BLT Deviled Eggs - Bacon Lettuce and Tomates

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 OH BOY... DEVILED EGGS!

But not just any Deviled Eggs, these amazing little appetizers became an instant fan favorite at my holiday table.  Worked great as an appetizer, and was an equal hit as a side dish.  After all, what's not to love?

One of the world's most popular sandwiches is the BLT.  These are LOADED with all the flavors of a classic BLT.  Taste texture and visually exciting.  Like i said... what's not to love?

Keep scrolling down for this easy to follow recipe...

Have you noticed, I LOVE Deviled Eggs.  Truly, no potluck would be complete without a tray.  I got a wonderful Christmas gift this year, this easy to use convenient travel tray carrier so my eggs arrive undamaged.  Lids, easy carting handles, seals for freshness and a pretty color.  What's not to love???



Keep scrolling down... here's the recipe!

  OK... Here's what I did...

BLT Deviled Eggs
Bacon Lettuce and Tomates

Ingredients

• 14 Large Eggs, (I always make at least 14-15 eggs just in case some do not peel well... Then I make Egg Salad from the leftovers).  Follow the Blue Letter Link for an Easy to Follow Photo Essay on how to peel a dozen eggs beautifully!
• 2 TBS Mayonnaise
• 3 TBS Yellow Mustard
• 3 TBS Ranch Dressing
• 3 TBS Your Favorite BBQ Sauce
• 1/4 Cup Minced Dill pickle
• Sprinkle Sea Salt
• 1 Pound Bacon, fried crisp and crumbled to bit size
• 24 bits of choipped Romaine Lettuce 
• 12 Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half to make 24 pieces

Cooking Directions

1. First to make the Eggs... Place the eggs in a LARGE Saucepan (or two), single layer. Fill the saucepan with cold water a couple of inches above the eggs. Place the pan uncovered under medium high heat and bring to boil. Cover the pan and remove from heat. Let the eggs sit covered in the water for 15 minutes.
2. Drain the water from the pan, immediately fill with cold water. Gently tap each egg on a counter to crack and put them back in the cold water. Peel eggs under cold running water.
3. Once all eggs are peeled, slice each lengthwise. Remove the yolks and place them in a small bowl. Arrange the white parts attractively, ready to fill.
4. In that small bowl, Add the Mayo, Pickle , Mustard, Ranch, BBQ Sauce, Salt and Pepper to the Egg Yolks and mix until creamy. You will need to smash the egg yolks to get the mix creamy. Add additional Pickle relish liquid or Lemon Juice if the mixture needs to be smoother.  Add carefully, the yolk goo gets too wet and the piping look will not hold.
5. Arrange on a serving dish.  Transfer the yolk mixture into a piping bag with a large star tip. NOTE: the piped look only works if the yolks are very creamy (you may want to transfer to a food processor to get best results). Otherwise the piping tips will clog. And be sure to use that large star tip.
6. Fill the hollow of each egg making an attractive peal.
7. Just before serving, add the BLT Parts...
   First, Push about a tsp worth of chopped Romaine Lettuce into the back of each egg.
8. Add the Tomato halves
9. Add a tsp worth of Bacon, bigger pieces, reserving the small crumbs for garnish.  Push the tomatoes and the bacon into the yolk mix a bit to anchor them into the eggs
10. Garnish with small bits of bacon just scattered into the tray.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap, transfer to the fridge until ready to serve.
11. Serve chilled and ENJOY!

Cheddar and Garlic Mini Cheese Balls

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 Oh Boy Cheese Balls!

But not just any cheese balls, these are a wonderful twist on the classic cheese ball.  Everyone loves food on a stick.

The cheese is the classic combination of Cheddar and garlic.  But the idea works fine for about any cheese ball you have ever imagined,

Just a base of cream cheese, add another type of cheese (Say a Taco Blend), Some type of filling (say minced bacon and Lettuce), add a Coating (like nuts here, or for the above idea, plop the Taco blended bacon and lettuce cheese ball on top of a half cherry tomato.  Insert stick and Viola...

This is a wonderful little idea for a party or when you are asked to bring a plate of Appetizers.

After all, everyone LOVES food on a stick!

 OK... Here's what I did...

Cheddar and Garlic
Mini Cheese Balls

Ingredients

• 2 (8 Oz) Brick Cream Cheese, Thawed to room temperature
• 2 TBS Mayonnaise
• 1/2 Cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 2 TBS Garlic Powder
• 1 Cup Thin sliced Garlic Chives (Can use Green Onions, the green parts, sliced thin)
• 24 Pretzel Sticks

Cooking Directions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cream cheese and Mayo.  Using the whisk attachment, whisk the cheese until fluffy.  This will take about 5 minutes.  You will need to scrape the sides of the bowl down frequently and tap the sides of the inside of the bowl with the whisk attachment to free up clogged chunks. 
2. Add the Cheddar Cheese and garlic powder and fold by hand to mix.
3. Divide into 24 equal size pieces, roll them into balls.
4. Insert a Pretzel stick
5. Roll the sides and bottoms in the Chives
6. Arrange on a serving platter and transfer to the fridge to chill for at least 3 hours
7. Serve Chilled and ENJOY!

Candy Sriracha Heat Sweet Bacon Wrapped Pineapple

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 Oh Boy, Bacon wrapped anything!

But this isn't just any bacon wrapped appetizer.  This is my very favorite bacon wrapped appetizer I made this year.  Hands down, these are terrific.


The Sriracha sauce is sweetened with a bit of Brown Sugar.  This adds a bit of heat/sweet candy/hot flavor to the bacon.  Sriracha, of course, is that beautiful colored amazingly spiced hot sauce with the famous rooster logo.  Those in the know think Sriracha is among the best of it's kind, with a following in the hundreds of followers that worship at the altar if Sriracha!

The naturally sweetness of the pineapple is ramped up as the bacon cooks around each piece.  Making this hot, sweet, spicy, juicy amazing combination nearly that one perfect bite!

I served up a platter of these at a recent party along with a couple other platters of appetizers.  BY FAR these were the first empty plate.   People loved the combination of tastes as this became the talk of the party with many requests for the much too easy recipe.

There is one suggested product that will make these taste better, with a crispy texture all around.  In the past I have lined a baking sheet with crumbled aluminum foil.  This way the bacon wrapped wonders sit of the ridges while the bacon drippings flowed.  Inevitably, the bottom of the bacon wrapped wonders will sit in the grease as they cool, making for an uneven texture.  Recently I bought a naking sheet with a grid that sits in the dish keeping these beauties out of the drippings.  I love this addition to my pantry and could not recommend this more...

Keep scrolling down for this easy to follow recipe...

  OK... Here's what I did...

Candy Sriracha
Heat Sweet Bacon Wrapped Pineapple

Ingredients

• 1 small can Pineapple Chunks, drained, each chunk cut into 3 equal sice pieces... 36 total pieces
• 12 slices Bacon, each slice cut into 3 equal size pieces
• 1 Cup Sriracha Brand hot sauce
• 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
• 36 decorative toothpicks

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut each bacon strip into 3 equal size pieces.
3. Line a cookie sheet with foil and place a cooling rack on top of the pan. This will allow the bacon to crisp on all sides.
4. Mix the Sriracha Sauce with the brown sugar.
5. Dip each of the bacon pieces in the Sweetened Sriracha Sauce as you...
6. Wrap each Pineapple piece in one of the cut dipped bacon pieces.  Bacon will overlap by a fraction of an inch.
7. Place the tot seam side down on the wire rack.  Repeat with remaining bacon, sauce and pineapple.
8. Bake for 20 minutes, check the crispiness of the bacon (I check the color).  Continue to bake at 5 minute intervals until the bacon is a beautiful crispy cooked bacon color.  Watch carefully as the added brown sugar will burn if cooked too long (A little crispy bit is perfect, call it caramelized.
9. Add an attractive toothpick to each and arrange decoratively on a serving platter.
10. Serve warm and ENJOY!

Deviled Eggs Benedict

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 Oh Boy... Deviled Eggs...

But not just any deviled eggs, these are based on that most delicious of all brunch dishes... Eggs Benedict.

I LOVE eggs Benedict.  Not just for that marvelous taste, but also it brings back very happy memories of a long gone friend.  My good friend John passed away nearly 15 years ago.  We had jobs that allowed us to travel a great deal.  Whenever we met up for breakfast, you could count on John to tell this slightly off color joke about Eggs Benedict and vacations.  I will spare you the off color joke, but just the thought of Eggs Benedict in any style makes me smile.

But I digress...

These little gems are destined to be the hit of your event (why do we only serve deviled eggs for events?... they are so good).  Just a little bot of ham, a single English muffin, a bit of Hollandase Sauce; and bingo bango bongo, what a treat!

The only complicated part of this recipe would be the sauce.  Follow the blue letters for my easy to make Hollandase Sauce in a stand mixer recipe.  That recipe does make quite a bit, far more than you need for this recipe.  I have given you a cut down version of the recipe in this recipe.  But plan your menu and you may want to add additional Hollandase Sauce with crunchy vegetables (Asparagus, Bell peppers, etc.) for an additional appetizer or a side dish.

These eggs were gobbled up!  All the flavors and textures of the classic brunch dish.  And mu memories will make this a permanent addition to my growing list of All Dressed up Deviled Eggs!

Enjoy!!!

  OK... Here's what I did...

Deviled Eggs Benedict

Ingredients

• 14 Large Eggs, (I always make at least 14-15 eggs just in case some do not peel well... Then I make Egg Salad from the leftovers).  Follow the Blue Letter Link for an Easy to Follow Photo Essay on how to peel a dozen eggs beautifully!
• 2 TBS Mayonnaise
• 3 TBS Yellow Mustard
• 3 TBS Ranch Dressing
• 3 TBS Your Favorite BBQ Sauce
• 1/4 Cup Minced Dill pickle
• Sprinkle Sea Salt
• 2 tsp Fresh Ground Black pepper
• 24 Dime sized pieces of Ham 
• 24 Pieces of English Muffin, cut into wedges
• FOR THE HOLLANDASE SAUCE
  Made easy in a Stand Mixer
  1 Egg Yolk
• 1/2 tsp Lemon Juice
• 1/2 TBS Hot Water (Added slowly while the whisk is running)
• large pinch Salt
• large pinch fresh ground Black Pepper
• 2 Dashes Tabasco Sauce
• Pinch Cayenne Pepper
• 1/2 Sticks (4 TBS, 1/4 Cup) Butter, melted and hot (Added slowly while the whisk is running)

Cooking Directions

1. First to make the Eggs... Place the eggs in a LARGE Saucepan (or two), single layer. Fill the saucepan with cold water a couple of inches above the eggs. Place the pan uncovered under medium high heat and bring to boil. Cover the pan and remove from heat. Let the eggs sit covered in the water for 15 minutes.
2. Drain the water from the pan, immediately fill with cold water. Gently tap each egg on a counter to crack and put them back in the cold water. Peel eggs under cold running water.
3. Once all eggs are peeled, slice each lengthwise. Remove the yolks and place them in a small bowl. Arrange the white parts attractively, ready to fill.
4. In that small bowl, Add the Mayo, Pickle , Mustard, Ranch, BBQ Sauce, Salt and Pepper to the Egg Yolks and mix until creamy. You will need to smash the egg yolks to get the mix creamy. Add additional Pickle relish liquid or Lemon Juice if the mixture needs to be smoother.  Add carefully, the yolk goo gets too wet and the piping look will not hold.
5. Transfer the yolk mixture into a piping bag with a large star tip. NOTE: the piped look only works if the yolks are very creamy (you may want to transfer to a food processor to get best results). Otherwise the piping tips will clog. And be sure to use that large star tip.
6. Fill the hollow of each egg making an attractive peal.
7. Just before serving, make the Hollandase Sauce...
   First, warm the bowl of the stand mixer.  I add HOT water to the sink and "float" the bowl in the water.  the bowl heats to just the right temperature.  Try to not get water in the bowl so you start with a dry warm bowl.
8. Meanwhile, Separate the egg yolks from the whites, discard the whites.
9. Move bowl into locked position on the mixer.  Add the yolks and start whisking on medium speed for 1 minute.
10. Add the Lemon Juice and continue to whisk for 5 minutes.
11. Now, add the remaining ingredients except the butter... Water (drizzled in slowly while the whisk is running), Salt, Pepper, Tabasco and Cayenne.  Whisk for another 5 minutes until the sauce is thickened to the consistency of heavy cream.  Thick enough to leave a thin trail as the whisk runs.
12. Meanwhile, melt the butter.  I melt mine in a microwave for 1 minute.  COmes out warm but not hot enough to curdle the eggs,
13. Next, SLOWLY... Slowly (important enough to say it twice), drizzle the butter into the egg mix with the whisk attachment running.  Continue to run the mixer on medium high speed until all of the butter is added.
14. Continue to whisk for 5 minutes until the sauce is thickened even more and there is no hint of a separation.
15. Set sauce aside in a warm place.  use fresh within an hour or so.  You can store leftover sauce in the fridge and reheat but unless the sauce has fully emulsified, the sauce will separate.  Best to use fresh
16. And now, just before serving, Add the Ham slice to the eggs.  Tuck into the back of the egg, leaving that attractive peak
17. Add the English Muffin wedge, slide it under the portion of the egg with the ham piece.  NOTE: Do this step just before serving so the wedge does not get wet and mushy.
18. Arrange on a serving dish and drizzle with the Hollandase Sauce,.   Store loosely covered with cling wrap.
19. Serve chilled and ENJOY!

BBQ Bacon Deviled Eggs

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 Oh Boy Deviled Eggs!

But Not just any Deviled egg, These have BACON BACON BACON... Always a favorite!

It's Deviled Egg time again!

Just about any time my Church has a PotLuck meal I always like to make a plate of deviled eggs. The list of possible ingredients is just about endless but I always like to add a little of my own specialty ingredients...

Or a fan favorite like BACON BACON BACON and even a second favorite... Ranch Dressing.

But I also like to add a bit of my own creation. I like to make my own BBQ Sauce. While you can and should use your own favorite, there is always a little extra bit of brag worthy rights when you can shyly shout from near the pulpit that that sauce was your own creation!

For these, I made a batch of Holiday themed Cranberry BBQ Sauce with just a hint of the Christmas favorite. A little bit spicy, a little bit seasonally sweet and a whole lot of wonderful. A great place to start if you ever feel like making a batch of your own.


In the mean time - BACON and Ranch and MORE BACON... Now that's a party!

ENJOY!

 OK... Here's what I did...

BBQ BACON
Deviled Eggs

Ingredients

• 14 Large Eggs, (I always make at least 14-15 eggs just in case some do not peel well... Then I make Egg Salad from the leftovers).  Follow the Blue Letter Link for an Easy to Follow Photo Essay on how to peel a dozen eggs beautifully!
• 2 TBS Mayonnaise
• 3 TBS Yellow Mustard
• 3 TBS Ranch Dressing
• 3 TBS Your Favorite BBQ Sauce
• 1/4 Cup Minced Dill pickle
• Sprinkle Sea Salt
• 2 tsp Fresh Ground Black pepper
• 12 Slices bacon, Chopped to dime size pieces, then fried crispy. 
• Drizzle of BBQ Sauce
• 
  

Cooking Directions

1. First to make the Eggs... Place the eggs in a LARGE Saucepan (or two), single layer. Fill the saucepan with cold water a couple of inches above the eggs. Place the pan uncovered under medium high heat and bring to boil. Cover the pan and remove from heat. Let the eggs sit covered in the water for 15 minutes.
2. Drain the water from the pan, immediately fill with cold water. Gently tap each egg on a counter to crack and put them back in the cold water. Peel eggs under cold running water.
3. Once all eggs are peeled, slice each lengthwise. Remove the yolks and place them in a small bowl. Arrange the white parts attractively, ready to fill.
4. In that small bowl, Add the Mayo, Pickle , Mustard, Ranch, BBQ Sauce, Salt and Pepper to the Egg Yolks and mix until creamy. You will need to smash the egg yolks to get the mix creamy. Add additional Pickle relish liquid or Lemon Juice if the mixture needs to be smoother.  Add carefully, the yolk goo gets too wet and the piping look will not hold.
5. Transfer the yolk mixture into a piping bag with a large star tip. NOTE: the piped look only works if the yolks are very creamy (you may want to transfer to a food processor to get best results). Otherwise the piping tips will clog. And be sure to use that large star tip.
6. Fill the hollow of each egg making an attractive peal.
7. And now, Add the crumbled Bacon... Be generous with a tsp of crumbles per egg.  Arrange on a serving dish and drizzle with additional BBQ Sauce,.   Store loosely covered with cling wrap.
8. Serve chilled and ENJOY!

Muffuletta DEVILED EGGS a New Orleans Inspiration

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 Oh Boy Deviled Eggs!

But not just any Deviled Eggs, These are inspired by that New Orleans original, the Muffuletta Sandwich.  No trip to New Orleans would be complete without a pilgrimage  to the Central Grocery, steps away from Jackson Square, where the sandwich was invented. The grocery store is now world famous (enough to get it's own Wikipedia entry), having been featured in the PBS special program Sandwiches That You Will Like, and on NBC's The Today Show (five best sandwiches series) among dozens of others.

If you make the journey to the store (with a sandwich counter where you can order an authentic original muffuletta), you will find not only a take out lunch but also jars of the Olive Salad so you can replicate the sandwich yourself.  I have made the sandwich (Tastes great, but of course I would rather have the original in the park in the French Quarter,,, Sigh).  This is my solution for using up the extra salad...  Tasted good enough that I may just buy a jar for these eggs.

And of course the Olive Salad is available mail order as well as in most grocery stores.  Scour the Pickle section and you  may just find a jar.

I made these for a recent concert after party.  they were wildly received and gobbled up.  Nothing but requests for the VERY VERY EASY recipe and an empty plate!

Enjoy we all did!

  OK... Here's what I did...

Muffuletta
Deviled Eggs

Ingredients

• 14-15 Large Eggs, Hard-Boiled and Peeled (I always make at least 14-15 eggs just in case some do not peel well... Then I make Egg Salad from the leftovers).  Follow the Blue Letter Link for an Easy to Follow Photo Essay on how to peel a dozen eggs beautifully!
• 1/4 Cup Mayonnaise
• 1/4 Cup Minced Dill pickle
• 2 TBS Yellow Mustard
• 1 tsp Sea Salt
• 2 tsp Fresh Ground Black pepper
• 12 salami slices, cut in half, 24 total half moon shaped pieces.
• 24 rounded tsp of Muffuletta Olive Salad
  Sprinkle of Smoked Paprika for garnish and color

Cooking Directions

1. First to make the Eggs... Place the eggs in a LARGE Saucepan (or two), single layer. Fill the saucepan with cold water a couple of inches above the eggs. Place the pan uncovered under medium high heat and bring to boil. Cover the pan and remove from heat. Let the eggs sit covered in the water for 15 minutes.
2. Drain the water from the pan, immediately fill with cold water. Gently tap each egg on a counter to crack and put them back in the cold water. Peel eggs under cold running water.
3. Once all eggs are peeled, slice each lengthwise. Remove the yolks and place them in a small bowl. Arrange the white parts attractively, ready to fill.
4. In that small bowl, Add the Mayo, Pickle , Mustard, Salt and Pepper to the Egg Yolks and mix until creamy. You will need to smash the egg yolks to get the mix creamy. Add additional Pickle relish liquid or Lemon Juice if the mixture needs to be smoother.  Add carefully, the yolk goo gets too wet and the piping look will not hold.
5. Transfer the yolk mixture into a piping bag with a large star tip. NOTE: the piped look only works if the yolks are very creamy (you may want to transfer to a food processor to get best results). Otherwise the piping tips will clog. And be sure to use that large star tip.
6. Fill the hollow of each egg.
7. Add the Salami half moons, sliding the wide open in under the yolk goo,  Add the Muffuletta Olive salad between the peak of the yolk goo and the curve of the salami slice.
8. Garnish with a sprinkle of Paprika.   Store loosely covered with cling wrap and chill in the fridge until ready to serve.
9. Serve chilled and ENJOY!

Holiday Christmas Trees Pinwheels Roll-Ups Appetizers

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 Oh Boy Pinwheel Appetizers...

But not just any Pinwheels, this is a GREAT idea for a Holiday Party with the colors.  Anything red and green accented becomes a holiday appetizer.  But it is also a great way to use up a few leftovers from Holiday cooking.

But first, the shape... CHRISTMAS TREE!

Easy to replicate, just press the pinwheels into a triangle.

I like to add a Green Olive to extend the look with a base for the tree, and a festive attractive appetizer pick for the the food on a stick fun!

As to using up leftovers, this takes a lot of dribs and drabs from your crisper drawer,  Buy a batch of green onions and you always have a few left.

Got a few extra Green Onions... Here you go.
Only need to use half a Red bell Pepper... Here you go again.
Got a few Black Olives left../ Well, you get the idea.

Hunt down bricks of cream cheese on sale.  Two weeks before Thanksgiving many store put cream cheese on sale for about a dollar a brick.  Go ahead, buy a dozen.  Cheesecakes, pinwheels, Cheese Balls. Dips... All sorts of ideas.  Betcha you can use up all dozen before the holidays are over.  Suddenly these Beautiful Tasty Appetizers become not just affordable but actually cheap... About a quarter apiece.  What a deal!

The green tortillas will need to to be hunted down, but they are out there and worth hunting down.

A party favorite this time of year... ENJOY!!

 OK... Here's what I did...

Holiday Christmas Trees Pinwheels Roll-Ups Appetizers

Ingredients

• 2 Bricks (8 OZ each) Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature
• 9 Green onions, thin sliced, white and green parts
• 1 Red Pepper, chopped and minced small (Same size as the sliced green onions)
• 10 Large Ripe Black Olives, chopped and minced (Same size as the green onions)
• 5 (12 inch) Flour tortillas... try to find the Green ones
• 24 Green olives stuffed with Pimentos
• Festive Appetizer Forks

Cooking Directions

1. First, Make the Goo...
   In the bowl of a Stand Mixer (KitchenAid), Add the cream Cheese and mix until creamy.  I use the whisk attachment and scrape down the bowl frequently.  This will take about 5 minutes to get the whipped texture.
2. Add the 'Fixins, the Red Bell Peppers, the Green onions and the Black Olives and fold until well combined and evenly mixed.  I do this by hand.
3. Spread your tortillas out and evenly distribute cream cheese mixture among tortillas and spread just shy of the edges.
4. Roll up the Tortillas.  Not too tightly or the goo will seep out the ends.  Wrap in plastic cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
5. Once everything has firmed up again, press the logs into a triangle.
6. Unwrap and Slice into 1/2 inch Pieces,  Stab a fork into a green olive (try to arrange the pimento so it sticks out of the bottom of the "tree". Arrange attractively on a platter.  Sprinkle a little Smoked Paprika for extra flavor and color presentation.  Wrap the platter and return to the fridge until ready to serve.
7. Serve Chilled and ENJOY!

Cloink Balls (Chicken and BACON) for a Pass a Plate Appetizer Party

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 CLOINK... CLuck (Chicken) PLUS OINK (Pig) Equals CLOINK

This is a bit of a new presentation for a great little appetizer.

More commonly these beauties are made with a frozen meatball and wrapped in bacon.  Grillmasters love to serve these as appetizers at a back yard BBQ in the summer.  Here's a presentation idea that almost makes them classy enough for a Party!  Dig out your Grandmother's Deviled Egg Presentation plate.  The divots are a great way to add an individual dipping sauce without the need for a dipping bowl.  It may not be dinner at the Vanderbilt's, but it is just a tad classy looking.

Here's the story of the Cloink Ball -

A couple of weeks ago I posted the recipe for the IMPOSSIBLY EASY, INCREDIBLY CHEAP Legendary - MOINK BALLS.  You may remember that MOINK stands for Moo Plus Oink or Beef and Pork.  Beef meatballs wrapped in pork bacon.

When I wrote the post I started speculating about the other combinations...

There are dozens of variations, Chicken Meatballs (Cloinks?), Pork Meatballs (the Oink-Oink), add a piece of pineapple for the Hawaiian Moink or even Turkey Bacon with Vegetarian Meatballs (The Veggie Gobbler).
Sprinkle a spice rub on them for spicey balls, brush with the dipping sauce as a glaze during the last 10 minutes of cooking for that glowing wet look ball.

You can bake them, grill them or even use that toaster oven!

Here's the basic recipe... now just imagine your interpretation!

Well, here you go.  I was wandering around the store looking for bargains the other day.  I found a package of beautiful Artisan chicken brats.  They were fresh made a few days ago but the shelf life had dropped to "Must Cook within 2 Days"... So I did.

These taste much different than the Moink Ball.  While I love the Moink Ball, they do have a processed taste (remember, we used frozen pre-cooked meatballs).

These have a much more premium taste with the artisan sausage.  Definitely an upgrade.

 OK... Here's what I did...

CLOINK Balls
Bacon (Oink) Wrapped Chicken Sausage (Cluck)
Cluck and Oink - Cloink

Ingredients

• 6 Chicken Sausage Brats each brat cut into 4 pieces, each piece the width of a Bacon Slice (24 total "Balls"
• 12 Slices Bacon (Cut in Half)
• 24 Wooden Toothpicks
• FOR THE SAUCE
• 1/4 Cup of your favorite BBQ Sauce
• 1/4 Cup Grape Jelly

Cooking Directions

1. Prepare the CLoink Balls, Wrap each Piece of Chicken Brat (hereafter, called a Meatball) in a Half piece of Bacon. 
2. Arrange on a wire rack on a rimmed cookie sheet (line the cookie sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean up)  The wire rack keeps the balls from sitting in the bacon drippings while cooking
3. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 15 Minutes (25 minutes if using thick sliced bacon).
4. Check for doneness.  Balls are done when the bacon is cooked to your likeness.  Continue to bake as needed, but check often to make sure they do not burn
5. While the balls are cooking, make the sauce. Over medium heat in a small sauce pan, mix the Jelly and BBQ sauce. Stir to evenly mix.
6. Serve warm, with a cocktail fork inserted in each, with the dipping sauce on the side OR Dip each arrange on a deviled egg presentation dish.  This way the egg cavity becomes it's own dipping sauce bowl
    and of course, ENJOY!

Fig and Goat Cheese mini Cheese Balls

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 Oh Boy Cheese Balls!

But not just any cheese balls, these are a wonderful twist on the classic cheese ball.  Everyone loves food on a stick.

The cheese is a smidgen upscale, goat cheese and figs and all.  But the idea works fine for about any cheese ball you have ever imagined,

Just a base of cream cheese, add another type of cheese (Say a Taco Blend), Some type of filling (say minced bacon and Lettuce), add a Coating (like nuts here, or for the above idea, plop the Taco blended bacon and lettuce cheese ball on top of a half cherry tomato.  Insert stick and Viola...

Bacon Lettuce and Tomato mini cheese balls (You can even come up with a clever way to work a Pretzel Bun into the title since there is a pretzel in the appetizer.

This is a wonderful little idea for a party or when you are asked to bring a plate of Appetizers.

After all, everyone LOVES food on a stick!

 OK... Here's what I did...

Fig and Goat Cheese
Mini Cheese Balls

Ingredients

• 1 (8 Oz) Brick Cream Cheese, Thawed to room temperature
• 4 OZ Creamy Goat Cheese, Thawed to room temperature
• 1 TBS Mayonnaise
• 1/2 Cup Figs, chopped small then minced
• 24 Pretzel Sticks (I like to use the thicker "Dipping Sticks" Style but the skinny ones work fine
• 2 Cups Crushed Pecans

Cooking Directions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cream cheese and goat cheese.  Using the whisk attachment, whisk the cheese until fluffy.  This will take about 5 minutes.  You will need to scrape the sides of the bowl down frequently and tap the sides of the inside of the bowl with the whisk attachment to free up clogged chunks. 
2. You may need to add additional creaminess to the cheeses to get a creamy fluffy texture.  I add a bit of Mayonnaise. 
3. Add the figs and fold by hand to mix.
4. Divide into 24 equal size pieces, roll them into balls.
5. Insert a Pretzel stick
6. Roll the sides and bottoms in the crushed pecans
7. Arrange on a serving platter and transfer to the fridge to chill for at least 3 hours
8. Serve Chilled and ENJOY!

HOOTERS Owl Deviled Eggs

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 OH BOY... Deviled Eggs!

But not just any deviled eggs... We call 'em HOOTERS, Owl Deviled Eggs1

Especially if you have kids for your event, these will move like hotcakes... better actually.

The star of this recipe is the look.  Very easy to make.  Just cut the pickles to the right size, thin slice the olives for the eyes and pie wedge shaped tiny carrot pieces for the nose.

The actual recipe for the yellow deviled goo is my version of the classic Grandma's Dill Pickle version.

Tastes classically great...
Looks fantastic and fun for the kids...

WHOot Wouldn't Love these!

ENJOY!!!

 OK... Here's what I did...

Hooters Owl
Deviled Eggs

Ingredients

• 18 Large Eggs (NOTE: you will need extra yolks for this look, lots of yellow goo for center body and two side strips to hold wings and eyes at the head... 18 whole eggs will only make 24 deviled eggs halves), Hard-Boiled and Peeled (I always make at least 14-15 eggs just in case some do not peel well... Then I make Egg Salad from the leftovers).  Follow the Blue Letter Link for an Easy to Follow Photo Essay on how to peel a dozen eggs beautifully!
• 1/4 Cup Mayonnaise
• 1/4 Cup Minced Dill pickle
• 2 TBS Yellow Mustard
• 1 tsp Sea Salt
• 2 tsp Fresh Ground Black pepper
• 24 Sweet Gherkin Pickles Cut in half, trimmed to look like wings 
• 1 Carrot, thin sliced, cut into 24 small pie shapes to work as noses
• 12 Large Black olives, each cut into 4 slices to look like eyes, 48 total eyes

Cooking Directions

1. First to make the Eggs... Place the eggs in a LARGE Saucepan (or two), single layer. Fill the saucepan with cold water a couple of inches above the eggs. Place the pan uncovered under medium high heat and bring to boil. Cover the pan and remove from heat. Let the eggs sit covered in the water for 15 minutes.
2. Drain the water from the pan, immediately fill with cold water. Gently tap each egg on a counter to crack and put them back in the cold water. Peel eggs under cold running water.
3. Once all eggs are peeled, slice each lengthwise. Remove the yolks and place them in a small bowl. Arrange the white parts attractively, ready to fill.
4. In that small bowl, Add the Mayo, Pickle , Mustard, Salt and Pepper to the Egg Yolks and mix until creamy. You will need to smash the egg yolks to get the mix creamy. Add additional Pickle relish liquid or Lemon Juice if the mixture needs to be smoother.  Add carefully, the yolk goo gets too wet and the piping look will not hold.
5. Transfer the yolk mixture into a piping bag with a large star tip. NOTE: the piped look only works if the yolks are very creamy (you may want to transfer to a food processor to get best results). Otherwise the piping tips will clog. And be sure to use that large star tip.
6. Fill the hollow of each egg just to the edge of the crater.  Then make three strips of filling across the top of the egg the two sides hold the wings and the center makes the body of the owl.
7. And now, make the owls... Two Pickle pieces for the wings, two Olive slices for the eyes and a carrot nose.   Store loosely covered with cling wrap.
8. Serve chilled and ENJOY!