Just Your "Basic" Cheese Ball



The title may be basic, the taste is anything but!  Grace Wells who's the editor of Betty Crocker Tiny Bites stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her "Basic" Cheese Balls.  Grace told Tonia the reason they call it basic, is because it means the recipe's foundation. From there, you can go pretty wild!  She says you can experiment with different ingredients, cheeses and themes.  Whatever you decide, Grace promises the finish product will be a thing of beauty, both in presentation and taste!

Basic Cheese Balls
Prep Time: 1 Hour | Start to Finish: 2 Hours 30 Minutes | 75 cheese balls

2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 package (10 to 11 oz) chèvre (goat) cheese, softened
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon kosher (coarse) salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 In large bowl, beat Basic Cheese Ball Ingredients (left) with electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment on medium speed until combined.

2 Stir in Flavor Stir-Ins for desired recipe. With moistened hands, shape into 75 (1-inch) balls; refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. (If not using immediately, cover and refrigerate up to 3 days, or freeze up to 1 month.)

3 In small bowl, stir coating ingredients for desired recipe. Roll balls in mixture to coat before serving. Serve with baguette slices or as indicated in individual recipe.

Mini French Cheese Balls

Basic Cheese Balls

Flavor Stir-Ins
3 cups crumbled Roquefort cheese (12 oz)
2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Coating
3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup finely chopped Marcona almonds

Serve-With, if Desired
Toasted baguette slices

1 Cheese Ball: Calories 60; Total Fat 5g (Saturated Fat 3g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 15mg; Sodium 130mg; Total Carbohydrate 1g (Dietary Fiber 0g); Protein 2g Exchanges: ½ Medium-Fat Meat, ½ Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 0