Bacon and Green Onion Cheese Ball

Tip: Read directions completely before preparing.

Ingredients:

(For Cheese Ball)

1/4 cup brown sugar ham, finely chopped

1/4 cup green onion, finely chopped

1 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 teaspoon Hidden Valley, Garden Green Onion Mix

(For Rolling Cheese Ball)

1/8 cup real bacon Bits, (I use Oscar Mayer)

1/8 cup green onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup Colby Jack or Mild Cheddar cheese, finely shredded/cut

Directions:

(For Preparing Cheese Ball)

In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine green onion, brown sugar Ham, cream cheese and Garden Green Onion Mix. When mixed well, form ball out of the mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 3 to 4 hours, or overnight.

(For Rolling Cheese Ball)

Before serving, in a medium-size mixing bowl, combine the real bacon bits, green onion, and cheddar cheese, and roll the cheese balls in the mixture.  Enjoy!

 Tip: This cheese ball is great with buttery crackers!

Cheese Straws

Tip: Read directions completely before preparing.

Ingredients:
2 sticks of butter, softened
2 cups of grated white cheddar cheese
2 cups of flour
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of half and half

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.  Mix the cheese and butter together. Add the flour, cayenne, salt, and half and half and stir until it becomes a ball.

Roll out the dough into a rectangle that is 1/4 inch thick, and using a knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into 1"x5" strips.  Poke holes in the top of each cheese straw with a fork.

Bake on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet for fifteen minutes, or until edges are light brown. Cool and then serve.  Enjoy!

Servings: 3 dozen

Tip:  Cheese Straws are usually served before a meal, though they are also delicious with soups, salads, wine, cheese and I have even been known to dip cheese straws into a bowl of queso.  Cheese straws can be formed up to two weeks ahead.  Freeze on baking sheets until solid, then transfer into sealable plastic bags and keep frozen until ready to bake!

Puerto Rican Bacalaitos (Crunchy Cod Fritters)

Tip: Read directions completely before preparing

Ingredients:

1/4 lb bacalao (cod) filet
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon. baking powder
1/3 teaspoon. salt
3/4 cup bacalao (cod) broth
1teaspoon black pepper
3 cloves garlic

2 cilantro leaves (culantro)

1 envelope of Sazon seasoning (con Culantro Y Achiote)

1 cup vegetable oil

Directions:

Make sure you get the soft bacalao (dried codfish) that has been deboned. Sometimes it comes in a wooden box or in plastics bags. Many grocers now carry bacalao.

To prepare the bacalao and remove the salt, rinse the bacalao and tear into smaller pieces.  Add 6 cups of water and bacalao (cod) to a 5 1/2 quart pot, bring to boil, lower heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or so. Discard water and add fresh water and repeat process, for another 20 minutes. Let it cool in the water and save the water. Remove the bacalao (cod) and drain in a metal drainer and wait for it to cool down (save the broth). Once cool to the touch, tear the pieces into smaller little tiny pieces and set it aside. If you hold it between your fingers it separates itself.

In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt, sazon and pepper. In a mortar, crush the garlic and cilantro leaves. Add 3/4  cup broth to the mortar to remove garlic and cilantro and pour into the large bowl with dry ingredients and whisk. The mixture should look like pancake batter. Add the drained bacalao (cod) and whisk again. Batter should have the consistency of thin pancake batter. If too thick just add a bit more broth and whisk. If you put too much broth add more flour.

Begin heating the oil in a frying pan to 350 degree.

Ladle the batter into hot oil. They should be fried over high heat, turning only once, until golden on both sides. Drain on paper towels before serving. If they are getting too brown too fast lower heat a bit.

Any extra fish or batter may be refrigerated for a few days or frozen for later use.  Enjoy!

Servings: 10 Bacalaitos (Cod Fritters)

Tip: Bacalaitos are salt cod fritters, a traditional Puerto Rican snack.

Ile De France Mini Toast Snack for Mid-Day!

These were easy to make and made a great snack! 

8 Ile De France - Grilled Mini Toast

1 Roma Tomato - Sliced 1/4" and then in half.

2 - 1/4" slices of Fresh Natural Mozarella, Cut in 4

1/2 tsp Fine Sea Salt

1/3 tsp Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning Herbs

Lay a piece of toast, then a piece of tomato and then cheese. Mix the Fine Sea Salt, Garlic Powder and Italian Herbs.  Sprinkle on the snack.