A Family Tradition

December 2, 2020

Wine & Dine Wednesday about a Watson family tradition, the cheese ball. I remember very few gatherings that did not include a big bowl is just boiled shrimp as well as a cheese ball. My mom always made one and then my sister-in-law Nan picked up the torch and has been making them for 40+ years she has been married to my brother Tim. This is her quick recipe. It was my first cheese ball attempt. The moment I spread some of it on a cracker, I was instantly taken back to my youth. I look forward to making many more, trying lots of variations, but this is Nan’s go-to which is pretty darn similar if not exactly like my mom’s–it brought back a flood of good memories so I thought I would start with this one. Super easy and soooooo good!

Two 8 ounce packages of cream cheese along with 5 ounce jar of Old English sharp cheddar spread. All should be left on the counter and brought to room temperature. Add those to a large mixing bowl so you can work in a few generous pinches of garlic powder and a few big shakes of Worcestershire sauce from the bottle. Mix all together. Put into fridge to chill so you can form it into a ball later. Over medium stovetop heat, toast up a good amount of pecan pieces that have been broken up. Let cool. Once the cheese mixture has chilled, form into a ball. Roll that into the pecans until it is fully covered. Serve with crackers. Enjoy!