Celebration Cheese Balls
"Wrap up the season's best with festive cheese balls that are always in good taste! A few simple ingredients that go together in minutes...three fun, flavors that are darling, do-ahead treat. The recipe makes three cheese balls that you pull out of the refrigerator when guest drop by...or simply when you crave a tasty snack. They'll keep for up to 2 weeks in the fridge. Packaged up in colored plastic wrap and tied with bright ribbons, they also make a quick and easy gifts for friends, family and neighbors. Allow cheese balls, dips and spreads that contain cream cheese to stand out at room temperature 15 minutes before serving, and they'll spread more easily. Each serving is 1/4 cup. This came from Taste Of Home Cooking For 2. I have not tried this recipe just posting for safe keeping."
- Ready In:
- 15mins
- Ingredients:
- 15
- Yields:
-
1 cup
- Serves:
- 3
ingredients
-
Basic Cheese Ball
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
-
Pine Nut-Pesto Cheese Ball
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts and basil (prepared Pesto, Food.com wouldn't allow)
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted plus 1/2 cup, divided
-
Horseradish-Bacon Cheese Ball
- 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- 1⁄2 cup crumbled cooked bacon
- 1 green onion, finely chopped
-
Salsa Cheese Ball
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon minced seeded jalopeno pepper
- assorted cracker
directions
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, Parmesan cheese and garlic until blended. Divide into three portions.
- Pine Nut-Pesto Cheeseball: In a small mixing bowl, beat one portion of cream cheese mixture and pesto until blended. Stir in basil. Chop 2 tablespoons pine nuts; stir into cheese mixture. Shape into a ball; roll in remaining pine nuts. Wrap in plastic wrap; chill until firm.
- Horseradish-Bacon Cheeseball: In a small mixing bowl, beat one portion of cream cheese mixture and horseradish until blended. Stir in bacon and onion. Shape into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap; chill until firm.
- Salsa Cheeseball: In a small mixing bowl, beat one portion of cream cheese mixture, tomato paste and salt until blended. Stir in the cilantro, onion and jalapeno. Shape into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap; chill until firm.
- Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Serve with crackers.
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Reviews
-
Made this for a family Christmas Eve party and let them sit overnight to blend flavors. The horseradish/bacon one gets very high marks. The pesto ball was okay but somewhat overpowering with pesto. Since pine nuts here are about $9 per about a cup of them, I chose to use walnuts instead and they worked well. The salsa ball was not good at all, although one person said they liked it. The tomato paste was just plain weird and had to try to cover that up with more cilantro, red pepper flakes, and even some sharp cheddar. Plus, the salsa ball did not turn into a ball but more of a blob. Will be making the horseradish/bacon again, but won't be making the other two. Thanks for sharing...the idea was great.
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
<p>Square Meals Make Round People - Author Unknown <br /><br />Do It With Love---It Will Taste Better - Author Unknown <br /><br />I joined zaar in 2002 but I really didn't use it much on until 2006 after my computer crashed and I lost all my unsaved recipes. Now I post all recipes I've tried or would like to try. I'm actually making it my goal to try almost all the recipes I've posted as soon as I can. I love food and I love to eat and try different recipes. My favorite course is dessert. I love sweets! This leads me to that I did have Gastric Bypass surgery on July 25th 2008. On that note I love baking and cooking a priceless gift passed down from my grammy who I dearly loved and miss deeply. My grammy passed away 1/15/07. She was a wonderful cook and baker and taught me many things and the most valueable things was how to be a wonderful cook and baker like her. I really enjoy searching for new recipes especially here on Zaar. I'm always finding and adding to my cookbook new and exciting recipes. I also enjoy posting recipes here on Zaar as well. I really love collecting different cookbooks. I have over a 100 and growing! I collect mostly Taste Of Home & community cookbooks. The minute I get a cookbook home I sit down and I read my cookbooks from front to back like novels. I work for the Elmira City School District and YWCA. I'm raising my 8 yrs old newphew. I'm a part time college student studing Early Childhood Education, but taking time off and hoping to return soon. I live in Elmira, New York where famous writer Mark Twain did some of his writing and he once lived. I have 1 cats Samantha and 1 dog our newest member MOO MOO (my nieces dog) who are my children as I do not have any human children of my own. I lost four of my very dear children (kitty's) Callie June 2007, Miss Kitty in March 2010, my dog Angel in December 2010, and my other cat Chase in September 2011. I'm recently married on August 12th 2010. I love spending time with my niece 9 yrs old and my newphews 7 & 8 yrs old. I enjoy couponing and trading coupons. I love the internet as there's so much to look at online even though you know where I spend most of my time! I enjoy going to yard sales and estate sales every spring - fall. I love gardening and have many different pretty flowers.</p>
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