Sunday Sunday

Feels like my Sunday started on Saturday this weekend. I volunteered to make something for the today's pre-Sunday School coffee time. During Lent everyone is gathering before Sunday School to watch the video introduction to the week's chapter of "24 Hours That Changed The World."

So yesterday I made lots of sausage balls and mini-muffins. The sausage ball recipe is an old one. If you are close to my age, you probably have the recipe. If you don't have it, I'm happy to share.

Someone this morning said, "We never have these except during the holidays!" I agree---I have never made these in March before. It's usually during the fall that I'll pull this recipe out for tailgating or holiday get-togethers.

I got so busy this morning setting up for the coffee time that I forgot to make a photo of the sausage balls. (I made about 15 dozen.) All but a handful were eaten, so there was no chance to make a photo afterward. Closest thing I have is the photo above. These had just come out of the oven.

You'll have to use your imagination to picture the beautiful table that Big Sister set up while I was making lots of coffee--a tiered tray of blueberry and orange-cranberry mini-muffins, a plate of apple slices and a huge tray of warm sausage balls. I was thankful to have her help this morning.

SAUSAGE BALLS

1 (1-lb.) package of ground sausage, hot or mild (I use Jimmy Dean's)

3 cups Bisquick

4 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese-- almost 1 lb. (don't buy pre-grated cheese for this)

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste (I omit this if I use hot sausage)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well with your hands. The mixture will be crumbly. Form into 1-inch balls, squeezing the mixture so it holds together, then rolling it between the palms of your hands to form balls.

Place the balls on the baking sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. To prevent sticking, move the balls with a spatula halfway through baking.   

Yield:  5-6 dozen

My hints for making these:

• Really--don't buy a bag of grated cheese for this. Grate your own. Trust me.
• I like to add my grated cheese and Bisquick into the mixing bowl in layers, so that the cheese doesn't all clump together.
• Crumble up the uncooked sausage as best you can as you add it to the bowl. Makes it easier to mix in.
• Take off your rings before you start to work this together. You'll be happy I told you this.
• It takes a lot of squishing and squeezing to get this to stick together. But it will. Don't give up.
• Recruit a husband or boyfriend to help with the mxing. Evidently, it's a tradition for many husbands to help make these. It's quite a workout.
• Lining the baking sheet with parchment paper keeps them from sticking so you don't need to move them around halfway through the baking.
• Make enough so that you can have some when they first come out of the oven.
• You can make them a day ahead and then reheat them briefly in the oven.

**Big Sister proof read this post for me. She asked if I had made a mistake and typed Sunday twice in the title. I sometimes forget that you readers cannot read what is in my mind. "Sunday Sunday" is a play on the title of one of my favorite songs from the 60s--Monday Monday.