Friday, March 4, 2011

TGIF - Thank God It's Friday Ranch Cheeseball

Well...it's Friday!  And teachers LOVE Friday. I love my students and my job...but everyone loves a good weekend OFF!  This weekend I am looking forward to many things and most especially to my middle daughters 'hang out' at our place with her friends. 

As a parent, one of my hopes was that like my house growing up, kids would feel comfortable coming to our place when they got together.  For one I don't like them all 'running' the roads and for two, I like knowing they are safe and having good 'wholesome' fun just being kids playing the Wii, watching a good movie, playing a little pool, or just eating all mine and my daughter's creations.  It's standard snack food fare that we serve, or at least it is to us.  I have found that Ruffles and Tostitos chips are the favorite. 

I always serve my  homemade Nolana's Family Hot Sauce, Velvetta Cheese dip using the Rotel with cilantro, cupcakes, my daughters brownies and Funfetti cookies, and the cheeseball that I will share with you below.  The best reason why I serve it is that you can pretty much throw it together in about eight minutes. 

Doubling this cheeseball is also as easy as pie!  You need a few simple ingredients that you probably have already in your pantry and that is all!  One of my mottos is that a recipe doesn't have to be hard to be good...simple is a good thing. 

So make this for your Friday night or weekend fun event.  It's a crowd pleaser with the 'hangout' crowd and I know it will be with yours as well!

TGIF!  And get cooking!

Alise



TGIF - Thank God It's Friday Cheeseball

1 - 8 ounce cream cheese, not light
1 - 8 ounce fresh grated SHARP cheddar cheese
1 package of Ranch Dressing Mix
paprika to cover cheeseball (optional)

Allow cream cheese to soften slightly.  Grate cheddar cheese.  Add to the cream cheese and cheddar cheese the Ranch Dressing Mix and blend.  (I use the dough paddle on my Kitchen Aid mixer, stopping occassionally to remove cheeseball mixture from paddle).  Form into to balls on top of clear plastic wrap. You may sprinkle paprika on the plastic wrap before you put rounded cheese ball mixture in plastic wrap.  Roll, sprinkle with paprika, cover, and refridgerate. 

I serve this with Ritz Crackers or  any brand basil tomato crackers. 

Makes two cheeseballs.

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