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...
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