Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball!

A good cheese ball is always a great party appetizer and it's something you can keep on hand in the fridge during the holidays for drop in guests or even for a last minute gift.   

One of my aunts loves cheese balls of any variety.  So every year, I make her cheese balls for her Christmas present. She looks forward to her annual cheese ball!  

This cheese ball recipe is a good one, because you probably have all of the ingredients on hand and there aren't that many ingredients. 

 Here is what you will need:

2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened

1 (1 oz.) pkg. dry ranch dressing mix, unprepared

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

1/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese

dash of hot sauce (I used Tabasco)

1/4 cup green onion, chopped (use some of the green blade)

1 cup real bacon bits, divided

2 Tbs. dried parsley

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with the dry ranch dressing mix until the cream cheese is fluffy and the dressing mix is well blended.  Mix in the cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, hot sauce, green onion, and 1/2 cup of the bacon bits.  Cover and refrigerate for about 2 hours. 

Mix the other 1/2 cup of bacon bits and the parsley and spread it on a sheet of wax paper or nonstick aluminum foil.   Remove the cheese ball mixture from the bowl and form into a ball.  Roll in the bacon bits and parsley mixture making sure to cover all sides of it. 

 Place on a plate and serve with assorted crackers and maybe some fruit!





Chocolate Chip Toffee Cheese Ball!

 

I think cheese balls have gotten a bad name over time, mainly because of those awful balls of waxy cheese you can buy in the supermarkets and slap on a plate with crackers for a quick meal starter.  I love a good homemade cheese ball though and I have several recipes that are old standbys.  This is a dessert cheese ball and I will admit it's a fairly new concept to me, but what is not to like?  It's cream cheese, sugar, butter and chocolate and you serve it with graham crackers or fruit slices, which make it seem a little healthier.  This one has white and chocolate chips and Heath toffee bits...oh my!  Heath bits make anything good.  

Here is what you will need:

Cream cheese, butter, vanilla, brown sugar, powdered sugar, Heath bits, mini chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and chopped pecans or walnuts.

Place the cream cheese and the butter on the counter for an hour or two to soften.  With an electric mixer, cream together the cream cheese and butter.  Add the vanilla, brown sugar, and confectioners sugar and mix until well blended and fluffy.  Stir in 1/2 cup Heath bits, 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, and 1/2 cup vanilla chips.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, overnight is best.

Remove from refrigerator once chilled thoroughly.  Place 1 cup chopped nuts and 1 cup Heath bits on a piece of waxed paper.  Roll the cheese ball mixture into a ball and shape with your hands.  This mixture is sticky.  Roll the cheese ball in the chopped nuts and toffee bits until it is coated.  You might need to press the mixture into the cheese some.  Place the cheese ball on a pretty serving plate, cover with plastic wrap and re-chill for a couple of hours.  This is great served with graham crackers, apple slices or pear slices. 

 

Ingredients:

2 8oz. blocks of cream cheese softened (you can use light cream cheese)

1 stick butter (Do not substitute margarine)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 cups Heath bits  (1/2 for cheese ball and 1 cup for the coating

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts (pecans and walnuts)



Curried Chicken Cheese Ball!

Did you know that today is National Cheese Ball Day?  Don't feel bad I didn't either.  Which is sort of ironic, because I planned on posting this cheese ball recipe today before I found out it was National Cheese Ball Day.  I just happened to get an email from Food Network and it said something about "In Honor of National Cheese Ball Day" ...very strange.

This is sort of a different cheese ball than most people make and if you like the flavor of curry you will love it.  I always make this cheese ball when my sister and nieces are coming to visit because they love it.  I must admit it is rather addicting.  It's one of those things you just can't quit eating, like potato chips or M&M's. 

Here are the ingredients you will need:

Canned chicken breast (canned works best for this because it mixes better), 2 blocks cream cheese, Parmesan Cheese, cheddar cheese, green onions sliced thin, Tabasco sauce, garlic powder, curry powder, soy sauce and walnuts or pecans to roll it in.

Leave the cream cheese out of the refrigerator until it is soft.  Slice the green onions as thin as possible and include some of the green blades for the color.   Mix the cream cheese, green onions, curry, shredded cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, soy sauce, and Tabasco sauce.  Mix in the chicken that has been chopped in small pieces.   Place it back in the refrigerator to chill before you try to roll it in a ball (about an hour will do).  Chop walnuts or pecans fairly fine and place them on wax paper or foil.  Shape cheese mixture into a ball and roll all sides it the nuts. 

This is really good served with seedless grapes, strawberries or sliced apples and Nabisco Chicken in a Biskit crackers.

It makes a huge cheese ball so I usually divide in half and make two out of it.

Ingredients:

1 cup chicken chopped

2 8 oz. cream cheese (you can use light cream cheese if you prefer)

1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

1 Tbs. curry powder ( I use mild curry powder so if you are using hot curry powder, use less)

1 Tbs. soy sauce

1 tsp. Tabasco sauce

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts