Some Kinda Good in the Neighborhood

Some Kinda Good in the Neighborhood

An Appetizer for Entertaining: Holiday Cheese Ball with Sweet Heat

by Rebekah Faulk Lingenfelser

Food Network Star finalist Rebekah Faulk Lingenfelser is a food enthusiast and writer. Her blog, Some Kinda Good, features local, in-season recipes with Southern coastal influences. A Georgia Southern University alumna, she also attended Savannah Technical College’s Culinary Institute of Savannah. Like Some Kinda Good on Facebook, follow @SKGFoodBlog on Twitter and Instagram or visit RebekahLingenfelser.com.

When it comes to holiday entertaining, one of my go-to appetizers is my creamy cheese ball with sweet heat. Always a hit with family and friends, it’s easy to make and tastes Some Kinda Good!

There are many variations of this popular Southern appetizer online. I’ve seen savory cheese balls and sweet cheese balls. I developed my recipe as many Southern belles do, modified from my mother’s, with a few of my own touches. Perfect for taking to office Christmas parties and neighborhood gatherings, it has pops of red and green color from the peppers and cherries with a cold and creamy texture. The heat comes from the pickled jalapenos, and the sweetness from a touch of green pepper jelly.

I like to serve the cheese ball on a round dish to enhance its natural shape, surrounded with crackers. Snowflake-shaped crackers add a little Christmas cheer, but this recipe is wonderful year around with whatever kind of crackers you like. For a fun and festive presentation, you can shape the ball into a wreath and decorate it with maraschino cherries to look like a bow.

My Holiday Cheese Ball with Sweet Heat comes together quickly and is edible right away, but has a more firm texture when chilled. I recommend making it a day ahead and letting it set up in the refrigerator overnight. If you’re short on time, 30 minutes to an hour will do. Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

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Holiday Cheese Ball with Sweet Heat

• 1 8-oz block of cream cheese, softened

• 1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

• 1 cup of pepper jack cheese, shredded

• A few jarred jalapeno peppers, chopped

• A tablespoon of jarred jalapeno pepper juice

• A handful of maraschino cherries, stems removed and chopped

• 1/2 of a green bell pepper, chopped

• 1/4 cup of chopped onion (I used purple for the color, but a sweet Vidalia onion would be great too)

• Dash of Worcestershire Sauce

• 1 tablespoon of Green Pepper Jelly

• 1/4 cup of pepitas (Pumpkin seeds)

• Seasoned salt

• Pepper

• 1/2 – 3/4 cup Georgia pecans, toasted and chopped

Photo courtesy of Rebekah Faulk Lingenfelser

Directions

Dry roast pecans in a pan over medium heat, flipping occasionally until fragrant and golden (5-10 minutes).

Set aside.

Using a hand mixer, blend the cheeses together until incorporated.

Add in remaining ingredients, reserving the pecans for the outside, and season with seasoned salt and pepper.

Blend on low-speed until everything is incorporated. Turn the mixture out onto plastic wrap and form it into a ball.

Remove the plastic wrap and roll the ball in the chopped pecans until covered.

Let chill. Serve with buttery crackers, such as Ritz.

Note: If you’re using a food processor to chop your onion and bell pepper, be sure to drain any natural water from the vegetables before adding them to the mixture. Additional water will make your cheese ball runny, and you wouldn’t want that.