Bacon on my mind

It's Baconfest week!  If you live in Des Moines you have probably heard of baconfest.  If not, it's basically a huge festival wrapped all in bacon.  It started about 8 years ago as a couple guys that loved bacon and started as a fun little get together, under a 100 tickets were sold.  They had some local vendors come in and give out samples of their best bacony creations.  It has gotten bigger and bigger each year and this year it will be 4 floors of bacon madness, with around 17,000 tickets being sold and 50 vendors selling bacony creations.  Since last year Hy-Vee has been involved with baconfest and we have been preparing for the festival this week.  My week started with bacon wrapping bacon spam!  

This is why  I have bacon on mind!

The great thing is Super Bowl is on Sunday as well, so what goes better with football than bacon? Even if you don't watch football, I'm sure you will catch the game or commercials.  If you have a party to go to then here is an easy fast and tasty treat for everyone.

It call it a loaded cheeseball because it's everything you want in a loaded baked potatoe but without the potato, unless you dip potato chips in it! Which it amazing!

So this is all you need, looks easy enough, right? Ranch, cheese, bacon?  Where could you go wrong with this picture?

So first you just need to put the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, ranch mix packet, green onion, and half the bacon into a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.  

Yes you can set the cream cheese out for it to softened and mix it all by hand, but whoever remembers to do that?   The mixer is fast and easy.

Now you just have to mix it, mix it real good!  Do do do do do do do dodododo do! Mix it real good!

Look it only took about 2-3 minutes.  Now just let it sit for a second and go to the next step. 

Put the pecans in the a small food processors and grind them. 

You want them into small pieces but not into a paste.

Mix the pecans with the rest of the package of bacon and set aside.

Now take the loaded cheeseball mixture out of the mixture and roll it into a big ball.  It is pretty big so it's good to take to a party because it is also very addicting that you could eat the whole thing without even trying.  

** COOL TIP: spray your hands with canola oil or cookbg spray before rolling the mixture into a ball, so it doesn't stick to your hands!**

Now when it a beautiful round ball, roll it in the pecan and bacon mixture, and put in a plate to serve.  

Look at the pretty deliciousness that is just waiting to be devoured!

Loaded Cheeseball

2 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese

2 c. Shredded cheddar cheese

1 (1oz.) pkg. dry ranch dressing mix

1 thinly sliced green onion

1 c. Real bacon bits

1 c. Chopped pecans

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix together the cream cheese, cheese, ranch mix, green onion, and 1/2 cup of bacon bits and mix until all incorporated.  Mix the rest of the bacon bits and pecans together on a plate or small bowl and set aside.  Form cheeseball mixture into a large ball and roll in the pecan and bacon mixture.  Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.  

-Cool