Cheddar Ranch Igloo Cheeseball

This is the simplest appetizer – made extra cute with a few extra minutes of shaping. It’s also a huge crowd pleaser. Who doesn’t love cheddar and ranch?

I love entertaining during the winter. I’m not talking Christmas – I’m talking the doldrum months that start the year. Everyone seems extra excited to have something to do – which means a fun, themed get together is alwasy a highlight.

This igloo cheeseball is the perfect snack for a winter movie night or winter wonderland party!

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Grilled Nachos

I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who didn’t like nachos. Even the pickiest kids are usually totally cool with chips covered in cheese. Thus, nachos may just be the perfect dish to bring to a party – and a cookout is no different because they also can be made on the grill.

I love making a big, loaded up tray for our family for dinner, but a nacho bar would be such a fun idea for a cookout! You could set up all the ingredients separately and use loaf pans for individual servings. Write names on the foil covering to keep track of everyone’s custom orders!

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Baked Cranberry & White Cheddar Dip

Looking for small batch recipes this holiday? Or ways to use up leftovers? This appetizer nails both because not only is it perfectly sized for a single family, it also use up the one thing I always seem to have left over – cranberry sauce.

This dip is only 4 ingredients and is super easy to put together. It’s also a beautiful balance of creamy, sweet, and tangy and the beautiful color from the cranberries makes it look at home on any holiday table.

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Loaded Baked Potato Salad

With the uncertainty of everything going on in the world lately, I’ve really found myself seeking comfort in the familiar. It’s meant a lot of revisiting old recipes – things I know everyone will like and that I can practically make with my eyes closed they’re so familiar.

With a husband who isn’t a fan of traditional potato salad, this version – which mashes up potato salad with the flavors of a loaded baked potato – became a favorite in the early days of the blog (and our marriage). As grilling season kicks off, I thought it was the perfect time to give this recipe a refresh.

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Cheddar Ranch Chicken Thighs

These days, I perpetually feel like I’m out of time when dinner comes. It was bad before social distancing and now I feel like the kids are attached to me 24/7. What’s a cook to do?

Prep the quickest dinner possible, of course. These cheddar ranch chicken thighs are ready for the oven in under ten minutes – which is just about the amount of time I can distract the kids for.

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Pretzel Crusted Chicken in the Air Fryer

Do you have an air fryer? I was a hold out for so long – I just didn’t think it would be as amazing as everyone was saying. And then I got one.

Reader, I’m eating my words. I love it.

The ability to make food that tastes fried without actually having to bust out the oil is a game changer for me!

This pretzel-crusted chicken is a dream topped off with a cheddar-mustard sauce and chopped pickles.

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Cheeseburger Soup

Happy #SoupSwapDay! This is seriously one of my favorite food days – both on the blog and in real life! Each year, I host friends for a soup swap. It’s an afternoon of soup sampling, good conversation – and we go home with enough soup for the cold winter days.

Cheeseburger Soup 3

Online, I get together with my blogger buddies to share new soup recipes. This cheeseburger soup is one the whole family has been loving!

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Savory Cheddar Herb Cheesecake #ImprovCookingChallenge

Cheese and crackers are this month’s #ImprovCookingChallenge theme – and one of my favorite snacks. They’re the main ingredients in this appetizer – but they’re elevated to something perfect for a dinner party.

Savory Cheesecake 3

This savory take on cheesecake features a crust made of crushed crackers and three different kinds of cheeses.

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