Six Cheese Balls For the Holidays

How to Roast a Garlic Bulb

• Slice the top off a bulb of garlic so all the cloves of garlic are exposed.
• Set the bulb on a piece of aluminum foil large enough to cover the bulb and twist at the top.
• Pour a tablespoon of olive oil on the bulb and then liberally salt and pepper.
• Bring the sides of the aluminum foil up and completely engulf the bulb of garlic and twist at the top.
• Place on a heat resistant pan and bake in a 350° oven for 40 – 60 minutes.
• When finished baking, let it cool. Untwist the aluminum foil and pull out the bulb.
• Using both hands, squeeze the soft, roasted cloves of garlic out of the skins of garlic.

How to Release the Arils from a Pomegranate

• Cut the top and bottom of a pomegranate off.
• Make slits from top to bottom on four sides of the pomegrante.
• Place the pomegranate in a large bowl filled with water.
• Place the pomegranate in the bowl of water and pull the four sections of the pomegrante apart.
• While your hands are still in the water, release the arils from the white skins inside the pomegranate.
• Throw away the skin and white membranes that float on top.
• Once all the arils are separated and have sunk to the bottom. Drain all the water out of the bowl.
• This method keeps the arils from popping and getting all over your clothes and table or counter.

Roasted Garlic Pomegranate Cheese Ball

• Finely chop the roasted garlic.
• Blend the cream cheese and goat cheese.
• Add the chopped roasted garlic, Worcestershire sauce and chopped fresh rosemary. Blend until all is incorporated.
• Add the finely grated white cheddar cheese and mix well.
• Place two pieces of plastic wrap in a crisscross pattern on a surface.
• Using a spatula scrape the cheese ball out of the bowl onto the plastic wrap.
• Bringing up the sides of the plastic to cover the cheese ball. Form into a ball and refrigerate for 2 hours to set.
• Using the pomegranate arils, push them into the cheese ball with seed side inside until the ball is covered. (This is the most time consuming part of the cheese ball. It took one person an hour to cover. With two people, it takes half an hour.)
• Using a toothpick broken in half, push one side into a Rolo candy. Stick the other side into the cheese ball to form the ornament.
• Garnish with fresh sprigs of Rosemary.

• Cream the cream cheese, butter and peanut butter.
• Add the brown and powdered sugar and mix well.
• Add the quick or quick oats and blend.
• Add the miniature chocolate chips and 2 cups of M&Ms.
• Place two pieces of plastic wrap in a cross pattern on a surface.
• Using a spatula, scoop out the cheese ball and place on the plastic wrap.
• Bring up the sides of the plastic wrap to cover the cheese ball.
• Use your hands to form ball. Let is set up for 2 hours in the refrigerator before serving.
• Serve with graham crackers, vanilla flavored cookies or animal crackers.

• Blend the cream cheese until smooth.
• Add the mild and sharp cheddar cheese, mix well.
• Add the bacon crumbles and chopped green onions.
• Mix in the Worcestershire Sauce, accent and salt and pepper. Blend well.
• Place two pieces of plastic wrap in a criss cross pattern on a surface.
• Scrape the cheese ball from the bowl and place on the plastic wrap.
• Bring the sides up to form a ball. Shape with your hands.
• Grate the the last two cups of cheddar cheese very finely.
• Spread this grated cheese on another piece of plastic wrap.
• Place the cheese ball on the finely grated cheddar cheese. Move the ball around until all sides are covered with cheese.
• Bring the sides of the plastic wrap up and form a ball again. Let the cheese ball set for two hours in the refrigerator.
• Cut a piece of kitchen twine that will wrap around the cheese ball.
• Place the kitchen twine under the cheese ball with the plastic wrap. Bring the twine up from both sides and pull tight to create indents on the sides of the cheese ball that look like pumpkin ribs.
• Do this two more times around the cheese ball, to create six ribs.
• Cut the stem out of a bell pepper and trim very closely to the green removing all color from the stem.
• Place this stem on the top of your pumpkin cheese ball, still wrapped in plastic wrap. Push to make an indent in the top of the cheese ball.
• Take off the plastic wrap and then place the stem in the indent. Serve with your choice of crackers.

• Add all the dried cranberries to 1/2 cup of water.
• Place in a microwave and boil for two minutes. This will plump up the dried cranberries.
• Drain the water and pat dry with a paper towel.
• Cut into very small pieces and set aside.
• Blend the cream cheese and goat cheese until smooth. Use room temperature cream cheese.
• Add orange juice and the zest of a whole orange. Mix well.
• Grate the mild and white cheddar on the fine side of a box grater. Add 1 cup of the mild cheddar and all of the white cheddar to the cream cheese mixture and mix well.
• Blend in 1/2 cup of the chopped cranberries and mix until everything is smooth.
• Place two pieces of plastic wrap in a criss cross pattern on a surface.
• Spoon the cranberry orange cheese ball on the plastic wrap. Bring up the sides and form into a ball. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
• On another piece of plastic wrap, spread the chopped pecans, 1/2 cup of finely grated mild cheddar and 1/2 cup of cranberries. Take the refrigerated cheese ball out of the plastic wrap and roll in the mixture to cover.
• Let the cheese ball come to room temperature before serving. Serve with crackers, celery or small peppers.

• Cut the jalapeños in half and take out the ribs and seeds.
• Chop the jalapeños into very small pieces.
• Cook, drain and crumble the bacon into small pieces.
• I purchased bacon already cooked and crumbled. I cooked it in the microwave for 3 minutes, drained it and patted it dry on paper towels.
• Blend the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth.
• Add one cup of the sharp and mild cheddar cheeses. Make sure to finely grate these on the small side of a box grater.
• Mix in the salt and pepper, 1/2 cup bacon crumbles and half of the jalapeño pieces.
• Beat until everything is smooth.
• Place two pieces of plastic wrap on a surface in a criss cross pattern.
• Spoon the mixture onto the plastic wrap. Bring up the sides and form into a ball. Refrigerate for two hours.
• Place another piece of plastic wrap on a surface. Spread the rest of the mild cheddar cheese, the other half of the jalapeño pieces and the left over bacon crumbles.
• Take the refrigerated cheese ball out of the plastic wrap and roll in the mixture above to coat it.
• Serve the cheese ball at room temperature with crackers.

• Blend the room temperature cream cheese and butter until smooth.
• Add the powdered sugar and 1 1/2 cups of a fudge brownie mix.
• Mix well and then add the miniature chocolate chips.
• Place two pieces of plastic wrap in a criss cross pattern on a surface.
• Spoon the chocolate cheese ball into the center and bring up the sides to form a ball.
• Place in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
• Serve with animal and graham crackers. Vanilla flavored cookies are delicious with this too.