Easy Entertaining: Three Amazing Cheeseballs

Without a cheeseball is it even a party? A few of the girls and I finally swapped our running shoes for our cute boots the other night and saw each other in make-up for the first time.  While we meet often (and early!) to run and truly have fun despite the task of surviving 6 or 8 or even 10 miles we rarely follow through on plans to meet up for a girls night out.  This was long overdue and certainly called for some good snacks.  These cheeseballs are fun, different and little so that you can have several different kinds and everyone can find something they like.  And it makes extra so that you can freeze the rest for another get together with no work!!

Super easy to make and super easy to customize.  The base recipe includes just cream cheese, butter, 4 oz shredded or crumbled cheese and and optional 1/2 cup nuts to finely chop and add to the outside.

My fillings of choice were blue cheese with bacon, pineapple with habanero and mango, and my personal favorite caramelized onion.  I had about a bazillion different kinds of crackers left in my pantry from Thanksgiving so I just threw whatever I had in a bowl and we went to town!

I’m pretty excited that I managed to keep the leftovers hidden from the hungry man and boy in my house.  I’m taking the rest along for Christmas with my family and it sure is nice not to have any more work to do!  Make some of these for Christmas tomorrow and hide the rest for your upcoming New Year’s Eve party!

Easy Entertaining: Three Amazing Cheeseballs

 

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Author: Slow Cooker Gourmet

Ingredients

Base Recipe for each cheeseball:

• 8 oz packaged softened cream cheese (room temp)
• 2 tablespoons softened butter
• 4 oz shredded or crumbled cheese (see below for specific type)
• ½ cup chopped nuts (I used the blender for a fine chop)

Bacon Blue Cheese:

• 4 oz blue cheese
• 6 slices cooked and crumbled bacon
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• Walnuts

Pineapple Habanero Mango:

• 4 oz crumbled goat cheese
• ¼ cup crushed pineapple (drained as much as possible)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon habanero mango hot sauce (or hot sauce of choice)
• Almonds

Caramelized Onion:

• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons butter (for melting)
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• Cashews

Instructions

1. In a skillet over medium high heat melt 2 tablespoons butter
2. Add onions and let cook for 2-3 minutes until they start to soften
3. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cook and additional 5-6 minutes until lightly browned and caramelized (stirring occasionally)
4. Let cool slightly
5. Set up three bowls and add cream cheese and butter to each bowl
6. Use a handheld mixer on medium high speed to combine well
7. Add cheese and specialty ingredients for each cheeseball except for nuts
8. Using a spoon stir together until well combined
9. Form the ingredients from each bowl into three balls
10. Roll in crushed or chopped nuts
11. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm
12. Let sit at room temp for about 30-45 minutes before serving

Notes

The pineapple cheeseball will be very soft. It's easiest just to sprinkle with the nuts and it will firm up after its been in the fridge.

Recipes adapted from how sweet it is.

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