Bacon-Cheddar Football Cheese Ball
“Get ready to kick off your game-day festivities with a winning snack that’s as fun to make as it is to devour,” says chef Kelly Senyei, founder of the food site Just a Taste and host of The Sports & Forks Podcast. She thinks get-togethers on game day “are the perfect entertaining moments because sports fans of all ages and all ranges can agree that food is the great unifier, and a flavor-packed football cheese ball is guaranteed to make any loss a bit easier to stomach.” What brings on all that flavor? Her recipe features bacon, cheddar, cream cheese, scallions, pimiento peppers, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder and an optional jalapeño, plus sour cream for tanginess and pecans for crunch.
Ingredients:
- 6 bacon slices, cut into lardons
- 2 packages (each 8 oz./250 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (4 oz./125 g) sour cream
- 2 cups (8 oz./250 g) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 jar (4 oz./125 g) diced pimiento peppers, drained
- 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 medium jalapeño, seeded and minced (optional)
- 1/3 cup (1 oz./30 g) sliced scallions
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 1/2 cups (6 oz./185 g) finely crushed pecans
- 1 string cheese or 1 slice white cheese, cut into thin strips
- Crackers, pretzels or crudité for serving
Directions:
In a large sauté pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until all the fat has rendered. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate.
In a large bowl, combine the bacon, cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar cheese, pimiento peppers, Worcestershire, garlic powder, jalapeño and scallions. Mix until combined, then taste and season with salt and pepper.
Arrange a large piece of plastic wrap on a work surface. Transfer the cheese mixture into the center, then fold the plastic up and around it. Using your hands, carefully shape it into a football. Refrigerate the cheese ball for 20 minutes.
Unwrap the plastic, then coat the cheese ball with the pecans.
Arrange the sliced string cheese on top to form the football “laces.” Serve with crackers, pretzels or crudité for dipping. Serves 8 to 10.
Make It Ahead: In a rush? Prep the cheese ball a day in advance and store it (covered securely) in plastic wrap. Coat it in pecans right before serving and then get ready to dig in!
Recipe courtesy of Kelly Senyei, founder of Just a Taste and host of The Sports & Forks Podcast
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