Ranch & Bacon Cheese Ball

I have never made a cheese ball in my life, but I do love them occasionally, like at Christmas time.  I decided I wanted to try, so one for me and one for a gift to a co-worker who was dropping by on the weekend.  I based my recipe on this one (there are a ton of cheese ball recipes out there!).  I chose one that I knew my co-worker would like.  Next time, I will use this recipe or this one.

My own spin was adding in some pecans, chives, fresh cracked pepper and some "Frank's RedHot" sauce.

I made my bacon.  I used 7 thick slices (because that was what was left in the package) and baked them on a cookie sheet lined with foil until crisp.  I patted dry with paper towels and then chopped them into small pieces.

I covered and set it aside until needed.

I also toasted some natural pecan halves (200 grams).  These were expensive and cost me $7.50.  I would use these to coat the ball.  I sprayed a baking sheet with "Pam" and put into a 350°F oven for 10 minutes, flipping and stirring at the 5 minute mark.

I let them cool, covered and put aside until needed.  I ended up using 2/3 of this.

I made our balls separately as I figured that was just easier, rather than trying to split it all in half.  I wasn't going to use mine until Christmas Eve so I planned to freeze it directly after.  I used two bricks of cream cheese, one for each.

I brought these to room temperature.  I used my scissors and snipped a pack of chives into tiny pieces.

I mixed the coating for the ball(s) next.  I put the pecans into a baggie and used a meat mallet to crush them into smaller pieces, then I mixed in some bacon and chives, dividing into two bowls equally.

I grated the Kraft Cracker Barrel Old cheddar next - about a cup and a half for each ball.  I measured out the Ranch seasoning, dividing it in half.  Then  I added all the ingredients to two bowls - cream cheese, chives, some bacon, cheddar, pepper, ranch seasoning and Frank's hot sauce.  Below is one, with everything in it.

Then with clean hands, I mushed it all together, ensuring everything was mixed in evenly.  Then I rolled it into a ball and dropped it in the coating mix, below.

I rolled it around and pressed the coating into the ball.

I wrapped mine in Saran wrap at this stage (below), and pressed the extra coating around the ball with the saran.  I put mine in the fridge, for now.

I didn't saran wrap the other.  I put it into the bowl I was giving it in.  Because there was leftover coating for it, I just sprinkled it into the bottom of the bowl and then set the ball on top.

Then I wrapped it in some ribbon and put it in the fridge until my guest came over and handed it off as a departing gift.  "They" suggest you serve cheese balls at room temperature.

When my company was gone, I took mine out of the fridge, unwrapped it and cut about a third of the ball off.  I wrapped the larger piece back up, put it in a freezer bag and into the freezer it went.  My son and I sampled the piece I left out after it came back to room temperature.  I served it with some Ritz crackers.

It was really tasty and the seasoning was just right, not overbearing or too salty.  Not bad for my first effort.  I guess the truth is if there is bacon in it, it will be good.  And in the end, this task was less daunting than what it seemed to me before I started.  It was pretty easy...