Happy Football Friday, Y’all. Did you enjoy the Cheers to Army – Navy last week? Hope you are enjoying all the bowl games while you wrap Christmas presents and try to plan out all your holiday festivities. This week we have Tasty Tailgate Treats Holiday Style. They are suitable for bowl games as well as forced family fun! Enjoy the bowl games and enjoy your family.
Tasty Tailgate Treats: Holiday Style
Snowman Cheese Ball
Ingredients:
- 2 8 oz blocks of cream cheese at room temperature
- 3 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese at room temperature
- 1 oz package ranch seasoning mix
- 1 1/2 cups finely shredded jack cheese
- 1 baby carrot
- whole peppercorns
Directions:
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Let cream cheese and shredded sharp cheddar come to room temperature. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, and ranch dressing mix.
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Divide the cheese mixture and form one smaller cheese ball for the head and one larger cheese ball for the body. Transfer cheese mixtures to two separate sheets of plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Can be made several days ahead.
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Right before serving, press shredded cheese into a cheese ball. Place on a serving plate and place smaller cheese ball onto larger cheese ball. Slice the tip off of a baby carrot and press it into a cheese ball to make a nose. Use whole peppercorns for mouth, eyes, and buttons. Serve with crackers.
Cheese Ball can be mixed and refrigerated up to three days before. Add jack cheese and snowman decorations right before serving.
Sausage Roll Wreath
Ingredients:
- 1 roll of pizza dough
- 6 sausages
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 egg
- 1 red pepper
- parchment paper
- fresh basil (or rosemary twigs)
Directions: Makes 24 Rolls
- Turn on the oven to 400º F.
- Roll the dough out into a rectangle.
- Cut it down the middle and then across to make 12 smaller equal-sized rectangles.
- Halve each rectangle diagonally into triangles.
- Spread half a teaspoon of ketchup (or mustard, or chili sauce, etc) on each triangle, or omit.
- Cut the sausages into four pieces.
- Place a piece of sausage on the wider end, tuck in the sides, and roll it up like a croissant.
- Repeat with the remaining sausages.
- Beat an egg together in a small bowl.
- Brush the sausage rolls with the egg wash.
- Arrange the rolls in a circle. It might help to place a bowl in the center (I used 18 rolls for my wreath, so I had some leftovers).
- Bake in the oven on parchment paper for 10-12 minutes until they are golden brown.
- Allow to cool.
- Decorate with basil leaves (or rosemary twigs) and a red pepper (or real) bow.
- To make the red pepper bow, slice off the bottom curvy bit of the pepper. Cut it in half and trim the two curves into a bow shape. Now, slice two pieces of red pepper for the ties and fasten them with toothpicks.
Gingerbread Cheesecake Dip
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup powdered sugar sifted
- 3 Tablespoons molasses
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- dash nutmeg
- 4 oz Cool Whip or 1 1/2 cups freshly whipped cream
- Graham crackers for serving
Directions:
- Beat the cream cheese until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Pour in the sugars and molasses and beat on medium speed until smooth and combined, about 1 minute.
- Next add the ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg and mix until combined.
- Finally, add the Cool Whip and beat until combined about 30 seconds.
- Transfer the dip to a serving bowl and chill until ready to serve.
- Serve with graham crackers.
- Dip can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
Christmas Punch
Ingredients:
- 1 orange sliced, plus more for garnish
- 1 cup cranberries plus more for garnish
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
- 2 cups cranberry juice Ocean Spray Pure Unsweetened 100% juice recommended
- 2 cups orange juice Simply, Natalie’s, or Uncle Matt’s brands recommend
- 1 cup pomegranate juice POM brand recommended
- 2 cups lemon-lime soda Starry, Sprite, or 7Up recommended
- 1 cup white rum optional
- ice
- fresh rosemary sprigs for garnish
Directions:
Add the slices from 1 orange, 1 cup cranberries, and ½ cup pomegranate seeds to a large pitcher or punch bowl. If using a really gallon-sized bowl or dispenser, you can double the recipe.
Pour in 2 cups cranberry juice, 2 cups orange juice, 1 cup pomegranate juice, and 2 cups lemon-lime soda. You can also add 1 cup of white rum or alcohol of choice if included.
Serve in glasses over ice and garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs extra orange slices, and cranberries. Or make Christmas Ice Cubes for an extra festive touch!
Recipe Notes:
- I highly recommend chilling all of your ingredients before prepping for the best results.
- Use Ocean Spray Pure Cranberry Juice for the best color and flavor!
- This punch can be made ahead of time, but don’t add the ice or soda until just before serving so as not to dilute or lose its fizz.
- You can substitute the lemon-lime soda for ginger ale.
- You can add lemon and lime slices as well.
- Keep alcohol on the side for guests to add their own and keep the punch itself kid-friendly.
- I like white rum, spiced rum, whiskey, and vodka with this recipe.
How To Make Non Alcoholic Christmas Punch
With this popular recipe, you can simply leave out the alcohol and add some additional lemon-lime soda. It will still taste amazing, and this way, the whole family can enjoy it!
How To Make This Christmas Punch Recipe Alcoholic
My family likes to leave the extra “holiday spirit” on the side, this way, guests can add what they like to the punch to make it alcoholic! Vodka, rum, and Prosecco are great choices, and some in the family like bourbon, too! Or, if it’s an adults-only party, add the alcohol in with the rest of the punch ingredients!
On The Menu
Next week I will have some tasty treats to get you into the New Year and help guide you through the college football playoffs.
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