TOASTED ALMOND CHEESE BALL

So…I’m working on a New Year’s Eve dinner blog and I wanted to include some cool appetizers, so I thought…what is cooler than a cheese ball? My favorite “cheesy” things all rolled into a ball…I even made a few minis for show…they are so adorable!

This is definitely one of those appetizers you can make ahead of time…even a day early. I would suggest, however that you wait to roll the ball in the almonds until you are ready to serve. This will ensure that the almonds are nice and crunchy. Four simple ingredients, and you will be the “toast” of your NYE party, or any party for that matter!

Place almonds in a non-stick pan. Crush in pan and toast. Watch these very carefully, as they can burn quickly. Remove from pan and allow to cool.

In a bowl, combine the whipped cream cheese, shredded cheddar and chopped cherries. Mix with a hand blender until combined. Wrap the mixture in saran wrap and refrigerate for about an hour.

Remove cheese from fridge. If you want to make mini-cheese balls, take a melon scoop and scoop out some of the mixture and roll each ball into the toasted almonds. Form the remaining cheese into a ball and roll into the almonds. Serve with crackers and ENJOY!!!