Recently

Dec 29 2010

Favorite Cheese Ball

Posted by Erica Lea in Step-by-Step Recipes

I have made this recipe so often that I could probably do it with my eyes shut and one hand held behind my back. My dad loves it and complains if we try to alter it in any way.

My sister and I developed this cheese ball because we couldn’t find a recipe to suit our fancy. We added a little of this, a handful of that, and, to our surprise, created something deliciously savory with a mere hint of sweetness.

It’s ridiculously easy to make. Care to learn how?

Here’s what you’ll need: cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, lemon, onion, dried cranberries (optional), freshly ground black pepper, and pecans.

Begin by chopping the onion fine. You only need about 1/4 cup.

Roll the lemon and squeeze out the juice. You only need 1 teaspoon.

Place all of the ingredients except the pecans into the bowl of a stand mixer.

Beat until combined.

Scrape onto a piece of plastic wrap.

Form into a ball. Place in the refrigerator until it firms up a bit, about 30 minutes.

Toast the pecans and chop coarsely.

Just before serving, roll the cheese ball in the nuts to cover completely. You may need to press the nuts into the ball with your hands to make them stick.

Serve with your favorite crackers. I recommend something simple without intense flavors. You don’t want to overpower the cheese ball. These crispy wheats from Back to Nature are quite good.

Notes: The cranberries are completely optional. If you dislike fruit in your cheese ball, simply omit them. You can also switch out the nuts for walnuts, almonds, etc. Pecans are our favorite.

For the best flavor, take the cheese ball out of the refrigerator about 20 minutes before serving.

Printable Recipe

Favorite Cheese Ball

by Erica Lea on January 15, 2010 in Appetizers, Cold Dips

See post on Erica Lea’s site!

5.00 Mitt(s) 7 Rating(s) 7 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5

Description

Our favorite cheese ball recipe. Dad complains if we make any other.

Ingredients

8 ounces, weight Cream Cheese
¼ cups Sour Cream
1 cup Finely Shredded Cheddar Cheese
¼ cups Shredded Parmesan Cheese
¼ cups Finely Chopped Onion
½ teaspoons Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 pinch Cayenne Powder
1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
¼ teaspoons Freshly Ground Black Pepper
⅓ cups Dried Cranberries (optional)
½ cups Toasted Pecans, Chopped Coarse (optional)

Preparation Instructions

1) Place all ingredients except pecans in a large bowl. Beat with a hand mixer on medium-low speed until well combined.

2) Scrape the mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap. Cover with the plastic wrap and shape into a ball or log. Put the cheese ball on a plate and place in the refrigerator to harden, about 30 minutes – 1 hour.

3) Roll the cheese ball in the chopped pecans and place on a serving plate. Serve with crackers.

Note: this cheese is best if allowed to sit for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to blend. The flavors are best if it is allowed to sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before serving.

_______________________________________

Erica Berge shares her wonderful recipes and amazing food photography on her blog, Cooking for Seven. She also writes about crafts and posts more of her beautiful photography in her personal blog, EricaLea.com. There really isn’t much that this amazing young lady can’t do, and we’re thrilled she does some of it here.

Jan 10 2011

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

Posted by Natalie | Perry's Plate in Step-by-Step Recipes

Cauliflower, to me, is a humble vegetable. It’s rarely the star of the meal, it doesn’t have a flashy color or a strong flavor, and let’s face it—its complexion could use some work. Despite its frumpy characteristics, cauliflower has a few tricks up its sleeve. Case in point: this Roasted Cauliflower Soup with White Cheddar Cheese recipe submitted by TK member hailskitchen. Pureeing the cauliflower creates the illusion of a creamy soup without the added richness from cream. Not only did this soup taste great, it was simultaneously light yet rich tasting.

Okay, it does have cheese, too. But if you use a sharp white cheddar, you might not need as much. (If you’re concerned with such things. I wasn’t one of those who swore off cheese-laden foods this year.)

For the soup you’ll need a nice, big head of cauliflower, shallots, fresh garlic, fresh thyme, shredded white cheddar cheese, salt, pepper, olive oil, and chicken (or vegetable) broth.

First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Then prep the cauliflower. I like to turn it upside down and make a few slashes in the bottom to get the tough stem out and remove the leaves.

I also like to quarter the head before breaking it down into florets. It’s easier to manage than a giant head.

Once you have it broken down, toss it onto a large rimmed baking sheet.

Next, peel the shallots and garlic. If you lay your knife on the garlic and give it a whack with the palm of your hand, the peel comes right off. Don’t chop them too small. Quartering the shallots and cutting the garlic in half ought to do it.

Add the prepped shallots and garlic to the cauliflower on the baking sheet. Drizzle liberally with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and stick it in that screaming hot oven.

After 40-50 minutes it should look like this. See those dark, caramelized pieces? Roasting should be a part of all vegetable preparation, in my opinion. That’s how I got myself to like Brussels sprouts. Try it.

Transfer all of that roasted goodness to a big pot. (I doubled the batch, which is why it looks like my cauliflower suddenly reproduced.) Pour in half of the chicken broth—it makes pureeing much easier.

If you have an immersion or stick blender, this will be a snap. Just stick it in and start buzzing it around. If you don’t have one, go buy one. If you can’t go buy one, you can ladle the mixture into a blender and process in batches, returning it back into the pot when you’re finished.

Back to blending. You can leave it a bit chunky if you like. I made it this way the first time and I liked a few chunks. But I found that the texture was really odd.

So this time I blended it even more until it was smoother. I liked it better that way.

Place the pot on the stove and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes.

While the soup simmers away, get your thyme ready. Grab it at the top with one hand, and with the other hand, pinch toward the top and pull down the stem to remove leaves.

Give them a quick chop if you like. This is just my personal preference, but I found the soup to be really “thyme-y”, so I reduced the measurement by half the second time I made it. The thyme really sings in this soup.

When the soup is done simmering, cut the heat and add the thyme and shredded cheese. Season to taste with a generous dose of salt and black pepper.

Time to serve it up with crusty bread or biscuits and a fresh salad! One of my favorite things about this recipe is that the steps can be broken up to accommodate your schedule. Roast the vegetables a day or two ahead and when you’re ready to prepare the soup, it’ll be ready in under 30 minutes.

Thanks Hailey for a unique and delicious soup! Visit her beautiful blog, Hail’s Kitchen, for more of her great recipes.

Printable Recipe