Pumpkin Cheeseball

fall cheeseball1 — Pumpkin Cheeseball - Perfect for Fall

Who doesn’t love a good cheese dip? This one is no-cook, quick to prepare, and oh-so perfect for a fall party. Read on for the recipe…

Ingredients:

2 (10-oz.) blocks extra-sharp white Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
2 (4-oz.) goat cheese logs, softened
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Braided pretzel, muscadine vine and leaf
Crackers and assorted vegetables

Directions:

Step 1: Stir together the first 4 ingredients, then shape mixture into a ball to resemble a pumpkin. Smooth pumpkin’s entire surface with metal spatula or table knife. Make vertical grooves in ball, if desired, using fingertips or the back of a knife. Press a pretzel into top of cheese ball to resemble a pumpkin stem; place muscadine vine and leaf beside pretzel. Serve with crackers and assorted vegetables.

Note: You can even make this one ahead of time. Simply wrap cheese ball in plastic wrap, without stem, vine, or leaf, and store in refrigerator for up to two days. Attach stem, vine, and leaf before serving.

PS – don’t worry if you can’t find a muscandine leaf. I have substituted with a leafy green instead (in the above pic, it’s actually a piece of lettuce.)

Alessandra Macaluso is the author of What a Good Eater! , Lucy the Bee and the Healing Honey, and The Real-Deal Bridal Bible. She’s also a Qigong and Tai Chi instructor, and overall wellness advocate. Her work has been featured in several anthologies which can all be found on her Amazon author page, and she has contributed to The Huffington Post, Scary Mommy, TODAY Parents, and many other online publications.

Alessandra is a northerner-turned-southerner, enjoying the south with her children, Penelope and Ciro, and her husband, Greg.