Sunday, September 11, 2016

Friday Friend Recipe #101 - Festive Cheese Ball






Recipe number 101

Come with me as I continue to countdown my Friday Friend Cookbook
What is it, you may ask?

In a nutshell...
About 15 years ago, 50 of my closest friends and family, who had been on an e-mail forum with me, sent in recipes in different categories and we compiled a cookbook.
I decided to count those down!
Why?


Because  one night I was looking thru the cookbook and I said, "I should make every recipe in here for my blog"
The Handyman--who thinks he knows me better than I know myself, said,  "you'll never EVER do that."
Well,  maybe I will!  Maybe I'll show him!


Which brings me to recipe #101  Mitzi's Festive Cheese Ball





I'm sure that some of you are thinking.. "a cheese ball?  Really?  Now?" 
While it's true, we usually make these around the holidays,  can't football season be considered a holiday?
Can't we find joy in a Sunday afternoon gathered around the TV, with a beer in hand and maybe some cheese and crackers?
Aha!! 
Then you can make this cheese ball!

The truth is, I made this at Christmas time--last year.  And just now am getting around to posting about it.
I figure that everyone has their holiday 'dishes' all figured out by the time December rolls around, so why not post this really early and give everyone the option?
Or... you can just read the post and figure that I have good friends who are good cooks, smile, go on your way and think to yourself "I wish I had as good of friends as she does" (that's just an nod to my friends--I know you have good ones!)  and then make what you usually make.
It's true, right?  You all have your things already--the things your mom made, the things your family loves?
But---if you don't?  This is a great Cheeseball!
And festive too!!



If you look closely, my  peppers and nuts are not chopped as finely as you might, but let me tell you, it doesn't matter, because  it's so addictive you'll just be scrapping up bite after bite on cracker after cracker.  Or celery even. Or a cucumber.  It's just so good and  yummy.  And really yummy especially if you are one of those people  who think  cheese balls are too strong, because this doesn't contain Blue Cheese or any other stinky cheese.

Make it now or make it at Christmas time.  It doesn't matter. Just make it.


Festive Cheeseball
FF Mitzi Storm
St. Charles, MN (formerly  of Winnemucca, NV)

1 lb cream cheese
1/2 lb grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 T chopped pimento
1 T chopped green pepper
1 t finely chopped onion
1 t lemon juice
2 t Worcestershire sauce
dash of salt and pepper
1 cup finely chopped pecans (or walnuts)

Beat the cream cheese till soft.  Add and blend in the cheddar. Add remaining ingredients except the nuts. Chill in fridge overnight.  Shape into 1 or 2 balls and roll in pecans/walnuts on waxed paper.
Wrap in foil and store in fridge until ready to use.




Now to meet Mitzi. Or re-meet her, as the case may be.
This is her 12th recipe in my countdown.

So...my Mitzi Story.
1st, remember, it's not about the quality of my blog post photos, it's about the friendship!
(so yes, that means I took photos of photos--to lazy to figure out my scanner program)

Years ago---like 15 years ago---a bunch of my local friends who go up to Lake Tahoe for the annual Sand Harbor Shakespeare Festival.  We did this for about 5 years, and then life happens, things get out of sync and our friend Lisa who had a condo at Tahoe, sold her place.
We could still go, we talk about it sometimes.  We just need to DO IT, as it was tons of fun.

Mitzi's story:
one year on our Tahoe trip, she forgot her underwear.  She forgot to pack any.  It was a huge dilemma as to whether  she should borrow some or go commando.  (she's gonna love me for telling this) but the whole time this conversation is going on, I was taking notes. I am known for having journals, writing letters, blogging my life, etc.
So Mitzi says--I can't wait until you die, it'll be so fun reading your journals!

That's it friends!  One of my very best friends can't wait till I die!
Kick the Bucket.
Croak.
Bite the dust.
Cash in my chips.
Pass over to the great beyond.

She can't wait!??

Just to read my journals? HA!   I'll tell everything now!
Like Mitzi and her underwear dilemma.... and how she solved it....  maybe...(or perhaps I'll leave you hanging as to whether she was or wasn't?)

I grabbed a few (pictures of pictures) photos from different years (Mitzi's hair is short, then long, then short again),  so bear with me.

The Sand Harbor Shakespeare Festival



The stage.
What did Shakespeare say about a stage?
All the world's a stage and we are merely players?
Something like that.

It is so beautiful!  The water behind the stage-you don't even notice it getting dark and the stage lights coming on.


While up at Tahoe for the weekend, we would always eat at Lanza's.  It was great!!


I suppose you are wondering who Mitzi is... since I just keep showing pictures of everything BUT Mitzi!  She's the one leaning her head into the table.  For a photo op! 
I'm on the end---right hand side. (hanging onto the table like it might get away?)




From a journal: (my spelling mistake---I meant to type one LONE black lab, but I wrote long. hahaha.  And the name of the restaurant was THE NAUGHTY DOG, so we were making fun of those naughty dogs)


Mitzi used the word DUMB ASS all weekend to describe stuff---we all soon followed suit.

Mitzi and Gina ,sitting in the sand, waiting for the play to begin.



Mitzi and Gina (again) getting ready for a girls night sleep over in the condo.
This means wine and confessions.


Us on FANNY BRIDGE!!
That's the name of it, because everyone stops to see the ducks.






Sometimes there were 6 of us and sometimes 7 and sometimes 8.  Here we are sitting in the sand chairs waiting for the play to begin... Mitzi is on the left, next to me.
Funny, I can't remember if she was commando or not this evening....




And to close....
The Festive Cheese ball is good. 
Mitzi can't wait until I croak.
Does she or doesn't she?  (have panties on!!S)

Mitzi, Gina, me, Shelly
Lisa, Julie, Cindy, April




That is my story as I keep making my way  (although this year, very slowly) thru my Friday Friend Cookbook.


And coming soon...
Tacos in Pasta Shells...from the Friday Friend Cookbook.


I'm going to link up with Weekend Cooking at Beth Fish Reads.










7 comments:

Beth F said...

HAAAAA. Good story.

And that cheese ball? YUMMMMM

JoAnn said...

What fun! I do have a cheese ball recipe that I made during the holidays, but haven't done that in recent years.Your recipe has more ingredients... not sure this crowd would go for peppers and pimento. And I think week one of football season counts as a holiday! ;-)

Michelle said...

I do love a good cheeseball. I have honestly never considered making one for a lazy Sunday afternoon though. Now I am going to have to rethink this. Thanks for the recipe!

Tina said...

That was a fantastically entertaining story. I think everyone should send Mitzi underwear this very week!

Mae Travels said...

"Going commando" --that's a new expression to me. I must be very out-of-it.

But I've heard of cheese balls. I brought one to a potluck once and NOT ONE BITE was eaten. All the other people brought better stuff. So I have struck them off my list.

best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

I have never tried a cheese ball before. My mum makes salmon ball sometimes as an appetizer for a party. It's really good. I love the history between you and your friends. You are a lively bunch.

Margot said...

Wow, I see you are all the way to #101! Very good. I used to make a cheese ball similar to this but lost the recipe. I'm so glad you shared it, especially with the cheese ball season coming up. lol

Friday Friend recipe #352

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