Camille’s Cooking: Spicy Sausage Balls with Cherry Pepper Dip

BY CAMILLE ORRICHIO LOCCISANO

Socializing, partying, and celebrating are some of our greatest pastimes, and that is especially true when football season arrives! When watching the game, finger foods, and generally fun edibles are easy to pop into our mouths while we savor the addictive flavors.

My sausage balls are reminiscent of the old fashioned southern sausage cheese balls that have been popular for many decades, and they are easy and quick to make.

They require no frying and just a simple 15-minute bake. Prepare a scrumptious batch along with my easy-to-make cherry pepper dip, and you are ready for a touchdown!

 

SPICY SAUSAGE BALLS

1 pound loose sausage meat

2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

1 cup Bisquick

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon onion powder

 

In a large bowl, use your hands to mix sausage meat and Monterey Jack cheese very well.

In a smaller bowl, whisk Bisquick, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin and onion powder.

Add Bisquick mixture to sausage bowl. With hands, mix all ingredients and roll sausage meat into one-inch balls.

Place the balls on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

CHERRY PEPPER DIP

1 cherry pepper

1 garlic clove

1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup Greek yogurt

 

In a food processor, pulse the cherry pepper, garlic and cilantro while streaming in the olive oil. Stir cherry pepper mixture into Greek yogurt and mix well. Serve sausage balls with dip.