Keri's Cookie Dough Cheese Ball

Today's recipe comes from TAA reader Keri. Her Cookie Dough Cheese Ball with Cinnamon Chips looks absolutely mouthwatering and it couldn't be easier...check it out...

I found this recipe and I had to share it with you. It's quick, easy, and absolutely delish! People cannot get enough of this dessert. Every time I make it - it's gone in a matter of minutes!!! I tend to not roll it into a ball, but shape it in a bowl and refrigerate over night. The next day I slide it onto a pretty plate and combine with homemade cinnamon chips (which are "heavenly" according to one of my customers!) I've attached a few before pictures. I was not able to get any after pictures bc there was nothing left to photograph!!! -Keri K.

 

Cookie Dough Cheese Ball
8 oz pkg cream cheese (softened)
1/2 C butter
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 C powered sugar
3 tbsp brown sugar (packed)
1 C mini semi sweet chocolate chips
1 C pecans (finely chopped)

Blend together the first 3 ingredients until creamy; add powered sugar and brown sugar, blending well.  Fold in chocolate chips; cover and refrigerate 3 to 4 hours. Shape dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refridgerate again until firm.  Roll in/pack on pecans before serving.
 
Cinnamon Chips
1 C sugar
1 to 2 tsp cinnamon
10 (10 inch) uncooked flour tortillas (I use the 8 in uncooked tortillas - if you cannot find uncooked, you can use cooked tortillas, but they will not be as crispy)
Butter flavored non stick spray
 
Butter spray tortillas (both sides) and use pizza cutter to slice in wedges.
Mix sugar & cinnamon together. Dip coated wedges into cinnamon sugar mixture and place on baking sheet in a single layer. Bake at 350 for 8 - 10 minutes. They will not be crispy at first. Store in airtight container after cooling (about 15 minutes).

Didn't Keri do an amazing job? This recipe is good enough to eat and I love her super chic presentation and photos. I have a picnic next week and I can't wait to bring this dessert to share! Oh, and in case you want more of Keri's creations, check out her Easter Chick Cake Pops!

My Birthday Fare Part II: South City Kitchen in Atlanta, GA

As I mentioned in Part I, I was on a solo business trip to Atlanta during my birthday but that didn't keep this food-obsessed chick from seeking out the best meal I could find. Already bored with room service from the night before, I set out to find some Southern cuisine and found some serious grub at the famed South City Kitchen. Boasting contemporary Southern food on the quaint Crescent Avenue, SCK is anything but serene yet the food was out of this world. Take a peak...(oh, and please excuse my uber dark photos on this one...I was sitting at the bar, it was dark and I was using my BlackBerry!)

Though I could have gone crazy with the appetizer menu (fried green tomatoes with goat cheese, crab cakes, strawberry salad, smoked bbq pork), I decided against any starters and instead feasted on not one but two corn muffins which were brought to the table in lieu of the traditional bread basket.

For dinner, I made like a local and went with the buttermilk fried chicken. Peppery, crispy, juicy but not  greasy, this delectable dish was served atop a bed of buttermilk mashed potatoes, green beans and bourbon gravy. Yeah, it was pretty wonderful and just about the most delicious way to ring in my birthday.

And since fried chicken, mashed potatoes and green beans just didn't seem to be enough to fill up this foodie, I also ordered a side of skillet mac & cheese. Yes, I realized that I'd probably need to be wheeled out of the restaurant on a dolly, but when in Georgia, right? And wasn't I totally justified in getting a side dish since I forewent the appetizer? No? Just me? Ok. But the skillet was a lot smaller than it looks in this photo...

Last but certainly not least, I enjoyed the SCK banana pudding at the recommendation of the diner sitting next to me. This was no ordinary pudding. Thick, creamy and custard-like, this pudding was more like a trifle. Layers of pudding, pie crust and homemade whipped cream filled my glass and I'm not going to lie to you...I put a decent dent in it.

So there it is. My super indulgent dinner down in the Southern city.

My Birthday Fare Part I: Oysters and Chicken and Cupcakes, oh my!

So while I still have a bunch of Aruba food fun to share with you, today I'm taking a little break to tell you a little about my recent birthday fun and food. As it turned out, work sent me to Atlanta over my birthday, so I quietly celebrated a few days later with Shaun and my family in a backyard barbecue.

Early dinner began with oysters and jumbo shrimp, items that Shaun and I purchased while down the Jersey Shore earlier that morning. I'll admit here and now: I had never tasted oysters before. A bit put off by its raw and slimey nature, I recalled Tony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential and his sermon on the heavenliness of oysters and how his first taste at age 8 changed his culinary, food-loving life forever. So with a plate of cold oysters shucked by none other that Shaun himself, I closed my eyes and went for it. The result? Resounding sweet success. Sweet and salty doused with a few drops of fresh lemon and a dollop of homemade cocktail sauce, I finally understand what the whole hoopla is over them. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking some up.

Next up was the main course of barbecued chicken wings, grilled yams and cauliflower salad. With her very own marinade, my mom cooked up enough chicken for an entire block party. Juicy and charred by the grill, I went with all drumsticks (rather than the other wings) and they did not disappoint. For the yams, we cut them into wedges, coated them with olive oil, salt and pepper and then grilled them up on a tray placed atop the grill. Mom also put her very own twist on traditional picnic potato salad by substituting cauliflower for the potatoes. Not a bad way to put a healthy twist on an old fave.

Last up was dessert and oh how my family knows my taste to a T. Moist and rich chocolate cupcakes frosted with traditional buttercream hit the mark and I'll admit to even enjoying them for a few days following the party.

So there it is. A tale of my homemade birthday feast and the first time I ever ate oysters. What is your ultimate birthday meal? Have you ever went out on a limb and tried something that semi-terrified you?