Saturday, October 23, 2010

cheese ball {recipe & lore}


it really needs a different name,
but ball-o-cheese & cheese loaf are just not appetizing.
even holiday cheese ball sounds better.

here is my personal cheese ball history...
when i was growing up,
my mom would make various cheese balls
around the holidays.
for thanksgiving and also christmas parties.
i would have a little,
but i was just not that interested.

enter ned.
my third child.
born on thanksgiving day 2004.
i came straight home
{from mad river community hospital}
where my mom was
making thanksgiving dinner.
she parked me with newborn ned
in my plush new nursing chair
and fed me wheat thins
with cheese ball
and a little glass of chardonnay.
having given birth only hours before,
i was ravenous.
i was happy.
it was thanksgiving day 
and i had a brand new baby boy
and i was surrounded by everyone i loved most.
{and i hadn't had a glass of wine in nine months}.
something in me finally
:: clicked ::
:: shifted ::
:: aligned ::
with the cheese ball.
i was hooked.

as soon as i was on my feet,
i wanted to know the recipe ~
the how & the what
behind this simple yet substantial appetizer
i had long ignored.
i made cheese ball at every opportunity.
i would sometimes eat so much of it
that i coined a new term:
cheese-balled.
{as in, "ugh... i've been cheese-balled."}

during the cold weather months,
cheese ball is our cheese & crackers.
i make it to go along with popcorn & sodas
{& carrots & olives & dry roasted peanuts}
for movie night.

knowing how to make cheese ball
makes me feel like a bona fide grown-up.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
:: cheese ball ::
mix together
1 lb. grated cheddar cheese
3/4 cup minced onion
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup chopped pecans
and shape into a ball.
{note: i always roll the cheese ball in more chopped pecans to coat.}

top with good raspberry jam
and serve with wheat thins.

{note: it's not really necessary to measure... i just wing it.}


p.s. emily is the only one of us
who doesn't get cheese ball.
just you wait, emily...
someday in the future,
when you are extra happy & extra hungry,
cheese ball might cast its spell on you, too.

5 comments:

Dianne said...

Your mom sounds like the perfect house guest...fix Thanksgiving dinner and spoil the new mom. I loved reading this and I love cheese balls. My favorite is just like this but there is cream cheese in the mix and the topping is pepper jelly. Yum!

Emily said...

Well, what a beautiful memory! This post had me laughing and then feeling all gushy and sentimental for you Catie!

Dawn said...

What a sweet story Catie!! and YUM...this sounds great I have never made a cheese ball!

jill said...

confession: i have never, ever, not-even-once had a bite of a cheese ball. and i am from wisconsin and i love cheese. they just don't appeal...until now. ;) if you made me a cheese ball, catie, i think i'd go there.

i love the memory of ned's homecoming and your wine reunion. your mom is a sweet soul. i love how she took care of you ♥

Anonymous said...

oh nooo! not the cheese ball!!!
-em

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