Cheese balls, two ways.

Tags

bleu cheese, cheese ball, cheeseball, chives, dates, herbed cream cheese, holiday entertaining, holiday party, za'atar

Well… it has been awhile! I hope you are all well, happy and healthy and enjoying the holiday season. I am dusting off the blog and remembering how to format just in time to share two recipes for cheese balls for your holiday entertaining needs. True, I missed Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and the first two weekends of December, so your holiday celebration may have come and gone… in which case you can make these for yourself as a snack. Because who doesn’t love a good cheese ball? and I have you covered with both sweet-ish and savory options. The sweet-savory cheese ball combines the flavors of mild bleu cheese and sweet dates with just a hint of garlic and Dijon mustard; the savory-savory has fresh chives and za’atar seasoning, similar to my favorite Cheese Spread with Za’atar and Scallions. If you’re not familiar with za’atar, it’s a seasoning mix with thyme, oregano, marjoram and sesame seeds, so adding chives brings you right into the realm of a classic herb dip/herbed cream cheese. Make one, make both: they’re easy, crowd-pleasing, fun in a kind of crafty way (you get to sculpt cheese with your hands!), and delicious. Happy holidays!

Bleu Cheese and Date Cheese Ball (pictured on the right)

• 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3 oz. mild bleu cheese (Maytag, Rogue Oregon blue, Gorgonzola dolce, or similar)
• 1 T. honey
• 1 T. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp. crushed fresh garlic*
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
• 3 T. finely minced dates
• 1/4 c. chopped toasted almonds to coat

Use a stand or hand mixer to whip the cream cheese. Add the crumbled bleu cheese, honey, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt and black pepper and mix until combined. It’s okay to have some texture; the bleu cheese does not have to be whipped smooth. Stir in the dates by hand.

Tear off a large piece of plastic wrap (or parchment or wax paper), about 12″ wide by 18″ long. Dollop the cheese mixture in the middle and use the plastic wrap to form the cheese into a ball. Twist the loose ends shut and refrigerate overnight.

When you are ready to serve, carefully untwist the ends and unwrap the cheese. Sprinkle the almonds onto a plate or cutting board and roll the cheese ball until coated in almonds. Let sit at room temperature for about an hour for the best flavor. Serve with crackers, bread or cut vegetables.

*To crush garlic without a special tool, drag the side of a large knife over minced garlic on a cutting board. Repeat until you have a paste.

Za’atar and Chives Cheese Ball (pictured on the left)

• 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 c. finely shredded Monterey Jack, or mild white cheddar
• 2 tsp. za’atar seasoning
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 c. minced fresh chives
• 3 T. white or black (or a combination) sesame seeds to coat

Use a stand or hand mixer to whip the cream cheese. Add the Monterey Jack, za’atar and salt and mix until combined. The za’atar flavor will be mild, but will intensify overnight as it melds with the cheese. Stir in the chives.

Tear off a large piece of plastic wrap (or parchment or wax paper), about 12″ wide by 18″ long. Dollop the cheese mixture in the middle and use the plastic wrap to form the cheese into a ball. Twist the loose ends shut and refrigerate overnight.

When you are ready to serve, carefully untwist the ends and unwrap the cheese. Sprinkle the sesame seeds onto a plate or cutting board and roll the cheese ball until coated. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hr for best results. Serve with crackers, bread or cut vegetables.

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Your cheese balls can be stored in the refrigerator up to 48 hours before rolling in the toppings, and leftovers will keep for 5-7 days in a tightly sealed container.

Cheese spread with za’atar and scallions.

Tags

appetizer, cheese spread, chevre, cream cheese, goat cheese, hors d'oeuvre, scallions, za'atar

I am a big fan of dips and spreads. If given the choice between a bag of chips or celery sticks with dip, the latter wins every time. I’ll choose herbed goat cheese over just about anything as a cracker topping or sandwich condiment. For entertaining purposes, a good cheese ball or cheese spread works wonders, in my opinion; this spread, made with a combination of soft goat cheese (chevre) and cream cheese, is my current favorite. The flavors were inspired by a cream cheese at Eltana, the one I get every time even though I really want to try some other flavors; it’s creamy (of course) and salty, with generous pieces of scallion and a subtle hint of za’atar. It goes perfectly with every flavor of bagel and I crave it when it’s not in my refrigerator, which is most of the time. It was time for me to experiment and see if I could make something similar. This lovely cheese spread comes pretty close to the high bar set by Eltana: it echoes the za’atar flavor but is not quite as salty or scallion-y. It’s easy to make and perfect for your holiday entertaining needs.

If you aren’t familiar with za’atar, that’s okay, but I encourage you to seek some out and give it a try. Za’atar is a savory mix that includes crunchy sesame seeds, sometimes salt, and a regionally-determined mix of other herbs and spices including thyme, oregano and marjoram. It is used throughout the Middle East and North Africa and is a great spice blend to have on hand, particularly for winter cooking. I favor the Syrian blend from World Spice, with warm cumin and coriander, tart sumac and abundant, nutty sesame seeds. I am seeing za’atar blends more often in the grocery store, particularly if yours has a well-stocked bulk herb/spice section. In addition to this cheese spread, za’atar can be used to season lamb, pork and chicken and is delicious with spinach and roasted squash and in hummus. Those are my most common uses for the blend, and I’m constantly experimenting to find more.

This za’atar- and scallion-scented cheese spread is so versatile! I serve it with crackers and raw vegetables, particularly bell peppers, carrots, celery and cauliflower, as an appetizer. You can use it as a sandwich filling or condiment; my favorite combination pairs it with rye bread, cucumbers and a tiny bit of red onion. It’s also tasty with thinly-sliced roasted chicken. Try it as a filling for stuffed mushrooms: remove the stems from some small button mushrooms, fill with a bit of cheese spread and bake for 10-15 mins. Delicious! Lastly, you can of course use it on toasted bagels and English muffins. If you’re looking for a quick appetizer, addition to a brunch buffet, or just a good, tasty snack, I hope you will give this spread a try. Then, make sure and let me know how you like to use it! I’d love to hear your ideas.

Cheese Spread with Za’atar and Scallions (makes about 1 1/2 c.)

• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened*
• 5 oz. plain chevre (soft goat cheese), softened*
• 2 scallions, ends trimmed, roughly chopped (reserve some dark green slices for garnish, if you like)
• 2 tsp. Syrian za’atar
• zest of half a lemon
• 1 T. fresh lemon juice
• salt to taste
• crackers, bread, raw vegetables, etc. to serve

In a food processor, pulse to combine the chevre and cream cheese. Add the scallions (reserving some of the dark green pieces for garnish if you want), za’atar, lemon zest and juice. Pulse again to combine. Add salt to taste, keeping in mind that the flavors will marry and develop further as the spread sits; if you’re unsure, wait to add salt until just before using. Transfer to a tightly-covered container and refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. When you are ready to use, remove the spread from the refrigerator and allow it to come up to room temperature, or close– it will be easier to spread and tastier in general. Serve as desired, garnished with dark green scallion slices if you reserved them; refrigerate any leftovers for up to a week.

*Soften the cheeses by leaving them out, unopened, at room temperature for several hours or overnight. Also to note, the recipe is forgiving if you have a little more or a little less of either cheese, as long as you stay in the range of 8 – 10 oz. for a combined total.