An Elegant Centerpiece for Your Party Appetizers!December 05, 2011

Filed under: Recipes - greenacres @ 10:21 AM

Date, Walnut & Blue Cheese Ball

Bring some sophistication to your holiday cheese ball with this sweet and savory twist on the original!  Prepare this retro-chic snack up to two days ahead, and serve with crackers, bread, or veggies.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled blue cheese
• 1 tablespoon nonfat buttermilk
• 5 ounces fat-free cream cheese, softened
• 3 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
• 3 tablespoons minced pitted Medjool dates (2 to 3 dates)
• 1 tablespoon minced shallots
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts, toasted

Directions:

• Place first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 2 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Add dates, shallots, lemon rind, salt, and pepper; beat at medium speed until well blended, scraping sides of bowl as necessary.
• Spoon cheese mixture onto a large sheet of plastic wrap. Form into a ball, using a rubber spatula. Wrap cheese ball in plastic wrap; chill overnight.
• Combine parsley and walnuts in a shallow dish. Unwrap cheese ball; gently roll in nut mixture, coating well. Place on a serving plate. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Shopping List

• Blue Cheese, at least 4 oz.
• Buttermilk
• cream cheese; 1 block reg.; 1 block 1/3 less fat
• 2-3 dates
• Shallots
• 1 Lemon
• Sea Salt
• Black Pepper
• flat leaf parsley, at least 1/4 c.
• walnuts