Here is the recipe for the cheeseball that I made for last night's gift opening at mom's house:

2 packages cream cheese, softened

2 green onions, finely chopped

4 oz shredded American cheese

1/2 Teaspoons paprika

1.2 Teaspoons garlic

1/4 cup dry spinach dip ( you can find this at Amish bulk food stores.)

1.4 cup artichoke, cooked and finely chopped

4 Tablespoons ranch dressing

2 Tablespoons softened butter



Mix all ingredients, and chill overnight, in a covered bowl. Form in a ball, then roll in nuts or dryed spinach ( can get this at bulk food stores, too.)

Serve with sesame crackers. I can get you the recipe for homemade crackers, too. I don't make them, but Godmother does, and she also makes a date cracker that is very good, too.

Merry Christmas to all!!! We opened gifts and had snack foods last night, and are having our dinner today. Momma made homemade fudge, chocolate buckeyes and hams sandwiches. I made a Spinach-Artichoke-Green-Onion cheeseball. Everyone loved it. I have been eating baked potatoes in the microwave and tuna melts- they are so cheap, and so much healthier for you, as the tuna has B vitamins and the potato has them too, as well as potassium.

I have been traveling to Indiana. I stayed at an Inn that had a wonderful fireplace. I rocked in the rocker, sipping hot tea, after a long day out. They had a wonderful Manhattan Roast Beef dinner. Indiana's State Parks is having a winter special. You buy one night, and the next night is free. I paid a little over $74.00 for both nights. They had a shelf full of board games. I chatted with the dining room manager, and she is frugal, like me, too. Her husband is master winemaker at a vineyard in Plainfield. I hope to visit there next year.
The weather was nice, up until last week, when we got some snow. It didn't stick around too long, though. I just got back from Indiana around 1 Am, and can't sleep, so I thought I would catch up on blogging. I need to finish some writing, too, on my fourth book (second novel) which was supposed to be out this month. It was just so hard to write when my wrist was broken. I miss everyone on here. I don't miss the mean local person who flamed me after mos tof my posts. I will be visiting different winter travel spots next week, and will keep you posted on frugal places. The cable guy who hooked up my digital internet/phone/cable told me that his friend had paid off over $9,000 in debt by doing the Dave Ramsey system. That is great!!! I hope to have my student loans paid off by the end of next year. I plan to do more book signings, sell more of my private-label Amish foods, and do more paid appearances. I will be working alot, with my contracting business, but it will be cool to be debt free.