Pumpkin Pie Cheese Ball

INGREDIENTS
2 8 ounce packages cream cheese, slightly softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, (see Notes for substitute)
1 1/2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies
graham crackers, apples, and additional gingersnaps for dipping.

INSTRUCTIONS 

With a mixer blend the cream cheese and butter together until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and brown sugar and blend well. Add the pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice until combined.

Spoon mixture onto plastic wrap in a ball shape. The mixture is wet so it won’t quite be a ball but do your best to make a ball or pumpkin shape. Wrap mixture tightly with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 4 hours or until firm.

Once ball is frozen remove from the freezer. Place gingersnap crumbs on a large plate or platter. Unwrap the ball. It may look scary but will look fine once the crumbs are on it. Roll the ball in the crumbs, pressing the crumbs into the ball. I noticed that if I let the ball sit for a minute before rolling it had enough moisture to make the crumbs stick. Wrap ball in clean piece of plastic wrap and store in the freezer until serving.

To serve: Remove from the freezer about a half hour before serving. The ball can also be stored in the refrigerator for a day or two and will be in a softer state. Any longer than that, it should be stored in the freezer.

Cut into wedges and serve with graham crackers, apple slices, or gingersnaps. Graham crackers are our favorite because it really tastes like pumpkin pie.

NOTES
If you don’t have Pumpkin Pie Spice, you can make your own. The substitute for 1 Tablespoon of Pumpkin Pie Spice is: 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/4 teaspoon allspice.
This substitution is just shy of 1 Tablespoon but close enough that it shouldn’t make a difference in taste.

Quick & Easy: 4 Ingredient Orange Chicken

INGREDIENTS

• 5 cups frozen chicken nuggets cooked according to the package directions
• 1 cup orange marmalade
• 1/2 cup BBQ Sauce
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a medium microwave-safe mixing bowl, whisk together the orange marmalade, BBQ sauce, and soy sauce. Heat in the microwave on high heat for 45 seconds, then whisk the sauce until smooth (there will be small chunks from the orange rind in the orange marmalade).
2. Pour the sauce over the fully cooked chicken nuggets (be sure the nuggets are freshly cooked and hot) and toss to coat.
3. Serve the orange chicken hot over steamed rice.

CREAM CHEESE AND CRAB SUSHI ROLLS

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup white rice
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cucumber
• imitation crabmeat, leg style
• cream cheese
• nori sushi sheets

1. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil, and add the ginger and rice. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is cooked.
2. Add the rice vinegar and salt to the rice, and mix well.
3. Lay out your seaweed sheets.
4. Moisten your hands with water and divide the rice evenly between the 2 seaweed sheets, flatten the rice. Leave about a half inch of space not covered with rice at the top of the sheets. This will make the sushi roll easier to close.
5. About an inch from the bottom, arrange the crab, cucumber, and cream cheese in a straight line, from one side to the other (left to right).
6. Gently but firmly, roll the sushi as tight as possible (from bottom to top), being careful not to rip the seaweed sheets.
7. Wet a very sharp knife and cut the rolls into individual pieces of sushi.