Friday, December 18, 2009

Countdown 'til Christmas ~ Day 7/Christmas Appetitizers

Wow! SEVEN more days until Christmas!
Can you believe it is almost here? Tuesday night, Ashley's Junior Class put on a short program for their parents and friends.
Earlier in the day, they performed it for the Elementary, and then Jr. High/High School classes. It was a precious play, and quite comical, that they had written themselves, concerning the real meaning of Christmas.
{Ashley is the one in the black & white scarf.}

I was asked to oversee the reception. It was a very simple layout. Ashley's teacher asked the kids to bring cookies, and out of 15, or so, plates of cookies, 12 were chocolate chip. :)

My food contribution was a Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball, an assortment of pre-cut cheeses, and the punch.
The Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball is easy, delicious, and always a big hit.
Thought I'd share the recipe....


Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball
Ingredients: 1- 8 oz. Cream Cheese, 1/2 cup Butter, 1/4 tsp. Vanilla, 2 tbs. Brown Sugar, 3/4 cup Conf. Sugar, 3/4 cup Mini Chocolate Chips, 3/4 cups Pecans.

First) Beat softened cream cheese, butter & vanilla until creamy.Second) Slowly add sugars until blended.
Note: This is a perfect time to take a break, and lick the beaters. Don't worry, you are through with them at this point, so no nasty little germs will be spread. {If that is what you were thinking. lol! } I assure you, it is a delicious treat! :)
Third) Stir in chocolate chips with a spoon.
Mound into a small dish, or form into a ball. {May have to refrigerate just a few minutes, to form the ball.} Chill for at least 1 hour.
Optional: Roll in pecans (3/4 cup)
Serve with graham crackers or chocolate wafers.

The pre-cut cheeses, below, I also took for the reception.
These came straight from a bag, but I wanted to show off the pretty pieces I served them in. The two larger ones, were passed down from Aunt Bo, and the smaller one was found at a yard sale.
They are beautiful in person, and also make great candle pillar holders.



And lastly, I don't have a picture of the punch, but it was delicious, and I thought I'd share that recipe also. A friend gave the recipe to me, and I was very pleased at how it turned out!

Angi's Punch
Ingredients: 4 pkgs. Kool-aid (any flavor...according to what color you desire punch to be, I used lemon-lime to resemble Christmas green.), 2-48 oz. Pineapple Juice, 4 cups Sugar, 4 qts. Water., 2-3 bottles Sundrop

Directions: Mix all of the above, except Sundrop, several days ahead of event. Pour into zip-lock bags about 1/2 full. Freeze. The day needed, take bags out to thaw to a thick slushy material. (Or thaw enough that you can break up with a knife.)

Pour mixture into a punch bowl, and add Sundrop to taste.

~~~~
Linking this post to Foodie Friday, hosted by Designs By Gollum,
and
"Would you like Chocolate with that?" hosted by Lisa at Stop 'n Smell the Chocolates.
~Rhonda :)

8 comments:

onlymehere said...

Is Sundrop a southern thing? I feel so uneducated, lol!! I absolutely adore those serving dishes. I never would have thought to put the cheese in them. Your recipes are always so unique and fun too. I'm loving the chocolate chip ball idea! How fun for Ashley also to perform in this and to have helped write it is pretty special too :) This was a really fun post. Now, if I can just figure out what Sundrop is....

Amelia said...

Oh that chocolate chip ball sounds so good...must make it this season.

Anita@Theycallmejammi said...

When I saw Sundrop in your recipe, I knew you were a fellow Southerner. The Chocolate chip ball sounds yummy.

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Oh, Rhonda, I cold dive head first into that chooclate chip ball!

XO,

Sheila :-)

The Quintessential Magpie said...

P.S. Enjoyed your pictures! I remembered that I meant to tell you that when I went cookie mad! ;-)

GARAGE SALE GAL said...

MERRY CHRISTMAS FRIEND!!!
First there is chocolate covered marshmellows and now chocolate chip cheese ball...YUMMY!!
Your Christmas table is lovely!
May your Christmas be MERRY and BLESSED!
Warmly,
Deb :)

Unknown said...

Oh I must make that chocolate chip cheese ball - yummy!! And the cheese looks so pretty in those dishes! And the punch sounds good too though I'm not familiar with Sundrop - is it a citrus soda?

Thanks for linking up! Merry Christmas a little early! I hope to go back and catch up on your Christmas countdown when I have a little time - love that you are doing that!

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