I was reading an article recently about foods that have gone out of fashion. Savory Jell-O salads, liver and onions, tv dinners, spray cheese, olive loaf–I can happily wave goodbye to all of these. But some of the things on the list were just silly.
Who are the people writing these articles, anyway? I mean, red velvet cake? Really?
And cottage cheese? I love cottage cheese. It’s high protein, low-calorie, easily digestible, and definitely winning over Millennials. Do these people know nothing of Tik Tok?
Sloppy joes? Ask any ten-year-old boy and he’ll tell you that’s absolutely absurd.
The allegedly out-of-favor food that made me laugh the most was . . . drumroll. . . CHEESE BALLS! Hahahahaha!
I can’t even imagine how much of a food snob one has to be to disdain a well-made cheese ball, let alone call it passé. They’re a perennial holiday favorite in the Coastal South and beyond. People adore them. I have made oodles of cheese balls over the years for my parties, clients’ parties, gifts, and I don’t know what all else.
When Airbus opened a manufacturing facility in Mobile, a few French families, brand new to our area, came to a shindig I catered. One of the things I served was a cheese ball. Not this one, actually, but a sharp cheddar and blue cheese one I’ve made forever. A couple of our new French neighbors found me during the party. They’d been warned there was no good cheese to be had in the United States, but was that cheese thing on the platter with the crackers? They loved it! I gave my new French friends the recipe that night, and ended up also emailing the recipe to Airbus Mobile HR by request.
You and I both know you’ll need an hors d’oeuvre more than once over the holidays, whether at your home or someone else’s. Here you go: festive, very well-received, and easy, this holiday classic Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball is always in style.
PRO TIP: Once the cheese ball is covered in plastic wrap and ready to chill, don’t just set it on the refrigerator shelf. Instead put it in a small mixing bowl with a curved bottom. This will help it keep its shape as it firms up.
Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball
Equipment
- stand mixer
- plastic wrap
Ingredients
- 16 oz. full-fat cream cheese (2 packages), softened to room temperature
- 1¾ cups sharp white cheddar, not pre-grated
- 2 T. chopped fresh chives or 2 t. dried chives, divided
- 2 T. chopped fresh parsley, or 2 t. dried, divided
- 1 t. garlic powder
- 2 t. Worcestershire sauce, or to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
- ¾ cup finely chopped dried cranberries, divided
- ¾ cup finely chopped pecans, divided
Instructions
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese until it's very smooth, 1-2 minutes. Add the cheddar cheese, half the chives, half the parsley, garlic powder, Worcestershire, salt, pepper, half the cranberries, and half the pecans. Mix on low just until the ingredients are evenly combined. You will need to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- To make the exterior coating, toss the remaining ingredients together on a plate or piece of waxed paper. Using your hands and a silicone spatula, form the cream cheese mixture in to a ball. It will be sticky. Roll in the cranberry pecan mixture until evenly coated. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Chill at least one hour, up to three days.
- To serve, allow the cheese ball to sit out for 30 minutes to soften. Serve with crackers.
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