Monday’s Menu: Peppery California Ricotta & Sharp Chedder Cheese Ball

Real California Cheese (www.RealCaliforniaCheese.com) offers delicious dairy recipes for your family to enjoy! Here’s a fabulous cheese ball recipe that is perfect when entertaining your holiday guests.

This cheese ball is a classic party pleaser, featuring three kinds of flavorful California cheese and coated in savory mix of chopped walnuts and green onions. Serve this cheese ball with sliced rustic breads or sourdough crackers.

• 4 ounces (1/2 cup) California Cream Cheese
• 4 ounces (1/2 cup) California Ricotta Cheese
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 12 ounces (3 cups) grated California sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 1/2 cup finely chopped green onion
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts

(Yields 2 cheese balls)

In a large bowl, or in a food processor, combine the Cream cheese, Ricotta cheese, pepper and salt. Beat or process until blended and smooth. Add the Cheddar cheese and 1/4 cup of the green onion and beat vigorously until the ingredients are evenly mixed. If using a food processor, take care not to overmix; the Cheddar mixture should retain some of its texture. While chilling the mixture is not essential, it will be easier to shape if refrigerated for 2-3 hours at this point.

Combine the walnuts with the remaining 1/4 cup chopped green onion and spread on a large plate or sheet of waxed paper. Dampen your hands with water to keep the cheese mixture from sticking to them. Divide the mixture in half, then pat and press each half into a ball about 3 inches across; don’t worry about keeping the shape perfect. Roll each ball in the nut and onion mixture, patting the coating gently on the ball. Wrap each ball separately in plastic wrap and chill until serving.

Variation: Add 1/2 cup cooked, crumbled bacon (or real bacon bits) to mixture along with the Chedder cheese.

For more information about Real California Cheese, visit www.RealCaliforniaCheese.com

* We did not receive monetary or product compensation for this post. This recipe and image was pulled from RealCaliforniaCheese.com