Cranberry Brie Appetizer — Your Homebased Mom

Appetizers are my favorite part of a meal and this Cranberry Brie is at the top of the list. It’s the perfect holiday appetizer for any parties on your calendar or your own holiday meals. Many times appetizers are an overlooked part of a meal but I love to fix a couple of really good…

via Cranberry Brie Appetizer — Your Homebased Mom

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Deviled Eggs with Old Bay Shrimp

by CARRIE PURCELL

Photo by Woman’s Day/Andrew Purcell

These creamy deviled eggs, topped with Old Bay seasoning and pickled shrimp, are easy to make and sure to impress. For more deviled egg recipes using seafood, try our Crabmeat Deviled Eggs.

Yield: 24

Ingredients:

• 24 rock or bay shrimp
• 1 c. white wine vinegar
• 12 hard-boiled eggs
• 1/2 c. mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp. dill pickle juice
• 1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• pinch Old Bay seasoning
• 24 sprig fresh dill

 

Directions: 

1. In a large bowl, combine 24 cooked and peeled rock or bay shrimp and 1 cup of white wine vinegar; refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a food processor, blend the yolks from 12 hard-boiled eggs (halved whites reserved), 1/2 cup of mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons of dill pickle juice, 1 teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt until smooth.
2. Drain the shrimp and set them aside. Distribute the filling among the reserved egg-white halves and sprinkle each with a pinch of Old Bay seasoning. Top each deviled egg with a pickled shrimp and a sprig of fresh dill. Serve immediately.

Ham Balls with Brown Sugar Glaze

Recipe by Taste of Home©

Ingredients:

Photo by Taste of Home©

• 1 pound fully cooked ham, cubed
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup crushed cornflakes
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

 

GLAZE:

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1 tablespoon ground mustard

Directions:

 

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Pulse ham in batches in a food processor until finely ground. Combine with the next seven ingredients just until mixed. Shape into 1-in. balls; place in a single layer on greased 15×10-in. rimmed baking pans.
2. For glaze, cook and stir all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Spoon over ham balls. Bake until ham balls are just beginning to brown, 30-35 minutes, rotating pans and carefully stirring halfway through. Gently toss in glaze. Serve warm.

 

 

Nutrition Facts

1 meatball: 52 calories, 2g fat (1g saturated fat), 11mg cholesterol, 113mg sodium, 5g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 0 fiber), 3g protein.

Originally published as Ham Balls in Country Pork

Smokey Bacon Wraps Recipe

Recipe by Taste of Home

Photo by Taste of Home©

Ingredients:

• 1 pound sliced bacon
• 1 package (16 ounces) miniature smoked sausage links
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar

 

Directions: 

1. Cut each bacon strip in half widthwise. Wrap one piece of bacon around each sausage.
2. Place in a foil-lined 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Sprinkle with brown sugar.
3. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 30-40 minutes or until bacon is crisp and sausage is heated through.

 
Nutrition Facts

1 piece: 90 calories, 7g fat (2g saturated fat), 18mg cholesterol, 293mg sodium, 2g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 0 fiber), 5g protein.
Originally published as Smoky Bacon Wraps in Quick Cooking January/February 2001

Garlic-Parmesan Cheese Ball

Recipe by Taste of Home©

 

Yield: 2 cups/1 Cheeseball

Photo by Taste of Home©

 

Ingredients: 

 

• 11 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional
• Assorted fresh vegetables and/or crackers

 

 

 

Nutrition Facts: 

2 tablespoons: 98 calories, 10g fat (5g saturated fat), 21mg cholesterol, 109mg sodium, 1g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 0 fiber), 2g protein.

 

 

Originally published as Parmesan Cheese Spread in Simple & Delicious November/December 2007

Mama’s Cornmeal Hushpuppies from Trisha Yearwood

by Trisha Yearwood of Food Network’s show, “Trisha’s Southern Kitchen”

Yield: 48 hushpuppies

Ingredients:

Photo by Food Network©

2 cups self-rising white cornmeal
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 large jalapeno, chopped fine
Kosher salt
2 cups buttermilk
8 cups peanut oil, for frying

 

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mix the cornmeal, onions, jalapeno and a pinch of salt. Add enough of the buttermilk to make a stiff batter. You may not need the whole 2 cups.
2. Heat the peanut oil in a deep fryer or a large heavy bottomed pot to 250 degrees F.
3. Drop the batter into the hot oil by teaspoonfuls. The hushpuppies will turn over in the oil as they cook. They are done when they are brown all over, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels and season with salt. Keep the hushpuppies warm while you fry the remaining batter. Serve hot.

 

Cook’s Note: If you can’t find self-rising cornmeal, substitute 2 cups cornmeal plus 3 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

For more information, click here.

 

Recipe adapted from Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen  by Trisha Yearwood (c) Clarkson Potter 2008

 

For more Trisha Yearwood as a performer, click here to see her and Eagles’ band member Don Henley sing  their hit “Walkaway Joe.”

 

BLUEBERRY, STRAWBERRY & JICAMA SALSA

This salsa recipe from Two Peas & Their Pod is also great with grilled fish or chicken. It is best eaten the day it is made.

Photo by Two Peas & Their Pod.com

Yield:  About 3 Cups Salsa

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 cup diced strawberries
• 1 cup diced jicama
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeño pepper, stemmed and seeded
• Juice of 1 large lime
• Salt, to taste
• Tortilla chips, for serving

 

Directions:

1.  In a medium bowl, combine blueberries, strawberries, jicama, cilantro, red onion, jalapeño, and lime juice. Stir until well combined. Season with salt, to taste.
2. Serve with tortilla chips at room temperature or chilled.

Jimmy Dean® Sausage Balls

These tasty sausage balls can even be made ahead of time, and frozen. Just thaw and bake when you need them…but you may not want to wait that long!

Make-ahead Jimmy Dean® sausage balls – a perfect appetizer for the holidays.

Ingredients:
2 (16 ounce) packages Regular Flavor Jimmy Dean® Pork Sausage
(Sage pork sausage is also a good choice)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose baking mix, such as Bisquick®
4 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic (optional)

 

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl; stir well. Form into 1 inch balls. Place on ungreased baking sheet; bake 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven; cool 5 minutes before removing from pan. Serve with cocktail forks or  toothpicks.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2012 Allrecipes.com

National Meatball Day – March 9th

On March 9th, we celebrate one of the American food holidays. It is National Meatball Day.

It is not clear how this day got started, but who could resist the idea of celebrating National Meatball Day? There are many different ways to celebrate meatballs: Spaghetti and meatballs – Swedish Meatballs – Meatball Sub. – Meatball Pizza – Turkey Meatballs – Lamb Meatballs – Porcupine Meatballs (made with rice) – and the list goes on and on.

There is a restaurant in New York that has 54 different kinds of meatballs.

To celebrate, some restaurants are give a free side order of meatballs, while others are donating money to homeless shelters from the meatball orders. Cook yourself up your favorite meatballs (recipe found below for a new favorite) or go out and order some from a menu near you!

Betty Crocker’s Hot and Saucy Cocktail Meatballs

Betty Crocker’s website offers this and many more recipes.

Yield: 6 Servings

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 1 cup Progresso™ dry bread crumbs (any flavor)
• 2/3 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 2 eggs
• 2 bottles (12 ounces each) chili sauce
• 2 jars (10 ounces each) grape jelly

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Stir together all ingredients except chili sauce and jelly. Shape into 1-inch meatballs. Place in ungreased retangular pan, 13x9x2 inches, or on rack in broiler pan.
2. Bake uncovered about 20 minutes or until no longer pink in center and juice is clear.
3. Heat chili sauce and jelly in Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring constantly, until jelly is melted. Stir in meatballs until coated. Simmer uncovered 30 minutes. Serve hot with toothpicks.

Expert Tips:
Handle meatballs as little as possible when forming them to keep them moist and tender.

This mouthwatering sauce is just as scrumptious when used with prepared frozen meatballs or smoked cocktail sausages.

Nutrition Information: Serving Size: 1 Meatball Calories65 ( Calories from Fat20 ), Total Fat2 g (Saturated Fat1 g, ), Cholesterol15 mg Sodium200 mg Total Carbohydrate9 g (Dietary Fiber0g ), Protein3 g ; % Daily Value*: Vitamin A2%; Vitamin C2%; Calcium0%; Iron2%; Exchanges:1/2 Starch; 1/2 Fat; *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Tombstone Sandwiches

Yield: 14 Servings, approximately 14 “tombstones”

Photo by BH&G

Ingredients:

• 2 cups diced cooked chicken
• 1 cup diced celery (2 stalks)
• 1/2 cup diced green apple
• 3 slices bacon, crisp cooked, drained, and crumbled
• 1/2 cup dairy sour cream
• 1 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 28 slices firm whole wheat and/or rye bread, trimmed into tombstone shapes
• 1 8-ounce container whipped cream cheese
• Finely chopped toasted pecans
• Purple kale

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine chicken, celery, apple, and bacon.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together sour cream, mayonnaise, and lemon juice. Add to chicken mixture; stir to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover; chill for 2 to 24 hours.
3. To make tombstone sandwiches, spread chicken salad on half of the bread tombstones. Top with remaining bread tombstones . Spread the edges of sandwiches with cream cheese and roll edges in pecans to coat. Use cream cheese to stick tombstones to plate. Add purple kale for a creepy ground cover.