Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball
As far as we're concerned, it's not the holidays until someone shows up with a cheese ball. Especially popular in the South and the Midwest, cheese balls are full of flavor and easy to prepare. This one features Duplin Christmas Wine-soaked cranberries and a touch of fresh jalapeno, all rolled in chopped pecans. Double or triple this recipe and make small cheese balls to give as gifts and bring to parties.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup Duplin Christmas wine
- 6 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 tablespoons Duplin Gourmet Muscadine Red Pepper & Onion Relish
- 1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
- 2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
- Duplin Gourmet Homemade Crackers
Directions:
- Place dried cranberries and wine in a small saucepan placed over high heat. Bring mixture to a boil. Remove pan from the heat and let cranberries soak in the wine for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Place cheddar cheese, cream cheese and blue cheese in a large mixing bowl. Blend cheese using an eletric mixer set at medium speed.
- Add garlic powder, black pepper, chives, chili powder and Duplin Gourmet Muscadine Red Pepper & Onion Relish and continue mixing for about 30 seconds, until seasonings are well combined.
- Set mixer aside.
- Drain wine from cranberries, reserving wine.
- Using a wooden spoon, fold cranberries, 2 tablespoons of the wine the cranberries were soaking in and minced jalapenos into the cheese mixure.
- Cover bowl and refrigerate cheese mixture for 30 minutes.
- While cheese mixture is chilling, spread pecans on a small baking sheet.
- Remove cheese mixture of the refrigerator.
- Using a rubber spatula, gather the cheese into a rough ball inside the bowl. Still using the spatula, roll the rough cheeseball onto the pecans on the baking sheet.
- Using your hands, roll the cheeseballs around the baking sheet to cover the entire surface with pecans. Once the cheese ball is coated in nuts, using your hands to pick it up and form it into a neat ball.
- Wrap the cheese ball and refrigerate overnight.
- Remove cheese ball from the refrigerator. Unwrap the cheese ball and place it on a serving platter. Surround the cheese ball with Duplin Gourmet Homemade Crackers. Let cheese ball soften for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
- Makes about 12 servings.
Products you will need:
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