Gluten Free, Dairy Free Sausage Balls

It’s officially football season.  No Southern party or gathering is complete without sausage balls.  The original kind that pop up in every Southern household in the country involves Bisquick and good cheddar cheese, which makes them a no go for those of us with food allergies.  I had already successfully made these gluten free in the past with an easy substitution of gluten free baking mix (Pamela’s is best–step away from the brand name Gluten Free Bisquick–that stuff is nasty), so for yesterday’s opening season party, I determined to try to make them dairy free and see how our guests responded (Beware–if you come to eat in MY kitchen, you’re liable to be a guinea pig!).  I made the simple substitution of Daiya cheddar shreds and the end results were MARVELOUS.  While they were hot, the interiors were actually really creamy with the Daiya (which normal sausage balls aren’t).  The whole batch disappeared between the 4 of us in rapid order.  Everybody declared them a win.  #PartyFoodAchievementUnlocked

Ingredients:

• 1 pound turkey breakfast sausage, room temp
• 1 8 oz. package Daiya cheddar shreds
• 2 cups Pamela’s gluten free baking mix
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (omit if you can actually find spicy turkey breakfast sausage)

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large stand mixer with paddle attachment, dump in the sausage and cayenne pepper.  Mix until well blended.
3. Add in the Daiya shreds and mix until combined.
4. One cup at a time, add in the Pamela’s baking mix and stir until well combined.
5. On prepared baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat, roll mixture into balls (about 1 to 1.5 inches diameter).  I got  maybe 30 out of this batch.
6. Bake for 15 minutes.