Pimento Cheese Ball

Love this quick and easy recipe that makes

one of the best appetizers ever!

Convenient to make for parties since it

can be made three days in advance.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (4-ounce) jar processed pimiento cheese spread
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, with an electric beater on medium speed, beat Cheddar cheese, cream cheese, pimiento cheese, and garlic for 2 minutes, or until smooth.
    
2. Place mixture on waxed paper and form into a ball. Wrap in waxed paper and chill for about 2 hours, or until firm.
    
3. Place pecans in a shallow dish. Remove waxed paper from cheese ball and roll it in pecans, completely coating it.
    
4. Serve, or wrap well and chill until ready to serve.

Yields: 2 cups

Source:  Mr. Food

Butter Pecan Cookies

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup pecans
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup sugar, plus more for coating
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a baking sheet, toast pecans until fragrant, about 6 minutes. Let cool completely; finely chop.
2. With an electric mixer, cream butter and 1/3 cup sugar until light, about 1 minute. Beat in vanilla, salt, and flour, scraping down sides of bowl, just until dough comes together. Fold in pecans.
3. Separate dough into 12 pieces; squeeze dough to shape into balls. Roll in sugar. Place, 3 inches apart, on a baking sheet. Gently flatten with the bottom of a glass (reshape sides if necessary). Sprinkle with sugar.
4. Bake until golden brown, rotating sheet halfway through, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with more sugar. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

Source:  Martha Stewart

Snickerdoodle Creme Cookies

Ingredients

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix

5 tablespoons butter, melted

1 egg

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1/2 cup sugar

1 container (1 lb) Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy cream cheese frosting

Directions

Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, stir sugar cookie mix, butter, egg and cream of tartar until soft dough forms.


In a small bowl, mix cinnamon and sugar. Shape dough into 36 (1-inch) balls. Coat balls with the cinnamon-sugar mixture; place on cookie sheet.


Bake 7 to 9 minutes or just until cookies are just set. Watch them closely! You don’t want them crispy, browned, and over baked.


Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.


For each sandwich cookie, spread frosting on bottom of 1 cooled cookie. Top with second cookie, bottom side down; gently press cookies together.




Source:  Betty Crocker


I'm sharing this recipe at Talking Dollars and Cents 

Cherry Cordials

One of my favorite chocolate candies :)

Makes: 2 1/2 dozen

Cooking Time: 5 min

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup (stick) butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 (10 ounces) jar stemmed maraschino cherries, well drained
• 1 (11 ounces) package milk chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening

Instructions

1. Line baking sheet with waxed paper.
    
2. In small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, butter, and milk; mix until stiff dough forms. Shape dough evenly around each cherry and place on baking sheet. Freeze 15 minutes, or until firm.
    
3. In small saucepan, melt chocolate chips and shortening over low heat until smooth. Remove coated cherries from freezer and dip each into the chocolate mixture, coating completely.
    
4. Return to baking sheet and chill for 1 hour, or until chocolate is firm. Serve, or cover and chill until ready to serve.

Source:  Mr. Food

The Golden Box from Chocolate.com would make

an excellent gift for your favorite chocoholic!