From The 'Burg to Your Kitchen

It’s unbelievable that we are less than a month away from Thanksgiving – my favorite holiday of the year. I love to cook and I love preparing all the special things that go with the meal for my family. I decided to start a week early with my monthly Thanksgiving recipe theme! This week, we are going to focus on some starters – maybe something to hold your guests over while they wait for the delicious meal you are cooking!

Cranberry-Pecan Cheese Ball

Ingredients:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

6 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded

3 oz. gorganzola cheese, crumbled

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 Tbsp. minced garlic

2 scallions, sliced thin

3/4 cup dried cranberries

Salt and pepper to taste

3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans

Directions:

Combine all ingredients except for pecans in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is almost smooth. Put the pecans in a shallow dish. Scoop the cheese mixture from the food processor with a rubber spatula and add to dish with pecans.

Shape cheese mixture into a ball. Press ball into pecan mixture to coat. Refrigerate for up to 8 hours; remove from fridge 30 minutes before serving. Serve with crackers or pita chips.

Jalapeno Popper Dip

Ingredients:

8 strips of bacon, cooked and chopped

2 cloves garlic

2 fresh jalapenos, chopped

2 – 8 oz. blocks cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup sour cream

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp. pepper

8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using a cast iron skillet, put on medium heat and add garlic and jalapeno, cook until softened about 2 minutes. Remove from heat – add the cream cheese, mayo, sour cream, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper. Whisk until smooth.

Stir in two-thirds bacon. Sprinkle cheddar cheese over top of dip. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Top with remaining cooked bacon and slices of jalapeno.