Cheese ball recipe

[sfarler]

Here's a great cheese ball recipe I got from Southern Living. I wish I knew how to insert pictures because this cheese ball is so cute - it looks just like a pumpkin and the broccoli stalk looks just like a pumpkin stem! I used all light cheeses and cut the recipe in half to make a small pumpkin. DH and I both thought this was delicious. A definite repeater.

Pumpkin Cheese Ball

INGREDIENTS
2 (8-ounce) blocks extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (8-ounce) container chive-and-onion cream cheese
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 broccoli stalk
Red and green apple wedges


INSTRUCTIONS
Combine Cheddar cheese and next 4 ingredients in a bowl until blended. Cover and chill 4 hours or until mixture is firm enough to be shaped.

Shape mixture into a ball to resemble a pumpkin. Smooth entire outer surface with a frosting spatula or table knife. Make vertical grooves in ball, if desired, using fingertips.

Cut florets from broccoli stalk, and reserve for another use. Cut stalk to resemble a pumpkin stem, and press into top of cheese ball. Serve cheese ball with apple wedges.

Note: To make ahead, wrap cheese ball in plastic wrap without stalk, and store in refrigerator up to 2 days. Attach stalk before serving.

YIELD: Makes 16 appetizer servings
PREPARATION TIME: 30 min.
COOKING TIME: Chill: 4 hrs.

[funnybone]

Originally posted by sfarler
Here's a great cheese ball recipe I got from Southern Living. I wish I knew how to insert pictures because this cheese ball is so cute - it looks just like a pumpkin and the broccoli stalk looks just like a pumpkin stem!

Thanks for the recipe. I had to go look for it so I could show it off for you.

http://a1016.g.akamai.net/f/1016/606/1d/image.pathfinder.com/southern/images/recipes/347718_p.jpg

If you want to know how to do this, just right click your mouse on the picture and click on properties. Then highlight the address/url and copy and paste into the reply area of this board. Then just make sure you have the url and /url in [] and that's it.

[gertdog]

OMG, I had already copied this recipe because it sounded so good, but that picture is just wonderful!! I think it just increased the chances of me making this at least tenfold. So... sfarler, thank you for the recipe, and funnybone, thank you for the picture.

[sfarler]

Hey thanks, Funnybone! I'll try it next time!

[sneezles]

Thanks for the recipe and the picture. I was looking for something special for Halloween night as we wait for the trick or treaters to come by! This will be perfect!

[honeygirl1971]

I love it! It's so cute. It would be good for Thanksgiving too, I think. Funnybone, I'm not sure I understand how you got the picture to actually show up in the post--every time I've tried I just get links. Are you saying you have to put the address in brackets? Or do you have to do something more than that?

[sneezles]

Originally posted by honeygirl1971
I love it! It's so cute. It would be good for Thanksgiving too, I think. Funnybone, I'm not sure I understand how you got the picture to actually show up in the post--every time I've tried I just get links. Are you saying you have to put the address in brackets? Or do you have to do something more than that?

Basically, if you use the button above the reply box that's marked IMG, you'll just need to have the address of the picture to paste in the box (deleting the http: that is there when you open the box). If you paste directly into the reply box you will have to put [img] at the beginning of the address with the same at the end plus a / before the i. Clear as mud, eh?

[honeygirl1971]

http://a1016.g.akamai.net/f/1016/606/1d/image.pathfinder.com/southern/images/recipes/347718_p.jpg

Editing to say THANKS Sneezles!! Obviously, that worked!! :D
NOW I get it!! :D :D :D

[funnybone]

Thanks for explaining it better, sneezles. I hesitated putting the img and /img with the brackets around because it would try ot show it as a link and may have become an x instead. I forgot about the codes above this post area. Glad you got it to work honeygirl! :D

[honeygirl1971]

funnybone, your explanation was helpful too, I'm just sometimes a bit slow with computer stuff! I'm just learning html, and sometimes I get it wrong. But that button is very helpful, I never really knew what "IMG" was for!:o

[sneezles]

Originally posted by honeygirl1971
I never really knew what "IMG" was for!:o

Took me ages to even attempt to use those buttons! And some I've yet to click on and see what will happen!

[Robyncz]

I made this with my DDs for Halloween last year and they loved it. We're making it again this year. Since I had to find the recipe again, I thought I'd go ahead and bump it up in case anyone else is interested.

[Linda in MO]

CUTE! But I can't imagine the taste combination of onion/chive and apples. Does it really taste good with apples or is it better with crackers?

[Chocolate Rose]

Very CUTE!! This is definitely going on my Thanksgiving menu!

Would you dip the apple slices in lemon juice to keep them from browning?

And, this looks like it would also be great with crackers. What do you think?

[Robyncz]

Oops. I forgot to mention. We ate this with apples and crackers. Both were good, but I liked the crackers better.

[seannasad2k]

Thanks for posting. We'll be giving this a try tomorrow evening. I love cheese and crackers...so I think I'll forgo the apple slices. But, the cheese ball sounds good and I can't wait to see how my sister (who'll be making it while I'm at work) makes out with the presentation.

[seannasad2k]

This cheeseball is so cute. It really does look just like a pumpkin. Granted, not like the airbrushed version in the picture but definitely like a pumpkin. And it was tastey too. I had it with crackers. The only thing we thought we would do differently next time was to grate the cheddar cheese smaller. We used the standard cheese grating side of the box grater, (sorry, don't know any other way to explain it...and I know what's standard for me may not be for anybody else. But...the pre-shredded cheese in the store comes in two thicknesses, ours was like the bigger one), and thought if it was a little smaller that it might blend in a little nicer. Anyway...we enjoyed the flavor. There was a tanginess from the cheddar (used full-fat), creaminess from the cream cheese (low-fat), and a little kick from the chive cream cheese (low-fat). Didn't want to do the RF cheddar...sometimes it just doesn't have enough flavor. We were very happy with the results. Thanks for posting.

[Beth]

Originally posted by seannasad2k
The only thing we thought we would do differently next time was to grate the cheddar cheese smaller.

I would think that you could also run this through a food procesor to get a smoother mix.

[ande]

I would think that you could also run this through a food procesor to get a smoother mix.

I like this idea...I hadn't thought of using a food processor for cheese ball. I've always done it the way my mom did--grate the cheese and put in the bowl of an electric mixer & let soften at room temp., then mix it like crazy to get it smoother.

Yum, cheese ball, must be the holiday season already! :D

[AKA Lisa]

http://a1016.g.akamai.net/f/1016/606/1d/image.pathfinder.com/southern/images/recipes/347718_p.jpg

That is the cutest cheeseball! I wish I'd seen it before our Fall Harvest Party at school-----oh well, there is always Thanksgiving!

Thanks for the tips on inserting pictures, too. Very neat!

[donnamp14]

I can't wait until Thanksgiving to make this one! I think it's going to be on this weekend's rotation! Thanks so much for the recipe and the photo!

[msmickey]

At a party I atttended Friday evening where apples were served, the hostess said she puts her apples in sprite for a while to keep them from turning brown. It did not alter the flavor of the apples and was a new tip for me that I thought I'd share!

[Chocolate Rose]

Thanks for the apples and Sprite tip!! I'm going to give that a try.

[vbak]

How in the world did miss this? Oh, well, there is always next year, or lateer on this year without the pumpkin theme.

Vicky