This is the last of the dishes from Popular Foods of the 80s. I hope you have enjoyed the trip down memory lane. Remember that this is just one of hundreds of cheese ball options.
As mentioned in the first post, cheese was everywhere and appetizers were a way to offer more freedom of choice, a tiny exploration into something a little different; more spice, new ingredients, served in small bites that were easy to move on from.
A cheese ball is usually served as one large ball and it is possible to finish the recipe that way, setting a cheese knife and crackers beside it. Letting the finished ball set for a few hours is always a good thing as the flavours will have a chance to mix.
You will need:
¾ cup raw pecans
4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
4 oz. sharp or extra-sharp cheddar, coarsely grated (about 1¼ cups)
2 Tbsp. butter, room temperature
1 tsp. (or more) onion powder or minced onion
½ tsp. (or more) garlic powder
½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp. kosher salt, plus more
¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more
freshly chopped chives or parsley for rolling
finely chopped pecans for rolling
crisp and finely chopped bacon for rolling (optional)
pretzel sticks ( Find slightly thicker and longer pretzels. They work better than the standard skinny ones.)
Preheat oven to 400°. Toast the raw pecans on a cookie sheet until you hear them start to crackle. Toss or stir after 3 minutes and return to the oven. Let cool for 5 minutes before finely chopping. Place in a small bowl, and let cool. Finely chop herbs. Set both aside.
In a food processor add the room temperature cream cheese, sharp or extra-sharp cheddar, coarsely grated, butter, onion powder, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper. Pulse until smooth. Taste and adjust spices to your liking. Using a spatula, scrape down the container, transfer to a bowl and chill for half an hour.
Roll into individual walnut sized balls then roll to coat in nuts, fresh herbs, bacon or a combination of all three. Add a pretzel stick for easy pickup. Place on serving dish. Cool if not going directly to the table.
Cheese Ball Appetizer from My Kitchen Wand
