entertaining

Entertaining

We’re taking this beloved, retro recipe up a notch with Italian sausage, gooey Camembert cheese and fresh herbs. Meet your new favorite appetizer, or a mighty fine addition to family movie night!

This post is written in partnership with Cheeses of Europe. 
Let’s bring a little retro back this season, shall we? Maybe you’ve heard of them or maybe they’re new to you – regardless, we’re willing to bet these cheesy sausage balls will be a hit at your next family gathering!
Often made with sausage, boxed biscuit mix, and Parmesan, we’re celebrating a new version today that elevates this appetizer with French cheese, panko breadcrumbs and fresh herbs.

What is Camembert?
Camembert is a soft, creamy cow’s milk cheese that originated in Normandy in Northern France. Inside its white edible rind you’ll find a smooth, soft cheese that becomes stronger and gooier with age.

How Do You Make Sausage Balls?
Skip the biscuit mix and take the tried-and-true meatball route: use Panko breadcrumbs soaked in milk and egg to lighten the texture of the sausage and help the balls hold together.
Once you’ve mixed the sausage with the breadcrumbs, the next step is to form them into balls and slip in a piece of cheese. Then it’s under the broiler they go, taking a mere 10 to 12 minutes to brown and cook through.

What Kind of Sausage Should I Use?
Buy loose sausage if you can find it, but perhaps the easiest is to look for large Italian sausage links that are on the mild side—too spicy and the flavor of the Camembert treasure inside gets lost.
Can I Make These in Advance?
Once you form your sausage balls and roll them in the herb coating, you can refrigerate them for up to 24 hours before cooking.

How Should I Serve Sausage Balls?
These little appetizers would be great for watching the game or serving along with a few finger foods on a special occasion. But hey, they’re easy enough to throw together on movie night or any day of the week.

Camembert-Stuffed Sausage Balls Recipe

Ingredients
For the Herb Coating:
3/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
For the Sausage Balls:
Vegetable oil spray, or about 3 tablespoons olive oil, for pan
1 large egg
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 pound loose Italian sausage meat, or from links with casings removed
3 ounces Camembert, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Toothpicks, to serve

Method

1 Preheat the oven. Set a rack about 6 inches from the broiler element and preheat the oven to broil.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper and spray or brush with vegetable oil.
2 Mix together the herb coating. Pulse the Panko crumbs for the coating in a food processor until they’re broken down into very fine crumbs; alternatively, place the Panko in a zip-top bag and roll over them with a rolling pin.
In a shallow bowl, mix the parsley and breadcrumbs.

3 Make the meatball mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, Panko breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper together.
Let stand for 5 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are soaked with the liquid. Mash with a fork.
Add the sausage meat and combine until well mixed.

4 Form the meatballs: Portion the meatballs into 16 pieces that are each about 1 1/2-inches in diameter.
Hold a meatball in one hand and press a piece of cheese into the center. Wrap the meat around the cheese and seal.

5 Roll in coating: Roll the balls in the herb coating mixture, and set on the baking sheet. Spray lightly with vegetable oil spray, or dab lightly with a brush dipped in oil. (The balls can be assembled and refrigerated at this point for up to 24 hours.)

5 Broil the meatballs: Broil for 10 to 12 minutes, or until browned and the meat is cooked all the way through.
6 To serve: Transfer the meatballs to a serving platter and insert a toothpick into each. Sprinkle with more chopped parsley. Serve warm.

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This post may contain links to Amazon or other partners; your purchases via these links can benefit Simply Recipes. Read more about our affiliate linking policy. LEGGI TUTTO

1 Preheat the oven and prepare the pans and bowls: Heat the oven to 350˚F. Place parchment paper circles in the bottoms of two 8-inch wide, 1 1/2-inch deep round cake pans; coat the pans with nonstick spray.
Place the bowl and whisk (stand mixer, hand mixer, or stand-alone bowl and whisk) you’ll use for making whipped cream in the freezer.
2 Make the cake: To a large bowl add both the granulated and brown sugars, breaking apart any large clumps of brown sugar with your fingers. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and whisk to combine.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Gradually whisk in the hot coffee to form a fairly loose batter.

3 Divide the batter and bake the cake: Divide the batter between the cake pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.
Let the cakes cool for 30 minutes in the pans before turning out onto a cooling rack to cool for 30 minutes more.
Note: If you don’t want to finish assembling the cake, let the cakes cool completely and wrap each cake round individually in plastic wrap, then foil and refrigerate for a few days or freeze the cakes for up to three months.

4 Cook the cherries: While the cakes are cooling, put the cherries and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fruit has softened and released a lot of its juice, 15 to 20 minutes.
Strain the fruit. Reserve both the liquid and the cherries. You will use them at different stages. (You should have about 1 cup cherry juice.)

5 Make the cherry syrup: Return the cherry juice to the saucepan over medium heat and reduce until thick and syrupy, 10 to 15 minutes. You should have about 1/3 cup once it’s reduced. Stir in the Kirschwasser.

6 Cut the cake rounds and brush them syrup: The cakes could be slightly sticky or tacky. To prevent them from sticking once sliced, place them on a square of parchment or have a large cake lifter or metal spatula nearby to help with transferring the rounds.
Cut the cakes in half horizontally so you have 4 circles. Using a pastry brush, brush the cut sides and the edges of the cakes with the cherry syrup, to prevent them from drying out. You should end up using all of the syrup, but it’s okay if there’s a little bit leftover. Let the liquid soak in and wait for the cakes to finish cooling, about 30 minutes.

7 Make the whipped cream: Remove the bowl and whisk from the freezer. Using either a stand mixer, an electric hand mixer, or brute force, add the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and extract to the bowl; gradually increase the speed to medium-high and whisk until the cream holds stiff peaks, but isn’t lumpy. If using a stand mixer this comes together within a couple of minutes so don’t walk away.
If making stabilized whipped cream find instructions for that here.

8 Assemble and decorate the cake: Place one cake round on a plate cut-side up and top with a quarter of the whipped cream. Spread within a half inch of the edge and then scatter with a third of the cooked cherries; place another cake round on top and repeat for two more layers. Place the last cake round cut-side down on top and spread with the remaining whipped cream.
Decorate with the shaved chocolate and cherries as desired.

9 Serve: This cake is best eaten the day it’s assembled or the following day. But you can still enjoy any leftovers for a day or two after that so nothing goes to waste. LEGGI TUTTO

This hearty Brussels sprouts and kale salad is full of crunchy nuts and bacon, and tossed with a tangy dressing. Plus, several elements can be prepared ahead, making assembly a breeze for your holiday table or weekday lunch.

Photography Credit: Kalisa Marie Martin

Salad doesn’t always get the glory it’s due, but that’s not the case here. With toasted nuts, dried fruit, crispy bacon, and a sweet and tangy vinaigrette, this salad can stand proudly on its own—or right alongside your holiday show-stoppers.
The kale and Brussels sprouts provide the perfect base for these sweet and savory accompaniments, and the recipe itself is quite flexible. Want more cranberries? Go for it! No bacon? That’s fine, too. See below for ideas on swaps and substitutions.
Whether you follow this recipe exactly or put your own spin on it, you’ll end up with a hearty salad with great texture and an exciting combination of flavors.

HOW TO PREPARE YOUR VEGETABLES
While you could use a food processor to shred your Brussels sprouts and kale, a sharp knife works just as well and leaves fewer dishes to wash!
For the Brussels sprouts, peel off any dry or wilted outer leaves and trim off the stem end. Cut them in half lengthwise and, with the flat side down, thinly slice the sprouts into shreds.
For the kale, remove the leaves from their stems, and then slice the leaves into thin strips.

PERFECT SALAD SWAPS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
When it comes to this salad you can swap almost every ingredient for something else to keep the flavors fresh and new every time you make it.
As far as types of kale, both curly and lacinato can be used. The bacon adds a nice salty and savory bite so, if you omit it, use salted nuts to maintain the balance.
Nuts: If you don’t have pecans, other nuts like walnuts, almonds, or pistachios would be delicious. Need it to be nut-free? Pumpkin seeds would also be great.
Dried Fruit: You could replace the dried cranberries with dried cherries or golden raisins or even fresh fruit like pomegranate arils.
Cheese: If you’d like to add cheese to this salad, you could go just about any direction. A soft goat cheese, funky blue cheese, hard pecorino—whatever you like! Use between 1/2 to 3/4 cup (based on your preference) and add to the salad right before serving.
HOW TO MAKE BRUSSELS SPROUTS SALAD AHEAD OF TIME
This is a great make-ahead dish because several of the components can be prepared at least one day in advance.
Shred the kale and Brussels sprouts and store them in an airtight container in the fridge the day before you want to serve the salad.
Toast and chop the nuts a week in advance. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
Make the dressing three days in advance. Just keep it in the fridge.
Once all of the ingredients are combined, you still have time on your side. It actually needs 10 to 30 minutes for the kale to soften and the flavors to combine but, after that, it’s best eaten that same day. It will still be delicious a couple of days later, though the dressing will continue to soften the kale especially, making the salad wilt.

MORE FESTIVE SALADS TO LOVE

Kale and Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Bacon Recipe

This salad is best enjoyed the day it is prepared. After a couple of days, the dressed salad, though wilted, will still be delicious. I use two kinds of mustard, but if you only have one or the other that’s okay too.

Ingredients
For the Salad:
1 pound Brussels sprouts, wilted outer leaves peeled off and discarded
1 pound fresh kale, about 1 large bunch, rinsed and patted dry
6 strips of bacon
1 cup pecan halves
1/2 cup dried cranberries
For the Dressing:
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons whole grain mustard
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

Method

1 Cook bacon: In a large skillet lay bacon in individual slices, cook until desired level of doneness. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Cool and chop.

2 Toast the pecans: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread pecans out over a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring once, until toasted and fragrant. Transfer to a cutting board to cool then roughly chop.

3 Prepare the Brussels sprouts and kale: Trim off the bottom of the Brussels sprouts and cut them in half, lengthwise. Then, with the flat side down, thinly slice the sprouts into shreds.
Remove the kale leaves from their stems and, using a knife, thinly slice the leaves into strips. Discard the stems or save for another use. Into a large bowl, add the Brussels sprouts and kale. Mix to combine.

4 Make the dressing and dress salad: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the vinegar, maple syrup, mustards, salt, and pepper.
Whisk in the oil until thoroughly combined and then pour the dressing onto the combined Brussels sprouts and kale. Mix until well coated and let sit at room temperature 10 to 30 minutes (refrigerate if longer).

5 Assemble and serve: When ready to serve, add most of the pecans, bacon, and cranberries and stir to combine. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with the remaining pecans, bacon, and cranberries.

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Kalisa Marie Martin
Kalisa Marie Martin is a classically-trained chef with a background in food science and nutrition, based in the Philadelphia area. She shares her unique perspective on food with the world at Kalisa Marie Eats. Kalisa has also been gluten-free for over 15 years and loves the challenge of recreating whatever she might be craving.
More from Kalisa LEGGI TUTTO

A chocolatey riff on the classic Adonis cocktail, this drink is made with crème de cacao, sherry, and vermouth. This low-proof cocktail feels so special you won’t know what you’re missing. It’s equally perfect for a holiday cocktail party or Friday movie night!

Photography Credit: Sam Schick

The Chocolate Lark accomplishes the near-impossible: surprising complexity and body for a low-alcohol cocktail, enshrouded in a deliciousness that stops shy of being a dessert. This cocktail is one any host should have up their sleeve.
In fact, as a lower-proof cocktail, its character is entirely built on the interplay of its compelling ingredients—specifically, sherry, vermouth, and creme de cacao.

THE LIQUORS FOR THIS COCKTAIL
Shy with alcohols, gregarious with flavor: The Chocolate Lark sees a sherry complemented by a deep, rich vermouth, and a dark crème de cacao. Each is a character in its own right, but together, they practically sing.
Amontillado sherry is an aromatic, intriguingly dry fortified wine. Aged in oak barrels and beneath a layer of flor (yeast), this sherry’s concentrated aroma and dynamic flavor are rich in the nose, but light on its feet. Amontillado is the rosé of the sherry world: darker, less dry than fino sherry, but lighter than oloroso. Lustau Los Arcos Amontillado Sherry is your best fit, but this recipe also works well with light, dry sherries, such as manzanilla or fino.
Carpano Antica Formula (a vermouth) has a strong body, dark complexity, and self-assurance that has made it a standard in bars the world over. Its strong vanilla notes are joined by cacao nib, orange peel, and dried cherry. If you want something more than a basic sweet vermouth but cannot find Carpano, try Coccchi Vermouth di Torino, Cinzano Rossocchi Vermouth di Torino, or Cinzano Rosso.
A dark crème de cacao provides the chocolate wheels on which this cocktail rolls. Too often misused and abused, crème de cacao is best when used with some restraint (no more than 3/4 ounce). This will add just enough richness, sweetness, and depth. Tempus Fugit Crême de Cacao à la Vanille, a recipe recreation from the liqueur’s heyday, is a great choice, as is Marie Brizard Brown Cacao Liqueur.

OTHER INGREDIENTS FOR THIS CHOCOLATE COCKTAIL
Chocolate Bitters are going to amplify not only the chocolate of the crème de cacao, but also the deep body of the vermouth. You can make your own, go with Fee Brothers Aztec Chocolate Bitters, or be really interesting and try Bittermens Xocolatl Mole Bitters.
Fresh lime juice pairs wonderfully with the chocolate while brightening the cocktail. Reserve a single wedge of lime to coat the rim of the coupe glass if you are going to garnish the cocktail.
Black sugar is a useful, if not necessary, garnish. (I’ll confess that I often skip the sugar.) It’s an unrefined brown sugar (the molasses content of which makes it black) and lends the rim of your glass a sweet, gravelly ring. Your best bet to find it will be local specialty shops or Amazon.
A LOW ABV COCKTAIL THAT STILL FEELS SPECIAL
We get some specialness out of this drink precisely because its chocolate is not allowed to overwhelm; it’s like an ingenue doing a surprise turn as a character actor: definitely noticed in every frame, but holding enough back as to draw your attention, rather than force it.
We get balance (not easy to come by without a stronger base spirit and the risk of oversweetening the concoction) from the surprise combination of sherry and lime juice, as they together bring a welcome acidity and brightness alongside the rich seasoning of the vermouth and sweetness of the crème de cacao.

THE HISTORY OF THE COCKTAIL
This cocktail is a riff on The Adonis cocktail, a sherry, vermouth, and bitters number that dates back to the late 1880s, and is named for the first Broadway musical. (The Adonis was itself a riff on the Bamboo, which went with a dry, “French” vermouth.) So why are we calling this a “lark”? For that, you can thank Shakespeare, whose poem “Venus and Adonis” refers to a “gentle lark,” which is perhaps the best description of this cocktail.
Now, cocktails and sherry go back a long way—once upon a time, sherry was as common a base ingredient as gin or whiskey. And for good reason: the fortified wine provides both body and acidity, levity, and complexity while leaving room for a broad range of other flavors to play their parts.
ANY VARIATIONS OR WAYS TO SWITCH IT UP?
Port of Adonis: Add 1 ounce of Tawny Port, and reduce the vermouth to 3/4 ounce, to introduce a dark stewed fruit flavor against the briny minerality of a drier sherry.
Stronger Adonis: You would be sacrificing the drink’s coveted status of low-ABV, but substituting cognac for the sherry, and a tawny port in place of the Carpano will go down very well indeed.
Chocolate Coronation: Substitute Maraschino for the simple syrup, and Marie Brizard’s Cacao Blanc for the dark creme, and you’ll have a chocolatey riff on the Coronation, an aromatic, delicately fruity cocktail from Harry Craddock’s 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book.
MORE LOW-PROOF OR NONALCOHOLIC DRINKS

Chocolate Lark Cocktail (Low-Proof) Recipe

Ingredients
1 ounce Amontillado sherry
1 ounce Carpano Antica
3/4 ounce crème de cacao
1/4 ounce fresh lime juice
1/4 ounce simple syrup
2 dashes chocolate bitters
Black sugar (garnish)

Method

1 Garnish the glass: Just before serving, use a lime wedge to wet the outer rim of a chilled coupe glass. Turning the glass on its side, dip the outer rim into a small bowl filled with black sugar, and coat the outer top of the glass.
2 Make the cocktail: In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add the sherry, Carpano Antica (or vermouth), crème de cacao, lime juice, and simple syrup. Shake until cold to the touch, and strain into a chilled coupe glass.

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This post may contain links to Amazon or other partners; your purchases via these links can benefit Simply Recipes. Read more about our affiliate linking policy.

Sam Schick
Sam Schick is a designer and drinks historian living in Seattle, WA with his joy Megan Gordon (our Marketing Director!) and their two small kids. There he helms the design firm Neversink, savors every quiet last sip of an Islay Scotch, and tirelessly works on new chartreuse recipes.
More from Sam LEGGI TUTTO

1 Prepare the oven and pan: Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line a 9×13-inch ungreased glass baking dish with parchment paper, leaving enough of the paper hanging over the sides to use as a sling to remove the bars once they’re baked.

2 Make the crust: Add the graham crackers to the bowl of a food processor and pulverize them until they are finely ground and resemble sand. You should have a little over 3 cups once ground. (If you don’t have a food processor you can also do this by placing the graham crackers in a ziptop bag and smashing them with a rolling pin.)
Add the melted butter, light brown sugar, and salt; pulse until fully combined.
3 Transfer to the prepared baking dish: Spread the graham cracker mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish. Use your fingers and the bottom of a dry measuring cup to help press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the dish.

4 Bake the crust: Transfer the baking dish to the oven and place it on the center rack. Bake  for 12 minutes, or until the crust darkens a bit and smells slightly caramelized. Remove from the oven and cool slightly.
5 Make the custard: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, light brown sugar, cream, eggs, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla, until smooth and well-combined. Pour the custard over the graham cracker crust.

6 Bake the bars: Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the custard is set (the surface should look dry, taut, and the center should be firm), 50 to 60 minutes.
7 Remove from the oven and cool: Place the baking dish on a wire rack, and cool completely, at least 2 hours. Transfer to the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
8 Make the whipped cream: While the bars chill in the refrigerator, make the whipped cream.
In a well-chilled bowl, whisk together the cream and vanilla until stiff peaks begin to form. (If doing this by hand, this could take 10 to 15 minutes or more.) If you want to learn all about properly whipped cream read our post: How to Make Whipped Cream.
Once the cream has been whipped to stiff peaks, fold in the finely chopped candied ginger. If you’re piping the whipped cream onto the bars, pay close attention to how finely chopped the ginger is so it doesn’t clog the piping tip.

9 Cut the bars: When the bars are chilled, lift the parchment ends and remove from the pan. Use a long sharp knife to cut the pie into bars. For the cleanest lines, cut straight down rather than dragging the knife through the bars, and carefully wipe the blade between each cut.
10 Serve: Spoon or pipe a dollop of whipped cream on top of each bar, garnish with a piece of candied ginger, and serve. LEGGI TUTTO