For my husband’s 60th Birthday party, which is in the Fall, I used a familiar recipe from years ago, shaping a cheeseball into a pumpkin and added a clean, real stem for fun!
The presentation went over so well, everyone refused to try it, not wanting to be the “first one” to cut into the cheese, ruining the pumpkin!
Finally, the Birthday Boy himself took a big slice off of the rounded pumpkin’s edge, and everyone else literally got into line to try a slice for themselves. I could not have been more pleased that something so simple to create was so well received.
There’s a lesson there, …”something so simple to create was so well received.”
What may be “simple” for us, may very well be unknown to others. I received so many compliments that it surprised me, and I was filled with gratitude as well.
The “everyone else’s” at your party, or in your home, are there to experience YOU, how you do/prepare and present things, it’s a new experience for them, and an enjoyable one.
OK, back to the pumpkin ….
This is such a sweet little addition to a cheese tray, a charcuterie board, or as a tiny cheese ball pumpkin as a snack for one, adding Italian bread sticks or grainy crackers on the side, perhaps with a mug of chili or steaming soup. Enjoy it your way!
Feeling pleased with my pumpkin and myself, I posted a small photo of the cheese ball pumpkin to see what the response would be, if any, on Facebook. Immediately, people were asking for the recipe….so, here it is. I mentioned earlier that my mother made this for every party she hosted, changing her “sides” with the seasons, holiday or occasion.
Party Cheese Ball…
Ingredients:
2-8 ou. pkgs. Philadelphia Cream Cheese, room temperature
2 C. (8 ou.) shredded Cracker-Barrel Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 Tbs. each, pimento, chopped onion, and chopped green pepper
2 Tsp. Worchester sauce, and 1 tsp. chopped pecans
Directions:
- Combine cheeses-mix well, add remaining ingredients, mix well, shape into a ball, cover and chill
- Roll in chopped nuts and decorate with candied red and green cherries. Pile the red ones in center and slice green ones for leaves.
Note: My mother served this Cheese Ball every Christmas, ALWAYS with the red and green decoration…
I rolled the Cheese Ball in Chopped herbs, parsley and cilantro, and in Everything Seasoning for Bagels and More
Next, with kitchen twine about 1 foot long, I lightly pressed lines into the cheeseball, criss- crossing across the top like cutting a pie into 6-8 pieces. On the rounded edges, I rolled the pumpkin on its side to crease the edges but not the bottom, you don’t want to slice through the cheese ball.
Next, I added a cleaned pumpkin stem directly over the area, the x where the strings crossed in the center. You could also use a cinnamon stick.
Easy peasy! Don’t be afraid to make it your way, which makes me wonder how my mom would’ve liked this…. or not:) Ha!
Enjoy, and let me know if you try this now with a cup of hot soup for dinner, or for your Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board!
Love to all!
xx
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