When you have a variety of spices, herbs and vegetable powders it’s fun to come up with cheeseballs and other spreads. The cheeseball I make for Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays is sharp and smoky, reminiscent of the Hickory Farms I remember from childhood. I like to serve this with crackers, marinated olives, spiced pecans, sugared cranberries, fudge and summer sausage as appetizer offerings. Do you have a good fudge recipe that doesn’t rely on marshmallow cream? I’m still looking for the perfect recipe. If so, share in the comments or come on over to the Preserved Home Community Facebook page and post it!
Holiday Cheese Ball
8 ounces of cream cheese, softened
8 ounces sharp grated cheese
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp rosemary
1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp poppy seeds
1 tsp sesame seeds
1 TBSP grated onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp sherry
1/2 cup slivered almonds
Put all ingredients except almonds in a food processor or bowl and blend thoroughly. Place in a container, cover and chill. After cheese mixture has chilled, shape in a ball and roll in almonds. Place on a plate, cover and chill.
You can also do this with home-made queso blanco (white cheese or farmers cheese) instead of cream cheese. You can use vinegar, lemon, or rennet for the cheese. I prefer lemon.