An Easy Edible Super Bowl Party Cheese Football to Make With Your Kids for the Big Game

Good Food 

Here's a fun and healthy treat that you and the kids can make together if you're having (or going to) a Super Bowl party on Sunday. Come to think of it, I bet this edible snack would be a real hit (I mean kick) at any occasion that involves hungry football fanatics. 

This recipe and photo, provided by my friends at the California Milk Advisory Board, calls for Monterey Jack and Blue Cheese but I think this would be really good with any other cheese you like, such as grated cheddar cheese, so definitely feel free to experiment. I hope you and your kids have as much fun making this and you do eating it.

California Cheese Football 

Recipe

Makes 1 Football

2/3 cup (6 ounces) California Cream Cheese 

2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 cups (8 ounces) grated California Monterey Jack cheese

2 cups (8 ounces) crumbled California Blue Cheese

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted 

2/3 cup coarsely crushed rye crackers 

In a large bowl or food processor, combine Cream Cheese, garlic, salt and cayenne pepper. Beat or process until blended and smooth. Add Monterey Jack and Blue cheeses as well as walnuts, and beat vigorously until ingredients are evenly mixed. If using a food processor, take care not to over-mix; cheese should retain some of its texture. 

Chilling is not essential; however, the mixture will be easier to shape if refrigerated for 2-3 hours. Spread rye cracker crumbs on a large plate or sheet of waxed paper. Dampen your hands with water to keep the cheese mixture from sticking to them. Pat and press mixture into a football shape; don't worry about keeping the shape perfect. Pat on cracker crumbs, pressing gently so the crackers stick. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill until ready to serve. 

Optional: Decorate cheese football with laces made from sour cream (or string cheese!). To pipe on sour cream, snip the corner of a plastic sandwich bag. Spoon sour cream into bag and gently squeeze out of the snipped end to pipe onto football shape. 

Readers Note: Please send me your photos if you make this yummy cheese football. I'll add them to this post with a link back to your own site. To participate just email low res JPGs no larger than 4"x 6" or 6" x 4" with requested link to janis at janis elspas dot com

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FTC Disclosure: The California Milk Advisory Board provided the recipe and photo for this post. MommyBlogExpert did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

Dog Treats Healthier Gourmet Food Review

Pets

Getting Your Dog to Eat Healthier

Sweet Potato & Venison. Sweet Potato & Chicken. Potato & Duck. Turkey Oatmeal Cranberry. Apple & Banana and Peanut Butter & Banana Treats. Organic Barley with Peanut Butter. Meat Enrobed Bones. Spiral Chews. Sounds more like a Five Star restaurant menu doesn't it? 

Head Dog Product Tester at Our House

MBE partnered with Mr. Chewy for this post

But, surprise! These Mr. Chewy delicacies aren't for you animal-loving humans. They're formulated especially for your beloved dog and the best part -- Daily Oral Care Treats not withstanding -- is they are all really nutritious and healthy for your dog and they taste great too.

Mr. Chewy Giveaway, Details Below

Not to worry about having to hoof it and shop all over town at multiple gourmet walk-in pet stores and online for all these and many other delectable delights that your four-legged Best Man's or Woman's Friend will appreciate. 

The best news is that you can buy all the pet treats, bones, and other chewable items personally taste tested by our family pet, Dexter the Miniature Pinscher, and a whole bunch more on a single website called Mr. Chewy. There are currently over 70 items for both dogs and cats to choose from here and the company keeps adding new products often.

Mr. Chewy Products Dexter Tried

If your experience is as positive as mine (and Dexter's) was, you'll no doubt find hard-to-find specialty items for your pets by brands that you already may know such as Pedigree, Natural Balance and even Newman's Own Organics among many other companies large and small. 

Luckily, the Mr. Chewy online store is easy to navigate and is well-organized because there is so much to choose from you'd expect to get overwhelmed by it all.  Another point worth mentioning is that there are a variety of products for every size and temperament of dog, so when shopping pick things suitable to your pet's age, weight, breed, and canine-ality.

Dexter Puts the Dingo Bone to the Test

As you can see from this video, our distinguished taster and critic loved the Dingo Bone. The customer service experience -- something that is really important whenever you buy over the Internet -- was way above average with the Mr. Chewy site, too. I literally received a confirming email a minute after I pushed the send button to request the dog treats that facilitated this review. Shortly after that, another message was sent indicating that my box had been shipped. Then several more emails kept me in the loop during transit and even after the package's arrival to make sure everything was satisfactory.

Unboxing by Dexter and His Assistant 

Four days later there was a large box of goodies on our doorstep. This company is based in Florida so keep in mind that your order may arrive even faster if you live on the East Coast or in the Midwest rather than in California like I do. Nevertheless, my order was packed and shipped and when it arrived all the contents surpassed my expectations.

Dingo Rawhide Bone was a Hit

The ultimate test is when you watch your dog enjoying your purchases. Dexter has already sampled each of the items that Mr. Chewy sent us and loves them all. Who better than your dog to confirm quality products like these next?

Now, for the giveaway

Mr. Chewy $25 Gift Card 

Giveaway

Ends 2/17/12

Want to win a Mr. Chewy Gift Card good for your choice of $25 worth of treats for your dog? Just follow the easy directions below. Enter daily to increase your chances of winning.

HOW TO ENTER

 

Just leave a comment(s) below this post!  Contest ends February 17, 2012 at 12 midnite PST and is open to legal residents of the U.S. only. Winner will be selected at random from all entries and will be notified via email.

Required (Mandatory) Entry

Simply leave a comment below this blogpost saying why you want to win this prize.  Don't forget to include your email address, Facebook and/or Twitter contact info in your first comment so we can contact you if you win.

Optional Extra Entries

Earn extra entries to win for doing one or more of the easy options listed below.  Just be sure to return to MommyBlogExpert (MBE) to leave an additional comment after each individual extra action you do to confirm so we can record all your additional chances to win.

1. Follow MBE on Twitter

2. Like MBE on Facebook

Super ***Bonus Entries***
You can earn even MORE chances to win each time you TWEET the message below, up to 3 times each day.  Don't forget to return to leave a comment on this post with the direct link right after every Tweet you do so you'll receive an entry for each of your RTs too.

Tweet:
Dog Gourmet Pet Treats Review & Giveaway http://tinyurl.com/89qqdtt #dogs #gourmet RT 2 #WIN @momspark @mrchewy

 

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FTC Disclosure: This review was made possible by Mom Spark Media. Thoughts are my own. All prizing for MSM giveaways is handled by a third party unless otherwise noted. For this reason prize fulfillment can take up to 90 days after the winners information is received. See additional details on MommyBlogExpert's disclosure policy at the bottom of this and every page on this blog.

Toyota Wins Two More Awards The Latest from U.S. News & World Report Best Family Car Competition

Automotive

All photos in post by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

Toyota is a super hot car brand right now and if you haven't already, checkout the MBE 2012 Prius v review from the Prius family of automobiles that has made this vehicle maker the number one manufacturer and seller of hybrid cars in the U.S.  When I just heard Toyota received not one but two 2012 Best New Cars for Families Awards from prestigious U.S. News Best Cars -- I couldn't be prouder as a member of Toyota Women Influencers Network to be sharing some more good news about the flagship brand.

Vintage photo: My 4 kids asleep in our SUV

Here's the latest. Among U.S. News just announced SUV and Minivan category top picks which included a total of nine winners, Toyota snagged awards for two of their models: the 2012 Toyota Sequoia for Best Affordable Full-Size SUV and the 2012 Toyota Highlander Hybrid for Best Hybrid SUV.

2012 Toyota Highlander SUV at L.A. Auto Show

According to U.S. News Best Cars the primary goal of this year's selections is to provide a valued resource for on-the-go moms and dads. Specifically, to have a trusted reference for those of us parents who might otherwise feel overwhelmed with all the choices when it comes to the best combination of things -- features, utility, safety, reliability, and the like -- that we might consider when shopping for a family vehicle.

Los Angeles Auto Show: New 2012 Toyota Models Make a Big Splash

For this competition, the editors of U.S. News combined the opinions of respected and knowledgeable auto critics to identify the top Cars and SUVs/Minivans in 18 categories. Elements considered during the selection process were safety, reliability, passenger and cargo volume data in addition to family-friendly features that modern consumers seek. 

Another Award: Best Resale Value of All Brands

Jamie Page Deaton, managing editor of U.S. News Best Cars mentioned the Toyota Sequoia and its abilities to handle rugged towing and foul-weather conditions in their press release. Additionally, Deaton said, "The winning vehicles provide the best mix of bells and whistles today's families want with the basics they need." 

The official news announcement also indicated that more than 20 million people have visited U.S. News Best Cars just within the past year.

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FTC Disclosure: I am a member of the Toyota Women Influencers Network TWIN community through a program with Clever Girls Collective. I did not receive any compensation for writing this post or payment in exchange for participating. The opinions expressed herein are mine, and do not reflect the views of Toyota or any of its brands. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.