Are you ready for some foootballlllll? I have to admit, it’s not usually my thing…although I do like the commercials…and any excuse to get together with friends and eat fattening foods!
This year, I decided to go into overtime and I’ll be making two appetizers that we can graze on the whole game long. I’m taking the cheese ball and the meat and crackers tray to a whole new level!
Ready? Set? Let’s eat!
Cheese Ball Bites
These bite size versions of the classic cheese ball will keep your guests coming back for more!
Ingredients
- 12 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup shredded cheddar
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 8 slices bacon, cooked and finely chopped (or 1/3 cup pre-packaged bacon bits)
- 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh chives
- 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans
Step One. Mix together the cream cheese, cheddar, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Form int0 20 small balls and refrigerate until firm (approximately 1 hour).
Step Two. In a shallow dish, combine the bacon, chives, and pecans. Roll the balls in the mixture and insert a pretzel in the top of each ball.
Bacon Crackers
Don’t just put out a boring old meat and crackers tray, try this recipe for a savory/sweet appetizer everyone will do a touchdown dance for!
**This recipe, while super easy, takes a while to bake. Allow plenty of time to make it.**
Ingredients
- 1 sleeve of club crackers
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 package thinly sliced bacon, cut in half
Step One. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. On a baking sheet with a wire rack on top, set out the crackers.
Step Two. Top each cracker with approximately 1 teaspoon of brown sugar and then wrap it with a bacon slice. *If you run out of bacon and have naked crackers left over, simply put a little grated Parmesan cheese on top of it instead.
Step Three. Bake in the oven for 1.5 to 2 hours.
So there you have it – two recipes going head to head – which one will be on top?
