Thanksgiving Week ~Tuesday’s Tip of the Day ~Try this Tasty Cheese Ball

What does one do on the day after Winterfest?

Well, they plan their Thanksgiving Menu

and gather the necessary recipes, of course.

This is the appetizer I’m preparing for Thursday.

It is so easy, you still have time to make one too.

2 8 oz. packages cream cheese

1 tsp. garlic salt

1/4 tsp. smoked paprika

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

3 green onions, sliced

1 red pepper, minced

Hot sauce, optional

Salt and Pepper

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

With electric mixer, cream together the cream cheese,

garlic powder, smoked paprika, and Worchestershire sauce.

Gently fold in green onions and red pepper.

Stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheddar.

Season with salt and pepper and/or hot sauce.

On a sheet of plastic wrap, sprinkle 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese.

With your hands, pat the remaining cheese

on the top and sides of the cheese ball.

Tightly wrap, adding two more layers

of plastic wrap to prevent cheese mixture from oozing.

Add rubber bands to create the pumpkin shape.

Refrigerate for four hours or overnight

to set and become firm.

To serve, cut the rubber bands and unwrap.

Garnish the top with the stem of your red pepper.

Credit for this cute idea and recipe goes to the Today Show.

I saw it first on Instagram.

Here are some Tuesday Tips:

*Since our gathering is small,

I’ll make two small pumpkins instead of one large.

That way, one will stay in the refrigerator

to serve later in the weekend.

*This year, I am going to purchase the finely shredded cheese

and use a little extra to hopefully cover the entire pumpkin.

*Using the stem of the red pepper is a genius idea.

I saved it in a little snack size storage bag

to use on the second cheese ball when I brought it

to a Friendsgiving Gathering last year.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Week.

Take care,

~Natalie