Killer Cheese Balls From Outer Space!
Total Time: 1 hr
Preparation Time: 1 hr
Ingredients
- 2 (8 ounce) bricks philadelphia cream cheese
- 1/2 cup chunky bleu cheese salad dressing
- 1 1/2-2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce (lea & perrin's brand only)
- 2 teaspoons onion salt
- 1 clove mashed fresh garlic (or more for garlic lovers)
- 1/4 teaspoon tabasco sauce
- 1 tablespoon crumbled crisp cooked bacon
- 2 tablespoons finely snipped fresh chives
- 2 tablespoons finely snipped fresh dill
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh sage
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
- 2/3 cup chopped walnuts
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (or dried) or 2 tablespoons parsley (or dried)
- 2 -3 maraschino cherries, halves (per each ball for mock holly berries)
- 2 -3 snipped large bay leaves (per each ball, cut into holly leaf shape)
Recipe
- 1 whip all of the basic recipe ingredients in a mixing bowl until smooth and creamy. note: you may also add the optional and/or optional fresh herb ingredients now: 1 tablespoon crumbled crisp cooked bacon (cook bacon wrapped in 2 sheets paper towels on a microwaveable plate for 6-10 minutes on 100% power and crumble when cooled), 2 tablespoons thinly snipped fresh chives (or) 2 tablespoons finely snipped fresh dill (or) 2 teaspoons minced fresh sage (or) 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme (or) 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary).
- 2 divide cheese mixture in half; dump each cheese portion individually a sheet waxed paper; wrap cheese balls completely using the waxed paper, twisting the tops to seal.
- 3 form cheese mixture in waxed paper into ball shapes.
- 4 place into freezer until firm yet not frozen.
- 5 add 2/3-3/4 cup chopped walnuts and 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives or parsley (or dried) into a medium bowl; combine well.
- 6 remove cheese balls from freezer when firm and unwrap.
- 7 smooth cheese balls with clean dry hands until round and even.
- 8 roll cheese balls lightly in nut and herb mixture until evenly covered (you may freeze cheese balls in freezer bags and thaw before serving).
- 9 garnish cheese balls if desired for the holidays with a holly garnish (see photo) or prepare optional holiday garnish: place 2-3 maraschino cherry halves (each) closely on top of cheeseball; cut 2-3 large bay leaves (each) into holly leave shapes and attach around cherries (you may tint bay leaf tops first with green food coloring using a small paintbrush, for a more dramatic color presentation).
- 10 serve when tempered on or with crackers (i prefer the triscuit rosemary & olive oil variety); enjoy!
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