Intro, and what I'm eating now.

Hi! I'm Karen B and welcome to my blog. I'm new to this, so bear with me while I get started.

I enjoy cooking... especially easy recipes. I like altering recipes to fit me and what I like (and sometimes even up the garlic to satisfy hubby). I also enjoy sharing recipes I have found with others... which is the reason behind this blog, I guess.

In the true meaning of sharing recipes, I invented "The Recipe Party." I had a relative that, when asked for a recipe for a dish she brought to a family event, proclaimed "I don't share recipes!" I thought 'hey... why not have a family get-together where a dish is brought with the intention of sharing the recipe?' The Recipe Party was born, and was welcomed into my family with open arms. In fact, I haven't had one the last couple years, and a couple relatives have been bugging me to get on the ball and have one. I may post details of how to host/have a recipe party in the future, but have kind of tossed around the idea of marketing it... hey, it's a cool idea, why shouldn't I make a little dough off it? :)

So, on to today's recipes. As I type, I am consuming holiday leftovers. I'm having cheese ball on bagel chips. So that is what you'll get to start out the blog.

Cheese Ball

1 pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 bunch green onions, diced (green part only)
1 pkg. corned beef slices (you can use beef or corned beef... just use the store brand, Budding, or whatever is really cheap... they are the chopped, pressed, processed, cooked and sliced really thin kind), diced

Mix all ingredients (squishing it all w/your hands is about the only good way to do this), shape into ball and chill. Serve with crackers, bagel chips, etc. The roasted garlic Triscuits and the 1/2 pretzel, 1/2 cracker things (Keebler?) are especially good with it.

As far as amount, I would use this size for 5-6 people. I triple to quadruple (or more) for large family get-togethers. Heck, I have relatives that would probably cry if I didn't show up with one of these over the holidays!


Bagel Chips

Unsliced bagels
Butter
Fresh garlic/garlic powder/garlic salt
Salt/seasoning salt

This is one of those "make it the way you want" kind of recipes. I use any kinds of bagels so long as they aren't sweet (like cinnamon-raisin). Poppy seed, cheese, onion, plain... they are all good, and feel free to mix and match. I got mine from a local grocery store's bakery, and just took what they had left. I think it was 9 bagels (if you want a more exacting quantity to start with).

I slice the bagels thinly from the top (lay flat, start slicing from one edge... you'll have all different shapes and sizes). A good serrated bread knife is good for this. I throw all the slices into a big roaster pan and set the oven to 'bake' at about 250. I let them dry out some, then melt a stick of butter to drizzle over top (stir them up frequently while drizzling to coat as many/much as possible). Shake on some garlic salt (or garlic powder and seasoning salt... or you can use salted butter and fresh garlic, or garlic butter... it is really up to you... FYI I used the garlic powder/seasoning salt combo this time). Just leave them in the oven, stirring them gently from time to time. As they dry out, feel free to sample to see if the flavor is to your liking... and don't hesitate to get creative... they are YOUR bagel chips, after all! They are done when they are a nice golden brown and all crunchy.

I'd like to thank Tom, a buddy from work, for this recipe. He brought some in to sample that his dad made... the recipe told to me like this: bagels, butter, garlic salt, low heat. Well, maybe it was a little more than that, but not much. It was enough to get me addicted to them. :)