Goat cheese is definitely a type of cheese that had never made it to our table in 18+ years, until the end of 2011.  Chavrie, the #1 go-to folks for America’s freshest goat cheese, sent my family some to try and I have to say, I didn’t expect me or my bunch to like it all, but 3 of out 5 of us did.  Truett wasn’t a fan but he’s 5 and he has lots of time to acquire a taste for new foods.  The other was Toby, who is probably as picky as I am but the main reason he wasn’t a fan was because of the pecans.  I should have taken that into consideration when I made it.

While I would consider goat cheese a food for the refined, I convinced myself not to be intimidated by it.  I looked in my fridge and pantry, thinking about how I could incorporate Chavrie authentically into our ranch style, family friendly menu.  I considered many things but decided on a finger food that I could serve up during holidays, get-togethers, and even for our Sunday Super Bowl party.    This really is very easy, very few ingredients, but there is a couple of things I’d change.

1) Instead of plopping a huge spoonful of the goat cheese spread on each slice of pretzel roll, I’d spread a thinner layer.

and

2) I’d probably bake for even longer to allow the pretzel roll slices to crust up a bit.  Although, I’m not sure how that would effect the goat cheese spread.

With that said, here is how I decided to use the Chavrie goat cheese.

I took the Chavrie Original 5.3oz package, mixed with honey and a few finely chopped pecans, and spread over slices of pretzel rolls.  I just baked until the roll slices were warm.  I used Sister Shubert’s Pretzel Rolls and sliced them into 4 pieces. Don’t ask me amounts because to be quite honest, I didn’t measure the honey at all. I just poured

NOW FOR THE GIVEAWAY!

This is a fantastic giveaway that includes lovely Crate and Barrel items and Chavrie Goat Cheese goodies.

This list is as followed:

• Crate and Barrel Sweets Pedestal $24.95
• Crate and Barrel 5-piece Mixing Bowl Set $34.96
• Crate and Barrel French Wire Wisk $10.95
• Crate and Barrel Set of 4 Magnetic Measuring Cups $9.95
• Crate and Barrel Set of 4 Magnetic Measuring Spoons $7.95
• Chavrie Fresh Goat Cheese Coupons
• Chavrie Dessert Recipes
• For the Love of Goat Cheese Cookbooks

———->To enter this giveaway, you simply need to answer the following question (this is required to be entered):

Which recipe would you make if you won this fabulous prize package?

Be sure to pay the kind sponsor of the giveaway a visit too!

Chavrie’s website

Chavrie’s Facebook page  They have a coupon on there too!

Chavrie’s Twitter page

This giveaway ends on February 9th, about 4pm CST.  In full disclosure, Chavrie sent me the same prize package, as well as, sponsored this giveaway.  All opinions are my own.

Summer snacks are big deal when you have kids at your house all the time, and finding ones that are friendly on the pocketbook can sometimes be a challenge. I remember the first time I had these Firecrackers-crackers with seasoning, and they were delicious! I thought they’d make the perfect snack for this 4th of July!

Disclosure: I am an official Walmart Mom. Follow me and my fellow Walmart Moms as we share our experiences and ideas! Walmart has provided me with compensation and gift card in return for my time & efforts to create this post. My participation in this program is voluntary and my opinions are my own, always have been, always will be.

Recipe was submitted by Diane R, into March’s Food Challenge where the theme is GREEN.   Here is what Diane had to say about the recipe…

(I chose this recipe to submit because I make it for Christmas and my friends and family love it—and I’ve been asked to bring it to a neighborhood St. Patrick’s party again this year.
When I first made it I made it as directed—but when I made it for Christmas this past year I thought I bought sun-dried tomatoes—but they were actually red peppers!—but I used them anyway and it was still great.
And since we have a huge garden every year with an over abundance of basil, I make my own pesto and freeze it, and have always used that instead of a store bought jar. I also canned tomatoes this summer which I diced and added to the torte for an extra ‘fresh’ flavor~~but store bought ones are fine as long as you strain the juice well.   As you can see in the picture, on this one I added the diced tomatoes to the bowl first so that when I turned it out onto a bowl the tomatoes were at the top, and with the red, white and green, it was a very pretty dish to add to our table for the Christmas eve buffet……even tho half of it was eaten by my daughters and a friend even before the company got here!

Ingredients

• 2 8-ounce pkgs. cream cheese
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 small jar oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
• 10 ounce jar of pesto
• 1/2 cup grated parmesean cheese
• 1/ cup grated cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Beat butter and cream cheese together till smooth and well blended. Stir in the cheddar cheese.
2. In another small bowl mix together the pesto and the parmesean cheese.
3. Line a 10 to 12 ounce size bowl with plastic wrap. Divide the cream cheese mix into three parts and spoon 1/3 of the cheese into the bowl. Top that layer with 1/3 of the tomatoes.
4. Spread 1/3 of the pesto/cheese mix over top of the tomatoes.
5. Repeat the layers using the remaining mixtures.
6. Fold the plastic over the torte and seal well.
7. Chill overnight till firm.
8. Unmold onto a plate and remove plastic wrap.

Serve with a crusty bread or firm crackers..  You can also divide this and make two smaller tortes using custard-type bowls.

This post brought to you by Kenmore Live Studio. All opinions are 100% mine.

Popcorn is such a handy food because you can do so much with it.  You can eat with butter, covered in almond bark, or even as tasty appetizers!  I love creative food ideas and this Pittsburg Popcorn will soon be a favorite at your football party!

Before I get to the recipe video, I want to talk about the big game day.  I’m sure many of you know by now that I’m a HUGE football fan so I’ve tried to share tons of recipes and fun game ideas & tips for hosting a football party.   Now, as a Texan, I clearly support the Cowboys, who have had a pathetic year so I’m left with only two choices; the Packers and the Steelers.  Great.  I’ve decided that I won’t choose.  I think the Packers are gonna win but I will probably root the Steelers on since they’re the underdog, according the wide world of sports.  And since I’m rootin’ them on, I’m sharing with you a delicious recipe, Pittsburg Popcorn.  Good lord, it just doesn’t get any easier to make and popcorn with bacon??? Well, EVERYTHING is better with bacon right!

As you drool over the SUPER DUPER EASY recipe, tell me what team you want to see win the Super Bowl and what Super Bowl Recipes you’ll be eating during the big game day!   Be sure to check out that link too because there are some other awesome recipes and if you’re like me, you’re always looking for something new to cook up.

Put your caps on, gather your pennants and let’s yell it together, GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO STEELERS!!!

My guys depend on me to have their snacks & food ready for game time. I really dislike cooking on game days because I’m a huge football fan and would prefer to sit on the couch and watch with the rest of them. But the fact is, I am in charge of bringing the food to the fans so I’m always making things that are simple and great fillers. I shared with you my shopping list of football food the other day and now it’s time to share what I did with it all.

First, I started with what took the longest, which of course was the jalapeno poppers. They are the most time consuming but so worth it! Here is the whole process with photos of making the jalapeno poppers. I’ll show you all the finished food at the end of the post.

Now that those are done, I’ve moved on to Truett’s favorite, “pigs in a blanket”, using lil’ smokies and crescent rolls. I took one triangle and cut it into two pieces, then rolled a lil smokie up in it.

Then I moved to hot dogs, a teenager favorite around here. Every since my mom showed me how she makes them, it’s now the ONLY way we do it. It’s a simple process. You take a piece of foil big enough to wrap the hot dog in. Lay the bun down first, layer with the weiner, some chili, and a strip of Kraft Velveeta sliced cheese. Wrap it up and set on the pan. We partnered them up with the pigs in a blanket on the same pan to save time.

While those were baking, which is just a few minutes, I whipped up some homemade bean dip. Super simple! Take a can of refried beans, a can of ro*tel chili, chili powder, cumin, and salt; mix together. I warmed it over the stove top together but you don’t have to. You can add sour cream, cheese, and salsa for a 7 layer type of dip but we wanted simple this time around. I bought one big bag of Frito Lay Fritos and one smaller bag of Great Value ‘corn chips‘ since I had never tried them. We thought the Great Value ones were just as good and will be spending our money on those in the future. The Frito Lay bag was around 4 bucks and the Great Value was $1.50. The Great Value bag was smaller but even buying two of them to equal the big bag of Frito lay, would be cheaper.

So we have Jalapeno poppers, Pigs in a Blanket, Hot dogs, and Bean dip. We bought some soda and had tea on hand. Because my guys picked the food out, it was a big hit!

Maybe you’re looking for snacks that are a little lighter? You might try these 3 appetizers.

Top it all off with the fun, Football Oreo cookies! Truett LOVED them and even kept trying to throw a pass with one, to his Dad! They just give that perfect little touch when throwing a football party at home! They are a limited edition of Oreos but when I saw them, I just had to have them!

If you need more ideas, I’ve got queso, sweet fries, hot sauce, dips, and brunch bites.

Food is not the only thing game time is about, it’s also about halftime games, pre-craft ideas for the kids, and making sure you have a fun football environment for everyone enjoying the game! Go check it out because I put together some fun ideas for you that are easy and budget friendly. And if THAT doesn’t get you in the mood, I have a big ol’ list of over 50 of the best football movies ever!

What do you do for game time?

*Disclosure: I am a participant in the Walmart Moms program. Walmart has provided me with compensation and a gift card in return for this post. Participation in this program is voluntary. All opinions are my own, always have been, always will be.

Snack attack time! School is out, it’s Summer time and the kids are hungry but don’t fret parents, Chili-Cheese Dogs to the rescue.   Of course you can always heat up a corn dog but a chili dog with cheese in a blanket is way better!  What I love about this recipe is that the kiddos can help you make them.  By doubling the recipe, you can be sure that you are making enough for everyone or even for a picnic!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3/4 pound of ground beef
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion salt and ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 (13.8oz) tube refrigerator pizza dough
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 8 hot dog wieners

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400′

1. Heat the oil in small pot over medium high heat.  Add the meat and brown.  Season meat with chili powder, garlic, onion and salt & pepper.  Add the tomato paste and stir; then addd 1/4 cup water to help loosen the tomato paste.  Simmer for 5 minutes and turn off heat.
2. Roll out the pizza dough into a big rectangle.  Cut the dough in half lengthwise with a small knife.  Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces across so that you end up with 8 small rectangular pieces of dough.  Across the center of each rectangle, place a couple of spoonfuls of chili sauce and sprinkle a small handful of cheese on top.  Set the dog on the dough and wrap and roll the pizza dough around teh dog as you would for pigs in a blanket, sealing in the chili and cheese.  The nubs of each end of the dog should be peeking out.  Arrange on a baking sheet and bake for 18 minutes or until brown.

LITTLE HELPERS

The little helpers can measure ingredients, shred the cheese, and roll the dogs in blankets.

Down, set, HUT HUT VELVEETA!  Yep, it’s that time again, time for the championship football game that all of us football fans anticipate the whole year!  And what comes along with football?? That’s right!!! DIP!  You can’t watch such an exciting football game without dip and chips, come on now.   Not only do we root teams on like the Dallas Cowboys or Indianapolis Colts, but also our own home town six-man football team, the Highland Hornets.  We paint our faces and went to the State championship game last year but lost.  Good game though.

I have used Velveeta for what feels like forever in many diverse recipes like Shrimp Stroganoff Casserole but I think many folks associate Velveeta with dip. The two go hand in hand after all and you can’t have a football party without it!

As one of the 2010 Velveeta Kitchenistas, I’ll be bringing you vlogs all year, this being the first one.  I do a few personal vlogs that are me rambling but doing a recipe was a challenge and while my video isn’t’ the best, I have confidence that my future ones will be awesome!

Please keep in mind when watching the video that I’m new at cooking in front of the video. Also keep in mind that my teens were cracking me up over and over again so I ended being a little more serious in the final cut that I intended. My next ones will get better, promise!

This Velveeta dip consists of only 3 ingredients, with on optional ingredient, making it very affordable to feed a crowd.  It also literally takes less than 10 minutes to make.  It’s so easy and so good!

VELVEETA Chorizo & Beer Dip

Ingredients

• 16oz of VELVEETA Cheese
• 1/4lb of Beef Chorizo
• 1/2 cup of Beer
• Green onions for garnish (optional)

Directions

Cook chorizo in medium skillet on medium-high heat for about 5 minutes or until done, stirring occasionally; drain.  Microwave VELVEETA and beer in large microwaveable bowl on high for about 5 minutes or until VELVEETA is completely melted, stirring after 3 min. Stir in chorizo.

Extra: Garnish with green onion slices before serving.

Don’t forget that Velveeta is on Facebook too and are always sharing great recipe ideas along with Velveeta fans sharing their own!

Disclosure: Please know that all opinions are my own and that I only work with companies that I love, use everyday. and truly believe in. If you have any questions about my ethics, read my full disclosure and/or email me. Just like before, I have partnered with VELVEETA as one of theVELVEETA it! Kitchenistas. I have been compensated for my time commitment to the program, which includes vlogging about my cooking experiences with VELVEETA and developing one original VELVEETA-based recipe. I have also been compensated for the food purchased for my VELVEETA vlogs.

The Witches Brooms were so cute that I just had to make and share these Mummy dogs with you today.  Check out these cute pigs in a blanket, Halloween style!!  Tell me those are not cute, I dare you!  And you could use mustard or ketchup as the eyes.  With all the Halloween sweets I’ve been posting, I thought these would make for a great appetizer/snack!  You’ve seen similar recipes around but I’d love to see your final creation of the mummy dogs!

Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations refrigerated flaky dough sheet
• 2 ½ slices American cheese, quartered (2.5 oz)
• 10 large hot dogs
• Cooking spray
• Mustard or ketchup, if desired

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 375°F.  If using crescent rolls: Unroll dough; separate at perforations, creating 4 rectangles. Press perforations to seal. If using dough sheet: Unroll dough; cut into 4 rectangles.  With knife or kitchen scissors, cut each rectangle lengthwise into 10 pieces, making a total of 40 pieces of dough. Slice cheese slices into quarters (1/2 slice cheese, cut in half).  Wrap 4 pieces of dough around each hot dog and 1/4 slice of cheese to look like “bandages,” stretching dough slightly to completely cover hot dog. About 1/2 inch from one end of each hot dog, separate “bandages” so hot dog shows through for “face.” On ungreased large cookie sheet, place wrapped hot dogs (cheese side down); spray dough lightly with cooking spray. Cut slits for eyes. Or draw features with mustard or ketchup once cooked.  Bake 15 to 19 minutes or until dough is light golden brown and hot dogs are hot.

Just because you want to offer healthier snacks for your next party (and maybe the next Super Bowl party) doesn’t mean you have to cut ALL the goodness out!  Offering foods that are cooler make a party lighter.    Try these 3 very simple, but tasty food ideas at your next get-together and I bet you’re gonna be surprised at how big a hit they’ll be!

Tip: To make things even healthier, you can substitute several of the items with low fat products like the cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream.

Knorr’s Spinach Dip

• 1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed (do not use fresh)
• 1 1/2 c. sour cream
• 1 c. mayonnaise (I use Hellmann’s)
• 1 (4 oz.) pkg. Knorr vegetable soup mix
• 1 (8 oz.) can water chestnuts, finely chopped
• 3 green onions, finely chopped
• Round Loaf of King’s Hawaiin Bread

Squeeze spinach until dry. In medium bowl, stir together spinach, sour cream and soup mix. Add finely chopped water chestnuts and green onions. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight. Cut slice from top of round loaf of pumpernickel bread, hollow out loaf to leave shell to contain dip. Use bread removed from shell and top slice to cut into bite size pieces. Butter inside of bread shell, fill loaf with dip and place on platter and surround with crackers or even vegetable sticks.

Meat and Cheese Platter

Obviously no recipe involved but this was a hit! Cubed cheese surrounded by a variety of deli meats.  Oh so good!

Basic Cream Cheese Fruit Dip

• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese,softened
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients and beat until smooth and creamy. For Marshmallow Fruit Dip:  Add 1/2 cup marshmallow creme to the basic recipe.

What kind of finger food do you serve at home parties? And are you as challenged as I am?

The Super Bowl is right around the corner so if you’re looking for some quick and easy recipes to make your party delicious, look no more!  Also, tonight at 10:30pm CST, I’ll be hosting a radio talk show on Super Bowl Party Ideas for a fabulous party!  Join me and listen, chat or even call in!

DIPS

The Ultimate Cheese Dip

5-Minute TexMex Dip

(be sure to read the comments because they mentioned some great variations to make this!)

Holy Moly Guacamole!

Lori’s Hot Sauce

YUMMY BITS!

Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Jalapenos with Cream Cheese

Cocktail Weiners

Bacon Brunch Bites

Now this is a breakfast appetizer BUT you could totally use pizza sauce & toppings instead!!

DRINKS

• Slush Punch
• Peachy Iced Tea
• Jello Shooters (Alchohol in this one)

For a HUGE list of other recipes from around the web, check out the list Tipnut compiled and shared!