The Best Cheeseball

The Best Cheeseball is a appetizer recipe built around shredded sharp cheddar cheese, garlic powder and dried oregano. Plan on 4 small cheeseballs (or 2 large) and about 15 minutes.

• Yield 4 small cheeseballs (or 2 large)
• Ready in 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 packages (8-ounces each) cream cheese (softened)
• 4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• ¼ teaspoon pepper (I use coarsely ground pepper)
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce (optional)
• 1 cup pecans (finely chopped for rolling)

Instructions

1. Place finely chopped pecans in a shallow dish and set aside. In a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), mix the cream cheese until smooth. Add the cheddar cheese and mix until just combined. Lightly sprinkle all the seasonings and sauces over the cheese mixture and mix until thoroughly combined.
2. With lightly greased hands, portion the cheese mixture into four pieces (or two, if you want larger cheeseballs) and roll each section into a round ball. Coat in pecans. One easy way to do this is to hold the cheeseball in one hand and scoop up the pecans and press them onto the cheeseball with the other, turning the cheeseball as you go and letting the excess pecans fall back into the dish (this also helps the pecans to go a little further).
3. Cover each cheeseball in saran wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Give it a minute off the heat, then serve it while it is still hot.