This week we enjoyed a delightful progressive dinner with our church family, and I wanted to share the recipe I used for our appetizer contribution.
The idea for the presentation of this cheeseball comes from an issue of Healthy Cooking by Taste of Home sometime last autumn. NUTTY CHEESEBALL
(from Kitchen Aid's Instruction and Recipe Booklet for Your Stand Mixer)
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup Swiss cheese
8 oz. cream cheese
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped chives
2 tsp. Worchstershire sauce
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
Place all ingredients except pecans in mixer bowl. Beat about 1 minute, or until well blended. On waxed paper, shape mixture into a ball. Roll ball in chopped pecans. (At this point I used the handle of a table knife to shape the sides of the ball into a pumpkin. I had to press extra pecans into the groves to complete the coating. I then used a small stalk of fresh celery with the leaves still attached to create the stem.) Wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate until serving time. Serve with assorted crackers or raw vegetables.
Quick and easy, this recipe makes for a delicious snack or fabulous appetizer when hosting get-togethers. The cute autumn touch of the pumpkin shape was an added visual bonus!