It's National Cheese Ball Day!

Nothing like a good cheese ball to cue a holiday party or cocktail party*, so great news...today is National Cheese Ball Day! Like you, I'm blindsided by this oh so important dairy heavy holiday.

Food network mini-cheese balls

Whether you buy a cheese ball or make it yourself, they an easy addition to any party plan or appetizer. So little work for such a big return. The best thing about cheese balls: The possibilities are endless...really. You can get cute with mini cheese balls. Who says it has to be savory, try out this peanut butter cheese ball that uses cream cheese! Here's a basic way to make a cheese ball:

1. Grab a cheese or cheeses. Let them come to room temperature or become soft enough to mix with other ingredients.
2. Grab something flavorful or with texture to roll on the outside of the ball. Could be anything from bacon, nuts, herbs, chocolate chips, cranberries, craisins, raisins...you get the picture.
3. Now take your room temperature cheese or cheeses and combine them. (may need a mixer)
4. Add in your seasoning. If you doing savory, look to Worcestershire, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, ranch dressing mix...whatever strikes your fancy. If doing sweet,  try peanut butter, nutella, brown sugar, powdered sugars...keep tasting it til it meets your standards. 
5. Now form into a ball or roll...or if you're getting creative a football or grab a mold. Now add in your texture elements to roll it.
6. Wrap it in plastic wrap or cover tightly to chill.
7. Then serve! (with crackers, sliced meats, veggies, cookies...)

If the above, somewhat rambly "recipe" has taught you anything it's that cheese balls are Choose Your Own Adventure. It's one of the reasons I think they are so awesome.


*Disclaimer: there may be some out there who are hating on the cheese balls...you're sorely mistake my friends. Embrace this awesome treat for what it is. 

P.S. Just thought of an awesome way to pump up a savory cheese ball...roll it in Cheeze-Its.