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Basketball fever is in full effect! It is almost impossible to go somewhere and not hear people talking about the latest game or see it on TV. In our office, brackets are always the topic of the day. We love having friends over to watch sporting events to a few of the basketball games is another great reason for a sports related party in our basement! Of course, no party is complete without party food. My latest addition to the game day spread are hot and spicy cheese meatballs.

These meatballs are the perfect little one bite appetizer that any sports fan can grab on their way back to the couch to catch the next play. With the perfect mix of spicy and cheesy goodness, they practically disappear from the table when I put them out. To make them unique, I used all new Cheez-It Crunch’d in place of my traditional breadcrumbs.

Ingredients for Hot and Spicy Cheese Meatballs:

1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
½ Tbsp oil
1 lb ground beef
½ lb ground pork
2 eggs
1 cup finely grated cheddar cheese
2 cups Cheez-It Crunch’d Hot & Spicy

Let’s Make It:

1) Heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

2) Add Cheez-It Crunch’d to food processor and pulse to turn into crumbs. This should yield about 1 cup of Cheez-It crumbs.

3) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil.

4) In a large bowl, combine beef, pork, eggs, cheese and ground cheez its. Mix together. Add onion mixture, water, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper. Mixture together, using your hands, until all the ingredients are well blended.

5) Shape meatballs and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until cooked through.

I had some of the Cheez-It Crunch’d left so I served them alongside the Cheez-It Grooves that H picked out.

I found both of the Cheez-It items in my local Target while we were shopping for other party related items {like fun little basketballs for the kids to throw around}. Be sure to use the Cartwheel coupon for an additional 35% off the Cheez-It sale price of 3 for $8 when you shop!

Do you have a favorite Cheez-It flavor? If so, be sure to vote for it in the Most Valuable Cheese Contest going on now through April. You can vote for your favorite flavore and play games for a chance to win $10,000.