I am back in Memphis after my month-long stay in Knoxville, capped on the end by a weekend trip to Boston, and it’s been a whirlwind. Especially since it’s not over because I am off to a wedding in Nashville and a conference in San Francisco next! Apparently I am incapable of sitting still and although it has been fun, I am definitely looking forward to putting an end to all this traveling for a little while so I can get my apartment back into some sort of order.

Going back in time… I made this cheese ball before I left for Knoxville for an ArtjamN outing with my friend Brandi before she moved away to NC for her post-doc. Yes yes, I know I just posted a cheese ball recipe on Saturday, but that was a sweet version, this one is savory! And when I was given this recipe, I was told that this cheese ball drives people crazy. That might be an understatement because it vanished in under 30 minutes.

The cheese ball is very easy to put together, but you absolutely must prepare this ahead of time in order to allow the flavors to fully blend and enhance each other. As a result, your cheese ball will have a flock of people circling around it until every last smear of it disappears. Who knew a little blue cheese mixed into cream cheese and then covered in bacon and pecans could create such a crazed group of people!

BLUE CHEESE BALL

Makes 1 cheese ball

Ingredients:

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature

8 oz. reduced fat cream cheese, room temperature

4 oz. crumbled blue cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup finely chopped green onion

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1/8 tsp garlic powder

4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 tsp brown sugar

Directions:

1. Stir together butter, cheeses, onion and seasonings until well blended.  Press into a 2-cup mold or bowl lined with plastic wrap (I used a cereal bowl).  Chill at least 8 hours or overnight (you must do this or it will have no flavor).
2. Before serving, make topping:  Combine sugar and pecans in a non-stick skillet coated with cooking spray.  Cook until the sugar melts and the pecans begin to toast.  Add the bacon and stir. Remove from heat and let mixture cool.
3. Invert cheese onto serving plate.  Press bacon-pecan mixture on top of cheese.  Serve with crackers or crostini.

Source: Beth’s mom