CHEESE BALL/pretzel bites
These are great with crackers, but I also serve them with scrambled eggs, my squash soup, and they are great cut up on a salad.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 8 ounce block cream cheese softened
- 4 ounces mascarpone cheese softened
- 6 ounces finely grated sharp white cheddar cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans regular or candied pecans
- 3/4 cup chopped dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced chives
- 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
- Straight pretzels
- Optional to taste: garlic powder, cayenne pepper, spicy pretzels instead of the standard ones.)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place the cream cheese and mascarpone cheese in a bowl; using a mixer or a large spoon, mix until thoroughly combined.
- Add the cheddar cheese and salt and pepper to taste, mix until well combined.
- Roll the mixture into bite sized cheese balls.
- Place the cranberries and pecans on two plates. Mix together the chives and parsley and put the herbs on a third plate.
- Roll 1/3 of the cheese balls in the pecans, 1/3 in the cranberries and 1/3 in the herbs.
- Stick a pretzel in each ball to use as a handle
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.