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Cozy Fall Mornings: Garlic Cheddar Sausage Balls

© Keetha DePriest Reed

My elementary school held a Harvest Festival each fall. Besides the end of the school year itself, that carnival was the highlight. The week before the festival, each class had a day when they could set up in the cafeteria and sell all kinds of treats during recess. The class who raised the most money got an extra half-day out of school for the Thanksgiving holiday. Believe me, that was more than ample motivation. Every year, at least one smart mom would bake a batch of sausage balls. She would package them three or four to a small white paper bag, printed with a Halloween design. The sausage balls would still be warm, the paper bag already getting greasy. They were delicious and looked forward to each autumn. Last fall, before traveling to Texas to spend a long weekend with family, I came up with this version of sausage balls. The minced garlic perfectly complements the cheese and sausage flavors. If you're a garlic freak, go ahead and add more. Treat a neighbor (and yourself) to this delicious breakfast snack, perfect for crisp cool autumn mornings.

Garlic Cheddar Sausage Balls These are a great take-along snack (or hostess gift) because they can be baked completely and placed in a tin or any airtight container, layered among absorbent paper towels.

3 cloves garlic, minced 16 ounces grated sharp or extra sharp Cheddar cheese 1 pound sausage (hot or mild), room temperature 2 1 /2 cups biscuit mix 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend dash Worcestershire sauce

Combine minced garlic, cheese, sausage and biscuit mix in a large bowl. Mix until thoroughly combined. Add Italian seasonings and Worcestershire sauce and mix well.

Shape into small balls and place on an ungreased baking sheet.

At this point, the Garlic Cheddar Sausage Balls can be baked immediately or frozen.

To freeze, place baking sheet with Garlic Cheddar Sausage Balls in the freezer for at least one hour. Write baking directions with a permanent marker on a zip top freezer bag and place the frozen balls in the bag and return to the freezer. When you're ready to bake a few, simply remove the amount you need from the bag and cook on an ungreased baking sheet; no need to thaw first.

To bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place Garlic Cheddar Sausage Balls on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from baking sheet and place on paper-towel lined tray.

(Recipe can be easily doubled or tripled.)