Hello, darlings! Did everyone have a happy Christmas? I hope that you were able to have a day off and spend some time with your families–or doing whatever you fancy. Brian and I are visiting Pittsburgh for a bit and are enjoying all of this wintry weather!
Earlier this month, back in Baltimore, I was invited to a cocktail party hosted by my friends Rick and Ronny (They are the owners of RetroFurn). They are two of my favorite party hosts–and it was their last shindig that I brought the Party Cheese Ball!
Their holiday party was especially full of cheer because they live right in the middle of the famous Christmas light display on 34th Street.
So I had to bring something extra-special for this soiree. Something festive and delightful. But what?
Way back when I started this project, one of the tenets that I wanted to adhere to was frugality (waste not want not, hunties!) and this dish is a good example of that.
You see, at my workplace, breakfast meetings and luncheons and receptions are regularly held; and there are always leftovers. Sometimes copious amounts of leftovers. Disgusting amounts of leftovers. So sometimes I loot the workplace fridge for food that’s just going to go bad.
This particular day there was a ridiculous amount of cream cheese in the fridge. Pounds of cream cheese. So I figured that no one would notice if I nabbed 8 oz to make some dip.
So I selected Hearty Clam Delight, from Better Homes & Gardens Snacks and Refreshments, as my party offering.
I had all of the ingredients on-hand with the exception of some canned minced clams, so this really was thrifty. And pretty easy with the stand mixer. I just did a little “set it and forget it” and let the KitchenAid do its magic.
Of course I can’t leave well enough alone so this is how I modified the recipe to my taste:
- 6 oz cream cheese
- 6 0z can minced clams
- 1 tsp horseradish
- 1/2 tsp garlic salt
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire
- 1 tsp hot sauce
- 4 tbsp chopped green onion
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- TONS of Old Bay on top of mix
The result was good. Not particularly hearty, but indeed delightful. I mean, I put clam dip in a clam! Isn’t it precious?
The dip wasn’t bland (it might have been, had I stayed with the original recipe), but it wasn’t overly clammy, either. It got pretty good reviews from the party-goers. A few said that there was something nostalgic about it–that the taste took them back to being a kid. I just love it when food does that.
[…] last two times I brought Party Cheese Ball and Hearty Clam Delight. For Friday’s soiree I brought a Chili Cheese Log from Better Homes & Gardens Cooking […]
[…] topping got the centers all soft and chewy. These were good. Who knew that one day I would find the canned clam so versatile? I would definitely make these again for a […]
Yummy! Nothing fishy about this recipe!
Leigh
My mom always made that cheese ball for her Christmas parties- lived it!
Ohhh…back in the ‘Burgh for one doozy of a snowfall!
I’m loving it!
Em,
Just one observation. If you thought no one at work would notice that you “heisted” 8 oz. of cream cheese, they do now. Did I not teach you better? Don Corleone would be gravely disappointed.
No one wanted that cream cheese. And I bet that the rest of it has been festering in the refrigerator the entire time the university has been closed. BLARG.
OK – when I move to Baltimore – and that could be any time from January the 1st 2013 – I am going to live on 34th Street.
I have absolutely no understanding of how anything clam related can be edible but I DO love your serving of the clammy thing in a clammy dish. I’m not even sure that we can BUY clams here. But even if we can, I’m not going to. They give me the willies. canned – minced – clams – shivers…
And there is that Old Bay whatever it is making an appearance again. It’s a shame they don’t do transatlantic foodie pen pals (after reading about it chez vous I have registered for the UK one) because if they did and I got you I would DEMAND some Old Bay (whatever it is).
Very much looking forward to your 2013 adventures – love from Jenny your very British (and currently very drunk) correspondent.
Jenny, I love it when you read me drunk.
Email me your address and i will ship you some Old Bay ASAP.
Also, what kind of clams do they have on your side of the Atlantic? Razor? I know very little about European mollusks.
oooh that sounds tempting! Definitely the Bawlmer-inspired version w/ the Old Bay and all. I actually have a delish artery clogging hot clam dip made with ritz crackers and loads of butter that you’ve made me think of, I may just have to whip some up! (as if my arteries aren’t blocked solid from all the holiday eating :-))