Christmas Ornament Cheeseballs
from http://www.fivehearthome.com/
Christmas Ornament Cheese Balls are a fun, festive addition to your holiday party menu in three mouthwatering flavors — Cranberry, Blue Cheese, & Pecan; Garlic, Feta, & Dill; and White Cheddar, Rosemary, & Pomegranate! They are truly a perfect appetizer for all of your holiday entertaining needs.
FOR THE CRANBERRY, BLUE CHEESE, & PECAN CHEESE BALL:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup (about 3 ounces) blue cheese crumbles
3/4 cup (about 4 oucnes) dried cranberries, finely chopped
1/2 cups pecan pieces or halves
FOR THE GARLIC, FETA, & DILL CHEESE BALL:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
6 ounces feta, crumbled (about 1 cup packed)
1 large clove garlic, finely minced (about 1 1/2 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon fresh minced dill, DIVIDED
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
FOR THE WHITE CHEDDAR, ROSEMARY, & POMEGRANATE CHEESE BALL:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
4 ounces grated sharp white cheddar (about 1 cup packed)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon finely minced fresh rosemary
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (avrils) from 1 pomegranate, thoroughly dried
Ribbon
3 ornament hangers
For the Cranberry, Blue Cheese, & Pecan Cheese Ball, use an electric mixer to beat together the cream cheese, blue cheese, and dried cranberries until smooth. Scrape the mixture onto the center of a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold the plastic wrap over the mixture and carefully shape it into a ball. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
For the Garlic, Feta, & Dill Cheese Ball, use an electric mixer to beat together the cream cheese, feta, garlic, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon dill, and black pepper until smooth. Scrape the mixture onto the center of a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold the plastic wrap over the mixture and carefully shape it into a ball. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
For the White Cheddar, Rosemary, & Pomegranate Cheese Ball, use an electric mixer to beat together the cream cheese, grated white cheddar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt, and rosemary until smooth. Scrape the mixture onto the center of a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold the plastic wrap over the mixture and carefully shape it into a ball. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
The cheese ball coatings may be prepared ahead of time or just before assembling the cheese balls. Toast the pecans by spreading them out on a sheet pan and baking in a preheated 350°F oven until lightly toasted and fragrant, for 8 to 10 minutes. Allow pecans to cool and finely chop them. Seed the pomegranate (see Tips & Tricks below) and set aside. Finely mince 1/4 cup fresh dill (make sure it's washed and very well dried) and refrigerate in a baggie until ready to use.
Pour the toasted, chopped pecans into a shalllow bowl. Press the cranberry/blue cheese cheese ball into the pecans so that it's covered on all sides (the bottom doesn't matter). Use your hands to press additional pecans into any bare spots. Wash and dry your hands and gently reshape the cheese ball into a sphere, if necessary.
Pour the minced dill into another shallow bowl. Press the garlic/feta cheese ball into the dill so that it's covered on all sides (the bottom doesn't matter). Use your hands to press additional dill into any bare spots. Wash and dry your hands and gently reshape the cheese ball into a sphere, if necessary.
For the white cheddar/rosemary cheese ball, carefully press the pomegranate seeds into the surface of the cheese ball, leaving no gaps and placing them individually with your fingers as needed.
For each cheese ball, cut two pieces of ribbon that are long enough to lay over the top of the cheese ball and tuck under its bottom. Cross them like an X and then tie one ribbon around the other so that they make an X (see photos above the recipe). Lay the X on top of the cheese ball so that the four ribbons hanging down evenly divide the cheese ball into fourths and then tuck the pieces under the bottom so that the ribbon is tight against the cheese ball. Cut another length of ribbon and tie it in a bow around an ornament hanger. Then stick the bottom of the ornament hanger into the top center of the cheese ball, right where the ribbon X crosses. Push the bow down so that it's sitting right on top of the cheese ball.
Make Ahead: The bases of the cheese balls may be made up to a couple of days in advance. However, the decorated cheese balls are best finished shortly before serving them. You may make them slightly ahead of time and then chill them again until ready to serve, but if you make them too far ahead of time, the pecans may get soggy, the pomegranate seeds may bleed, and the dill may start to darken or brown.
