Monday, December 17, 2012

Jan's Wonderful Cheese Spread

Merry Christmas!!!!

I don't mean to scare you - - but Christmas Eve is only

one week away!!!!!

So, are you ready?

Today I'm sharing another easy-peasy snack for you to share with your friends and family.

Are you all set? Let's go!

Jan's Wonderful Cheese Spread

Ingredients:

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 jar Kraft Old English Cheese Spread
1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing (like Miracle Whip)

2 teaspoons chili sauce
1 teaspoon minced onion
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 Tablespoon ground mustard

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese



This goes together very easily using a food processor, but I've also done it by hand and it still works. 





First, blend together the cream cheese, cheese spread and mayo until they're smooth and creamy. 

Then blend the chili sauce, onion, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and ground mustard in a small bowl. 

By mixing these ingredients together before adding them to the cheese, you avoid those pockets of garlic powder in one bite and Worcestershire sauce in the next.

I like to avoid surprises like that :)

Add the spicy stuff to the cheese and mix thoroughly.

Finally, add the 2 cups of shredded cheddar and mix some more. Easy. Just what you need the week before Christmas!

Serve it with crackers and enjoy :) It's also good on celery sticks...Mmmmm....



One thing I love about this recipe is that you can switch it around - make it your own!

For instance, I often switch this ingredient:

For these:

My family loves the kick. You can ramp up the sizzle or tone it down to your heart's content!

You can also shape the whole mess into a ball ~ like one of those pretty ones you spend big bucks on at the grocery store.

Just refrigerate the cheese spread, then shape it into a ball and roll it in chopped walnuts or pecans.



And a thought to leave you with:

We live in an evil world, and once in awhile we get a glimpse of just how evil it is.

But evil isn't the only, or the most powerful, force in our world. God's grace is evident everywhere we look....

I pray God will grant us eyes to see and ears to hear this Christmas.

Have a wonderful week before Christmas!



15 comments:

  1. I think I am ready. If this week is anything like the past couple It will be emotional.each week has gotten worse and I tend to cry for no reason (ok sometimes its the pain in the wrist) but as much as I love Christmas listening to music etc I am also struggling at the oddest times. I cant settle to watch Christmas movies and christmas books well they make me cry! for that matter everything makes me cry. I have most of the baking I can handle done just need to ice some. I will be home alone. I am ok being home for lunch but may go over the road for part of the afternoon.
    I find I cant handle being alone all day. even today I have been for a walk, did some work this morning so out most of the morning but been home for the afternoon and feel I need to go out cos the walls are closing in on me. Ok you dont need to be brought down by me.

    I am enjoying my christmas village and have one tennant, I have to live in the church cos its the only blue building!

    I want to make fudge but if you remember my chocolate bud delima that someone ate the replacements then they didn't have them at the supermarket. Well they have been out of them since end of last week so fudge is on hold.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "Someone" ate the replacements? Hmmm. I think that someone's twin lives at my house. I'm hard pressed to keep enough chocolate in the house this time of year.

      I feel for you, Jenny. This time of year can be the worst if we're hurting. I had a taste of it at church yesterday - we sang a hymn that I had suggested for my mom's funeral, and all I could think about was that the next time I sing that song will probably be then. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

      Keep doing what you can to help your wrist heal! I'm still keeping you in my prayers for healing inside and out.

      Delete
    2. I like to call them the Chocolate fairies. The same one is now devouring a can of condensed milk.

      Thanks The days its sunnier I do much better. the wrist isn't as bad tonight oh and the good think about panadol is I haven't had a headache for days! Oh I do have sugar cookies to ice (even bought the glace cherries to add to some only I tend to eat them too.)

      On the plus side the apricots are almost ripe and I have the info on how to dry them the bad news the birds found some of the ripe ones.

      Delete
    3. Jenny, I think going across the road to be with friends is a great idea. I hope you end up having a good day.

      The apricots sound yummy!

      Delete
  2. I haven't even started being ready...well did some Christmas baking with my daughter yesterday. Shortbread, sugar cookies, chocolate thumbprint and lemon poppy seed spirals. But I haven't done any shopping. :-0 My days are consumed with work and getting to and from work and my part-time job eats into the weekend so....I might just be a Christmas Eve shopper this year. Gasp!

    I like this cheese spread idea. Bet it would taste good with veggies as well. Maybe I'll bring that to a potluck this weekend instead of a dessert. That would shock everyone!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL, Kav! Tell them you're starting a new healthy kick. :)

      Delete
    2. My mom was a teacher for twenty years, and I remember that flurry of activity in the few (too few) days between the last day of school and Christmas Eve!

      What's really sad is that I've realized that frantic pace is actually nostalgic for me...so I put off my Christmas baking until the last week. (Shopping is done, though!)

      And yes, this cheese spread is great with veggies. It's also good as a bagel topping :)

      Delete
  3. Jan, this sounds amazing! I don't think I've ever made cheese dip or a cheese ball. But we love them around here. I look forward to this! May be a nice treat for Christmas Eve.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is amazing - and the batch I made to take pictures for the blog is nearly gone!

      I'll be making more for Christmas Eve, too.

      The last several years we've had a Christmas "Tea" for supper that night - I call it tea because it's all finger foods, but no one ever drinks tea. Hot cider, yes. Tea, only me.

      But it's a perfect supper to put together in the afternoon, and then it's all set when we get back from church.

      And the finger foods (veggies, cheese spread and crackers, fruit, etc.) are perfect because someone usually suggests a game of Settlers of Cataan or Dominoes before bed...

      Delete
  4. Amen and Amen, Jan. I couldn't agree more with your thoughts.

    As for this recipe, I am SO making this. We love just about anything cheese and this sounds like a yummy cheese spread. And I was so excited to see you actually own a bottle of chipotle chili powder. Whoo-hoo! You go, girl!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I LOVE chipotle chili powder! I use it in everything!

      Okay, not everything. Not cookies. And never chocolate.

      But chili, tacos, cheese spread....

      Delete
    2. BUT, having said that, I'm determined to try it in those Mexican Chipotle Chocolate bites you shared last week!

      Delete
  5. Oooooo! I love all thigsn cheese, and especially cheese balls. I tried making a cream cheese and smoked salmon ball once. Ruined a whole lot of cheese and salmon. Shoul have looked up a recipe!

    And agreeing with a saddened heart to everything you had to say at the end.

    Praying for all the victims and their families.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Love cheese balls. Thanks for the new recipe.

    And Amen.

    Peace, Julie

    ReplyDelete