Make My Day Camp: Baked Broccoli Cheese Balls

Monday, April 29, 2024

Baked Broccoli Cheese Balls

I saw this recipe and thought it seemed like something baby Georgie would like, I asked Mickey if all the ingredients were ok and if she thought it would be ok for G to eat - she said 'forget George, can I have some too HA!" and "She can eat all of them! The balls just have to be big enough that she can’t shove the entire thing in her mouth but otherwise that’s amazing!" So I rolled the balls a little bigger using my medium scoop (about 1.5") and they were done in 18 minutes. The original recipe says you can serve them with marinara as an appetizer, with a salad for a light meal, with tomato soup or a grain pilaf for a heavier meal.

Ingredients

- 2 cups of broccoli florets, finely chopped
- 1 cup of breadcrumbs
- 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Cooking spray, for greasing

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly greased foil.

2. Steam the broccoli florets until they're tender-crisp, which should take about 3-5 minutes. Let them cool, then chop them up nice and fine—you can even throw them in a food processor if you're short on time!

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped broccoli with breadcrumbs, cheddar, Parmesan, eggs, flour, garlic powder, and onion powder. Season with salt and pepper, and give everything a good stir until it's well mixed.

4. Shape the mixture into small balls, about an inch in diameter, and place them on the prepared baking sheet.

5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese balls are golden and firm to the touch.

6. Let them cool for a few minutes before serving.

Servings: Makes about 24 (1") cheese balls (or 20 1.5" balls)