Date Blue Cheese Ball Food

DATE, WALNUT AND BLUE CHEESE BALL

Steps:

• Place first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Add dates, shallots, lemon rind, salt and pepper, beat at medium speed until well blended, scraping sides of bowl as necessary.
• Spoon cheese mixture onto a large sheet of plastic wrap. Form into a ball; using a rubber spatula. Wrap cheese ball in plastic wrap; chill overnight.
• Combine parsley and walnuts in a shallow dish. Unwrap cheese ball; gently roll ball in nut mixture, coating well. Place on a serving plate. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

BLUE CHEESE WITH DATE SPREAD

Steps:

• In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine blue cheese and cream cheese. Process until smooth and blended. Transfer to air-tight container and chill in refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
• Once chilled, form cheese into 6 even sized balls and roll each blue cheese ball in chopped dates. Serve cheese set on clean basil leaves. Arrange on a platter or cheese board with assorted crackers.

WARM DATES WITH BLUE CHEESE AND PROSCIUTTO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• With a small paring knife, slit each date lengthwise and spread open just enough to remove the pit while leaving the date intact. Fill the cavity of each date with a small piece of blue cheese and fold the date over the cheese, pressing it back into its original shape.
• Cut a strip of prosciutto as wide as each date is long and wrap it around twice, enclosing the date almost completely. Place the dates on a sheet pan and bake for about 8 minutes, until the prosciutto is browned and the cheese starts to melt.
• Cool slightly and serve warm.

DATES AND BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• Using a sharp paring knife, cut a slit into each date (remove pits, if needed); stuff with blue cheese. Arrange on a serving platter and sprinkle the almonds on top. Drizzle with honey.

PECAN-DATE CHEESE BALL

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve the mustard in water; let stand for 10 minutes. In a bowl, beat cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth. Add nutmeg and mustard mixture. Stir in cheese and dates. Chill for 15 minutes. Shape into a ball; roll in pecans. Chill. Serve with crackers.

MINI BLUE CHEESE BALLS

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients except Walnuts.
• Form into balls.
• Roll in chopped Walnuts.
• Chill until ready to serve.

BLUE CHEESE BALL

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, stir together the cream cheese, blue cheese, Cheddar cheese, onion and Worcestershire sauce. Transfer to a separate bowl that has been lined with plastic wrap. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, gather the cream cheese mixture into a ball. Spread the walnuts out on a dinner plate. Roll the cheese ball in nuts until coated. Refrigerate or serve immediately.