{ Easy Cheese Balls & Dips }

I'm digging back in my archives for this post. WAY back for some of them. You'll notice the difference in photography alone.

Who cares what the pics look like though, because the recipes are still YUM.

I've rounded up some quick, easy, and tasty dips and cheese balls for your party tonight.

I've yet to decide which we will have tonight. I should probably figure that out soon.


1.2.3. Cheese Ball

(recipe)

This is my mother-in-law's recipe and it is a HUGE favorite around here. So, so easy.

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

(recipe)

This recipe is from my mom and is equally loved.


Buckeye Cheese Ball

(recipe)

The idea for this recipe started with the above Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball and ended up here, in Deliciousland.

Ranch Cheese Ball

(recipe)

This recipe came from a reader named Donna.


Now on to the dips!


Holy Moses Dip

(recipe)

This recipe came from my friend Lori, but the name is all me ;)


Reuben Dip

(recipe)

My recipe for Reuben Dip.  Sauerkraut is our "lucky" food for New Year's in Ohio.



And finally-

The Big Cheesy Dip

(recipe)

My Bean's favorite dip!

Wishing you a dippy, cheesy new year with many memories, blessings, and good things.

Tina

{ Buckeye Cheese Ball }

I think I've mentioned in the past that I'm basically a child in adult clothing.

I have toys. I like dollies. I love stuffed animals. I play video games.

Like  Lego Harry Potter.

I recently, as in last week, discovered that you can play Lego HP ONLINE with a friend.

What, what? It didn't seem like an online game, so I never even really thought about it.

 Also, when I say *I* discovered it, I totally mean the Bean did, and I'm trying to steal his thunder.

Whatevs.

The discovery came about when Darla and I were iMessaging that we had both just booted up Lego HP to play.

I literally typed, "I wish we could play online together".

That was when the Bean flipped the case over and proclaimed that you could!

Wooty woot!

When Darla joined the game, I was in the boy's dorm in Gryffindor Tower.

What did we do? We both, immediately, started jumping on the beds.

So. Mature.

We also like to cast spells at each other, chase each other around, and knock each other down.

Really, folks, we are grown ups. I swear.

We now send each other texts that say things like, "Hey, wanna play Legos?", "I'm all done with my chores, so I can play Legos now!", etc.

It's like we are 5.  Maybe we are.  Adult clothing, remember?

In the words of Chili Davis:

"Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional."

Playtime is good.

Know what else is good? Buckeye Cheeseball.

Since I was playing Potter and had Potter on my mind, I first thought of Florean Fortescue and the sundaes he gave Harry. However, strawberry and peanut butter do not sound like the best combo. Strawberry and chocolate though? Yes. All yes.

I thought of this recipe after making my  Chocolate Chip Cheeseball.

The Bean has recently discovered that he LOVES it. However, he loves peanut butter and chocolate together even more. I started thinking about my Chocolate Frog filling & by combining it and the Chocolate Chip Cheeseball, this was born.

As I've said before, being from Ohio, anything chocolate and peanut butter gets the automatic BUCKEYE stamp. It's like a law or something I think.

So, Buckeye Cheeseball it is.

This is easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Beat the butter, cream cheese, and brown sugar together for a couple mins. Throw in the rest (except chips) beat a little more. Stir in chips.

TA DONE.

 I took a batch to youth group. I came back with zero.

It was a massive hit.

Oh, gotta, go..

I think I hear a Lego shaped Hogwarts calling my name.

Tina

P.S. If you haven’t already,  you can ‘like’ my Facebook page here, and follow me on twitter here, and you can follow me on instagram here.

Buckeye Cheeseball

recipe by Tina @ Sugar Bean Bakers

1 stick butter, softened

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened*

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

2 Tablespoons light corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup chocolate chips**

1 cup creamy peanut butter

Add butter, cream cheese, and brown sugar into a mixing bowl. Beat for a couple minutes until well mixed. Add in the corn syrup, vanilla, peanut butter, & powered sugar. Mix until combined.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Cover and chill for 2 hours, then form into ball, or spoon into serving dish and chill.

Serve with graham crackers, vanilla wafers, chocolate cookies, etc.

Promptly refrigerate leftovers.

*you can use fat free or Neufchâtel cream cheese

they will just result in a different consistancy. I used Neufchâtel for the recipe pictured.

Whole fat cream cheese would have resulted in something that you could shape into a ball better.

**mini chocolate chips are best, but I only had regular size and they work just fine too, cause... chocolate.

{ Ranch Cheese Ball }

I mentioned in my Cocoa Cupcakes recipe that we were headed out on Black Friday to buy a new tree. We successfully waited long enough to avoid the crush of mad shoppers AND I got my tree at 60% off. 

Score!

Here it is. Better photos to come.

Hmmm... my topper is crooked. Must fix that.

My topper is pretty awesome, if I do say so myself, however, it caused a bit of controversy here in the house. See, the Bean is VERY set in his ways. We've been using the same tree topper, made of craft foam and buttons, since he was 2 1/2 years old. I cut it out and he glued on the buttons. He's 15 1/2 now, and it's getting a bit tattered, losing buttons, etc. I have a fresh new tree, with fresh new ornaments (plus all of his yearly Hallmark ornaments), and I just wanted something new. He felt otherwise. So, I was set to put Ole Buttons on top of the tree when he said not to. I didn't know how to feel about that one. I wanted to for HIM. He insisted that a new one go up. By this time, I wanted nothing to do with the new topper, but he wouldn't hear otherwise (he's 15 1/2, remember). So, new topper it was. Ole Buttons is now sitting on my little tree in my living room. Hey, it's a Harry Potter tree. Ole Buttons should be honored. But still.. my momma guilt is working over time on me.

Anyway...

New Topper

It's just a bow I made with an owl ornament inside, but I love it :)

 Ole Buttons in his place of honor. Hey, I'd be happy to retire with Harry Potter.
Just sayin'...

 (yes, that is a collage of my adorable Baby Bean behind the tree)

Harry Potter tree with Ole Buttons

Le Sigh....

There was a point to this post & it totally wasn't to ramble on about momma guilt. 

It was, however, about something ranch. And something ranch is always good.

Last year, around this time, I posted my super complicated 1. 2. 3. Cheese Ball recipe. 

1. 2. 3. Cheese Ball

I had a reader, Donna, who commented on the recipe. She told me about one she makes, which is just as complicated. It too, has 3 whole steps! I adapted my version by using less ranch.

Are you ready?

You'll need:

Ranch Cheese Ball

1 package of cream cheese, softened

1-2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 envelope of Ranch Dressing Mix

Beat the cream cheese til fluffy, add in the dressing mix, beat until combined, finally, add the cheddar, 1 cup at a time, and mix until distributed.

Roll into a ball and serve.

My photos show tortilla chips, that's what the recipe originally called for. Donna mentioned that was a typo, she'd posted something right below it calling for tortilla chips, but I had the photos already taken. People actually ate them at my party on tortillas, but you had to spread it on. I also served it with crackers. 

You can customize this recipe in any way you wish. Add some green onion, some bacon bits, use Italian Dressing mix instead of Ranch, stir in some nuts (nooooooo) if you are the nutty type, etc.

 For my party, I made this, along with the 1.2.3. Cheese Ball & the Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball.

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

Now, I've made the chocolate chip cheese ball for YEARS. My non-food adventurous son, however, had never tried it. His response? "WHO MADE THIS, IT'S AMAZING!"

"um, I did, child. I've made it for years!"

"WHAT? YOU HAVE??"

Never noticed the cheese ball in 15 years, but holds tight to a craft foam star.

That's my boy.

Happy Christmas~

Tina

{ Super Bowl Snacks }

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Today I'm rounding up some recipes that I think would make good Super Bowl snacks.

I hear that the big game is this Sunday.

Also, I hear there are two teams playing it in. However, I had to google to find out who they were.

Not a football fan? No, I'm not.

(Oh, google says its the New England Patriots & the New York Giants. I assume that is right. It's google after all, and the google knows).

So, I'm not a footbal fan, BUT, I am a PARTY fan! Woot!

I think we are actually going to go to a Super Bowl party on Sunday.

We were promised board games and commercials. They'd better be there, or I'm demanding my money back. Even though I'm not paying. I will want money back.

I'm totally waffling on what to make myself.

I might do this Buffalo Chicken Dip that my friend Steph made for New Year's Eve.

Or maybe I'll make these whoopie pies shaped like footballs.

Chocolate Whoopie Pies

Another option my Snowflake Crunch Popcorn, but with the teams colors.

Google tells me they both have Red and Blue (and white/silver/whatever). Use the red and blue M&Ms instead of just the blue. Now, I KNOW it's not the perfect blue of the team- but... it'll work. If you are a big fan and HAVE to have the right color, M&Ms does sell the darker blue in specialty stores like Party City, etc.

Snowflake Crunch Popcorn

These Ranch Crackers are sure to be a hit Ranch Snackin' Crackers

Do you want to make friends fast? Then make this Chocolate Chip Cheeseball

If you want a savory cheeseball, try this one that takes minutes to make 1.2.3. Cheeseball!

Need a dip? Okay! Try this one Holy Moses Dip.

A favorite get together snack around here is this Pull Apart Pizza Bread. yum.

You just CANNOT go wrong with a batch of  Caramel Corn...

That is, unless you bake it at 200 degrees Celcius , like my long time New Zealand friend Pam. LOL!

Love ya, Pammy!

Maybe you'd like to delve into making some of these Peanut Butter Patties.

They are quick to disappear!

Or, even better, how about these 3 ingredient Oreo Truffles!

There's a few of my suggestions! Are you having/going to a party?
What are you planning to make?

Go Team! I really hope that the ....

oh never mind. I really don't care who wins!

But if you are into football, I hope YOUR team wins!

Have fun :)

Tina

shared at:

Whipperberry

Tip Junkie

Skip To My Lou

Oopsey Daisy

Thirty Handmade Days

Somewhat Simple

Seven Thirty Three
Momnivores Dilemma

{ Christmas Eve Eve Baking & Making }

By the time I hit "publish" on this, it will no longer be Christmas Eve Eve, it will be Christmas Eve! 

Was that hard to follow? Sorry.

In the last minute baking and merry making catagory, I have this...

Today, I made 120 "Baby Jesus Cakes" or "Birthday Cakes for Jesus". Whatever you wish to call them.

I quite enjoy the term Baby Jesus Cakes, so we will stick with that. You know, cuz it's my blog and all that.

These will be given out on Sunday to the families at my church. My minister asked if I was up for the job. How can you say no to your minister asking you to make birthday cakes for Jesus? The answer is this...

You can't. :)

These photos are from my phone, I totally forgot my big girl camera. My mom and I spent a few hours at the church today making and packaging these. I'm pretty sure packaging them took longer than baking!

The packaging is a rather cool idea, yes?

I wish I could take credit, but I totally found the idea on Pinterest, which is pinned from this site, Cookie Madness.  

Oh, Cookie Madness, you so clever!

After that, it was a run to the grocery for Christmas brekkie food . We are just having pancakes & bacon... homemade pancake syrup you say?

Why, yes, yes, I do have a recipe for that.

Also, I had to get supplies for the Bean's Christmas get together tonight.

He invited his girlfriend, his cousins, one cousin's boyfriend, and our friends Stephanie and Bobby.

I ended up making sloppy joes/sloppy nachos and

Holy Moses Dip

Snickerdoodles

 

1. 2. 3. Cheeseball

and Chocolate Chip Cheeseball

We played Dirty Santa (in which the Bean won a Justin Bieber poster and was quite unamused, the rest of us however, enjoyed this greatly), video games, and Apples to Apples... all in all a good night :)

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, so that means I will be making the Bean's favorite cake, from the Pioneer Woman.

It's been tradition for a few years now, and this kid is more about tradition than your 85 year old grandmother, I guarantee it! He is the reason we are still using the craft foam star on top the tree that he made at 2 and a half years old, the reason why we are still hanging the same stockings that we've hung since he was born, the reason why he opens a gift every Christmas Eve, and so much more. He's a stickler for it.

But honestly, you've gotta love that in a 14 year old boy. I know I do.

I've said this before, but this time I'm reasonably certain that this WILL be my last post before Christmas.

I wish you many happy moments, memories captured, much joy, and traditions relived.

May it be magical.

And filled with sugar.

Merry Christmas, much love...

Tina

{ Chocolate Chip Cheeseball }

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My mom first made this several years ago.

I'm not sure where she found the recipe, honestly.

This takes the traditional savory cheeseball and turns it on it’s head.

Dessert cheeseball? Oh, yes.

This only takes a few basic ingredients, I’d guess you have them in your house already, and about 10 minutes

(plus chilling time, I mean for the cheeseball, but you can chill while it does as well).

I didn’t do step by step photos because this is so simple.

Oh, and as for the mini chocolate chips, use ‘em if you’ve got ‘em, but I have made this many times with full sized chocolate chips.

Believe me when I say no one complained about said chip size.

You know, because their mouths were full.

Merry Chocolate, I mean.. Christmas! Yeah, Merry Christmas!

Tina

Chocolate Chip Cheeseball

1 package cream cheese, softened

1 stick butter, softened

2 Tablespoons packed brown sugar

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

3/4 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Beat your cream cheese, butter and vanilla in mixer until fluffy.

Add your sugars until well mixed.

Stir in chocolate chips nuts, if desired.

Cover and chill for 2 hours, then form into ball.

(This is not actually necessary. I mean, if you feel the need and aren’t worried about firmness, just plunge right in. You know you want to. Who needs it in ball form anyway?)

Serve with graham crackers or vanilla wafers.

{ Christmas Recipe Roundup }

I’m going to take a little time here and round up my favorite recipes for Christmas both from my blog… and from some of my favorite blogs.

Heres ya goes…

There’s my most recent post about the Cinnamon Rolls with Cinnamon Ice Cream linked here.

My 1.2.3. Cheeseball here.

Caramel Corn- great for Holiday Snacking or for Gifting! Linked here.

Caramel Apples, also good for eating or gifting. Find the link here.

Always a hit- Holy Moses Dip! Link is here.

Great for Christmas Eve, Christmas Parties, and after Christmas Caroling is my Warm Apple Pie Dessert Drink- find it here.

This Cinnamon Sugar Butter would be great on your Christmas Breakfast Table.

Also a great compliment to rolls at Christmas Dinner.

Mix up and put into cute containers, and you have an inexpensive and delicious gift! Link is here.

You can also drizzle this butter onto popcorn for a salty but sweet treat.

If you dare, you can make these huge, sugar overloaded marshmallow pretzel treats. Great for gifts! Link is here.

Peanut Butter Patties, great for gifting as well, found here.

I love, love, love this Saltine Toffee. A tin of this will add you to anyone’s nice list. Find out how to make it here.

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies are always in fashion and Christmas is no exception. Find the Bean’s favorite here.

The hubster’s favorite cookie is this oatmeal, linked here.

My personal favorite cookie is the Snickerdoodle. Here is that recipe.

Now on to other sites

From Confessions of a Cook Book Queen we have these super fun cocoa stirrers

photo property of Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

The Bean’s FAVORITE Cake from The Pioneer Woman. We make it sans pecans, of course!

photo property of The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond

From Bakerella, I give you the hit of our Thanksgiving, the Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie, link here.

photo property of Bakerella

Since I’m always having issues with Sugar Cookies, under the ‘have to try in the next week’ category, we have these from Peppermint Plum.

photo property of Peppermint Plum

I can’t forget my pooches, Jingle and Luna

So, I’ll be making these, from Bakingdom (who has TONS of great human food & Harry Potter goodness too! check her out),

sometime in the next week as well! Link here.

photo property of Bakingdom

If I have time, I’ll come back and link more.. if not, have a beautiful Holiday Season!

Tina