Cheese Balls Three Ways

Make these early in December, freeze them, and you have a great spur of the moment hostess gift or treat for hungry guests.

Ingredients

• BASE RECIPE:
• 1/2 c unsalted butter, softened
• 3 packages cream cheese (8 oz each)
• 2 T fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 t Worcestershire sauce
• 5 dashes hot sauce (such as Tabasco)
• 1/2 t coarse salt
• CHEDDAR AND CRANBERRY:
• 8 ozs sharp orange cheddar cheese, finely shredded
• 2 T store-bought chutney
• 3/4 c dried cranberries, finely chopped
• water crackers, for serving
• ROQUEFORT AND WALNUT:
• 6 ounces roquefort
• 1 shallot, minced (about 1 T)
• 1 c toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
• Vegetable chips (such as Terra Chips Sweets & Beets), for serving
• GOAT CHEESE AND SCALLIONS
• 8 oz goat cheese
• 2 T finely chopped scallions
• 1/3 cup fresh curly-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 English cucumber, cut into 1/8 inch thick slices, for serving

Instructions

1. Put butter, cream cheese, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, salt, and pepper mixer with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until combined. Divide equally into 3 balls.
2. Stir cheddar cheese and chutney with base mixture in the first bowl. Form into a ball. If not using days or freeze up to 1 month. Roll cheese ball in cranberries to coat before serving. Serve with water crackers.
3. Stir blue cheese and shallot with base mixture in second bowl; add 2 tsp of barndy if desired. Form into ball. Refrigerate up to 3 days, freeze up to 1 month. Roll in walnuts to coat before serving. Serve with vegetable chips.
4. Stir goat cheese and scallions with base mixture inremaining bowl. Form into a ball. Roll in parsley ot coat before serving. Serve with cucumber.

Martha Stewart 07/24/2014