Sausage Balls

You know, it really doesn't matter what the occasion, for a snack, sausage balls seem to hit the spot with our family.  I have tried lots of different recipes but this one seems to be the favorite around here.

Ingredients:
2 pounds sausage
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups biscuit mix
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

To prepare:

• Several days prior to making these, have your sweet husband use his new, handy, dandy meat grinder that you gave him for Christmas to make some sausage.  (He used a Boston Butt that we had in the freezer.  It was a trial and error process - sometimes the 'run' would be too sage-y, sometimes it was too fire-y from red pepper.  The end product needed a bit more fat - which he had anticipated - and was a bit more pepper-y than he intended.  Boy, is it tasty, though!)
• Weigh out two pounds of sausage using the new, handy, dandy scale you got for your birthday and dump it into your mixing bowl - the sausage, not the scale.
• Add the softened cream cheese to the sausage.

• With the dough hook attachment, mix together using the new, handy, dandy mixer your sweet husband gave you for Christmas.
• Add half the cheddar cheese; continue mixing.  Add the other half of the cheddar cheese and mix well.

• Mix in biscuit mix a half-cup at a time until the mixture is well blended.

• Sausage balls may be frozen, uncooked.

• While it is blending, stand back and admire your new, handy, dandy mixer and the fine job it does and just how beautiful it is!
• Using your handy, dandy one-tablespoon scoop (that has been spritzed with vegetable oil), dip out and drop balls onto a baking sheet that has been lightly spritz with vegetable oil spray.

• If you are planning to freeze sausage balls, drop onto wax-paper-lined baking sheet.

• How did the rows on that one get wonky like that?  That usually drives me crazy and I have to fix it.  Since I was less than half through, I guess it didn't bother me too much.  

Even though the picture is a bit fuzzy, this pan is much more pleasing and rows are uniform!

• If freezing, set pans in freezer for several hours or overnight till frozen through.  Then, remove from wax paper and store in a zipper bag or seal in plastic with one of those vacuum seal machines.
• Bake fresh sausage balls in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or till brown.
• If baking frozen sausage balls, add a few minutes to the baking time.

These are great warm from the oven or reheated in the microwave.  Our family likes them either way!