Yummy Cheese Ball

The new year is just a few days away so I thought I'd share my yummy cheese ball recipe with you.  It's a perfect recipe to take to a party because everyone seems to love it!  I've been making this one for years so I guess you could call it a tradition at our house!

It's only 4 ingredients and like most of my favorite recipes are, its very easy to put together.  When my boys were teenagers, they would even make this for me to take to one of our family parties.  It's that easy!

You will need  the following list for a double batch, which is what I normally make.  But if you just need a small cheese ball for a few people, half the ingredients.

Yummy Cheese Ball

2 boxes of 8 oz cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
1 bunch of green onions
4 packages of the thin sliced lunch meat ( I always use turkey)
2 packages of the 2 oz size of sliced almonds

Using a medium size mixing bowl, add all ingredients and thoroughly combine by hand.  Place the mixture in a rounded bowl lined with plastic wrap.  Chill until the cheese is firm again.  Overnight is best to mingle all the flavors, but 30 minutes to an hour is enough to look good for your party.

This is the best little tool I've found for making this recipe.  The Handy Chopper Plus by Black and Decker.  Click that link and get you one because its perfect!

Add your cheese to your mixing bowl so it can continue to warm up while you chop the remaining ingredients.

Rough chop your green onion, place it in the chopper and chop until its in small pieces.  Don't over do it or you'll have onion puree'.  Add this to the cream cheese.

Next is the lunch meat.  I normally chop one package at a time.  I tear it into smaller chunks to fit into the chopper, then chop fine like you see here.  Add this to the bowl.

Lastly, the almonds.  Yes, they are already sliced, but it makes it easier for spreading onto crackers if you have smaller pieces.  I normally just pulse the almonds about 5 times and its perfect.  Add to the other mixture.

Place an over-sized piece of plastic wrap on the top of your bowl like so.  You'll want to make sure and do this step before you go onto the next step.  I learned this step by lots of experience!

Now get in there with your hand and really mix the whole thing together.  Squeeze, mash and mix until its all incorporated together.

Now scoop the whole thing out and place it in your bowl being careful that the plastic wrap is equal all the way around your cheese ball.

Press the mixture into the bowl until you have it all level and flat on the top.  Pull the remaining plastic up over the mixture and refrigerate.

I like to serve mine with fancy little crackers like Sociables or Veggie Crackers.  But use whatever kind of cracker is your favorite.

It doesn't have to be done all at once.  It is a slow process in the works! C-ya next time!

I'm Linking to:
These lovely and FUN parties!
Between Naps on the Porch
DIY Home Sweet Home
We Call It Junkin