Silent Night and a Cheese Ball
Oh, how I love the Holidays! Starting off with Thanksgiving, and this year 21 people for dinner, and ending with the magical Christmas holiday.
For the past five years I’ve made the “Pinecone Cheese Ball” for an appetizer at either Thanksgiving or Christmas. The first year my 12 year old grandson wanted to know if it was a football cheese ball. The shape had not hardened up or kept its shape as planned.
It may not always look pretty, but it is always a big hit. The Pinecone Cheese Ball is the one thing that doesn’t last. Oh there might be a tiny bit left, and does it make it to the next day? Never!
I thought I’d share this wonderful recipe with all of you.
Pinecone Cheese Ball
2 pkgs (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 pkg (3 ½ to 4 ounces) soft chevre (goat) cheese
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
- Beat all ingredients in medium bowl with electric mixer on med/low speed until smooth.
- Shape mixture into upright shape like a pinecone, pointed on top, fat on the bottom waxed paper or plastic wrap
- Press sliced almonds into cheese ball, sticking the almonds up at top and angled on the rest just like a pinecone.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm (2 hours but no longer than two days)
- Garnish with sprigs of rosemary around plate and grind up rye crisp crackers to sprinkle on almonds. Serve with your choice of crackers.
Another thing I enjoy about the season besides all the company, food and cheer, is to sit quietly with a cup of hot chocolate and the fireplace going and the tree lights on, and just ENJOY!
A Silent night and Christmas meditation! It’s wonderful!
Do you have a special tradition for relaxing at the holidays?
9 comments:
Ohhh - thanks for the recipe! I'll have to make some for our next get together.
Our tradition is to light the fireplace, turn on some Christmas music, warm up some Grand Marnier, and supervise the kids while they set up the tree (the last part is my favorite :) What will I do when they are grown and gone???)
Have a wonderful Holiday.
I must admit that since my parents died (Mom in 2002) celebrating the holidays has drastically changed. I used to celebrate both Solstice and Christmas but now I celebrate Solstice and take the Christmas Day or Weekend shift for my On Call work.
Used to have a tree and then big fragrant wreathes in and out of the house with vases of greens and holly but this year I'm not sure we'll even do that.
We still drive through the neighborhoods looking at all the lights (I keep Christmas lights up on my porch all year long) and talk about how the world must have looked to people thousands of years ago - how the turn from darkness to light must have seemed magical (still is to me).
The moon is almost full and last weekend the ocean water danced under her light. Last night the glow around her was magical as I took my evening walk.
I've found that my traditions are shifting, changing and are becoming less date specific which takes the stress of having things Done by a certain time away...and that for me (along with a fire in the fireplace) is enough.
Now I've got a new recipe to try out and I think it will go well with a glass of port!
Nothing says the holidays like a cheese ball. Sounds yummy! I'm going to seeif I can make mine resemble a pine cone.
Thanks for sharing.
Patricia Rickrode
w/a Jansen Schmidt
Hi Tam! My kids are grown, my husband doesn't decorate and so it was all up to me this year. My mom (85) sat on the couch and watched. I still enjoyed it. Each ornament has a memory attached and I told mom about them.
Judith, I love the moon! It is 18 degrees here in Bend at night, but I still sit out with my husband and look at the moon and stars for a bit each night. How generous you are to take the shift at work on Christmas, giving someone else the chance to celebrate with family.
Patricia- The cheese ball recipe is mild enough even the kids like it.
Happy Holidays everyone, you are all in a drawing for a gift!
Some of my happiest memories of the holidays were when my son was little. Each evening when I picked him up after work, we'd drive through the neighborhoods and admire the lights together.
On Christmas Eve, he would all asleep on the couch in front of the lighted and decorated tree by the fireplace in the hopes of catching St. Nick on the job. It was the cutest thing ever to see him struggle so hard to stay awake.
Now he's grown and gone, but the memories are still there. Christmas is quieter at our house, but it's still a magical time of year.
Thanks for the Pincone Cheese Ball recipe. I love to try new recipes, and this will definitely be on my list to try out!
Thanks for stopping by, Susan.
Our kids have all grown up too fast! Enjoy the cheese ball and I'll put your name in the drawing.
I'm with you, Diana - a warm beverage, a fire in the fireplace, and a Christmas tree to contemplate!
As you know, I've had your cheese ball and it is delicious! Looks great, too!
Sounds like a good recipe to try. I know your cookies were delicious so any recipe from you I'll try. ;)
Thanks, Paty!
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