Chopped Nuts

 

Mash bananas, and add egg, vanilla, butter, and bourbon, combine. Add the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and combine. Slowly add the wet ingredients and mix until just combines. Add chocolate chips and nuts to combine.

Pour into a greased or butters 2 pound bread pan. You should have enough batter to make a few muffins if you like.

Bake at 350 degrees for 70 minutes. Let cook and serve.

Tacos 2 Ways

So it is full on winter right now, dreary skies and highs in the teens, the perfect time to eat some tacos, drink some tequila and dream of Mexico, the sun, and warmer weather. I love short-ribs so I thought it would be the perfect filling, but the pork belly at the butcher looked so good, so I figured I would just use both. It went perfectly with a nice cold Paloma; I hope this brightens your winter like it did ours.

Tacos

2 ½ pounds Bone in Short Ribs – trimmed

1 pound Pork Belly

4 Cups Chicken Stock

5 Dried Ancho Chili Peppers – Seeded & Stemmed

5 Arbol Chili Pods – Seeded

1 ½ White Onions – Cut into large pieces

8 Cloves Garlic – Peeled and Smashed

Olive Oil

2 Bottles Beer (I used Molson Canadian)

20 Sprigs Thyme

Salt & Pepper

Brown about 1 tablespoon of Oil in a Dutch oven, salt and pepper the meat and brown short ribs in batches, about 3 minutes per side. Do the same with the pork belly in another pot. Meanwhile bring stock and chili peppers to a boil, turn off and let steep for 15 minutes. Once peppers are soft, blend peppers and stock until smooth.

Remove fat from pots, leaving about a tablespoon in each. Divide onions and garlic between the two pots and brown, 5 minutes. Add back in the short ribs and pork belly, divide pepper mixture into the two pots, add a bottle of beer to each and 10 sprigs thyme. Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for 3 hours.

Remove thyme, short ribs and pork belly from pots and blend the remaining liquid, onions and garlic until smooth. Add back into the respective pots. Remove beef from short ribs and any fat. Return to the pot and heat through. Remove fat from pork belly, shred meat and return back to the pot to heat through.

Serve with pickled onions, Cheese Sauce, Chipotle yogurt slaw, guacamole, fresh cilantro and an ice cold Paloma of course.

http://lovetorunlovetoeat.blogspot.com/2012/03/shrimp-tacos-with-chipotle-yogurt-slaw.html

Pickled Onions

½ Red Onion – Sliced Thinly

1 Cup Vinegar

1 Cup water

3 Tablespoon Sugar

1 Tablespoon Salt

Bring liquid to a boil so sugar and salt dissolve; let cool for 5 minutes, and then add sliced onions. Refrigerate for 3 hours.

Cheese Sauce

1 Tablespoon Butter

1 Tablespoon Flour

16 ounces Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

1 ½ - 2 Cups Whole Milk

½ Teaspoon Grated Nutmeg

1 Small Can Green Chili’s

Add butter to a pot and melt, add flour to form a roux, cook 1 minute. Add milk and whisk until thick; add nutmeg and cheese, stir until smooth and the desired consistency. Add Chili’s and serve with tacos.

Paloma

¼ Cup Fresh Grapefruit Juice

1 Tablespoon Fresh Lime Juice

1 Teaspoon Sugar

¼ Cup Tequila

¼ Cup Club Soda

Pour some kosher salt on a plate. Rub half of rim of a glass with a grapefruit wedge; dip rim of glass in salt. Combine grapefruit juice, lime juice, and sugar in glass; stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in tequila, add ice, and top off with club soda. Garnish with grapefruit wedge.

 

Sausage Balls

I don’t know about you, but one of the things I love most about food is how it always brings people together.  Christmas Eve has always been one of my favorite nights of the year for that reason; we have a big party with family, friends, and of course lots of food.  It’s a tradition that everyone loves, down to the Whisky Sours and Sausage Roll-Ups my grandpa has been making both since I can remember. Instead of the traditional sausage roll-up, I decided to make the ball version this year. It’s simple and delicious, I hope you enjoy!

Sausage Balls

8oz Cream Cheese – softened

1lb Breakfast Sausage

8oz Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 oz. Can Water Chestnuts – Chopped

¼ cup Green Olives – Chopped

½ tsp. Cayenne – More if you would like it spicier

2 Packages Pillsbury Crescent Rolls or Sheets

Brown Sausage until cooked through, drain.  Combine sausage with the remaining ingredients and mx thoroughly, it is easiest to just use your hands. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

Cut each package of dough into 16 squares and place about a tablespoon of filling in the middle of each; form into a ball. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until browned. Serve with Spicy Marinara.

Spicy Marinara1 Jar marinara sauce

1tps Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

Combine and heat