Bacon Cheddar Cheese Ball

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Bacon Cheddar Cheese Ball
I have a desperate love affair with cheese.  Cheese is like the little magic ingredient that automatically transforms a “blah” dish into the superstar of the meal.  Cover boring macaroni in it, and it becomes gorgeous Mac and Cheese (recipe here), and you bring home an empty dish from the potluck.  Cover broccoli in cheese sauce, and even your picky 3 year old will eat it.  Well . . . unless you tell him he’s eating vegetables.  If you do that, then you void the cheese warranty, and you’re on your own.  I take no further responsibility, after that. 😉
This cheese ball combines everything that is good about life. . . cheese, bacon, ranch dressing, and Ryan Reynolds.  Ahem . . . just kidding about the Ryan Reynolds part.  So I guess it technically doesn’t have everything that is good in life.  😉
Make this little guy for a New Year’s Eve get together or superbowl party.  Goodness . . . make it for Friday game night.  It’s so easy to make that you really don’t need a special occasion.  Easy and delicious. It doesn’t get any better than that.  If you want to just whip up a batch and pop in a Ryan Reynolds movie, I definitely won’t judge 😉
What are we waiting for?  Let’s do this!

Bacon Cheddar Cheese Ball

(adapted from Allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (divided)
1 cup of bacon, cooked crispy and chopped (divided)

Directions:

Allow cream cheese to soften before beating it in the mixer to fluff and remove lumps.  Add in sour cream and ranch dressing and beat until combined.  By hand, mix in 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup of cooked and crumbled bacon.  Roll cheese in remaining cheese and bacon, shaping into a ball as you roll.  Wrap cheese ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Now, in pictures! 🙂
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This recipe is so quick that we almost don’t need directions.  Whip your cream cheese in the mixer until it is fluffy and the lumps are gone.  It should be nice and smooth.  Beat in your sour cream and ranch dressing until ingredients are combined.  By hand, stir in 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup cooked and crumbled bacon.

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Sigh.  Bacon makes everything better.  Chop the remaining 1/2 cup, or so, into small pieces.
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Combine your 1/2 cup remaining cheese and your 1/2 cup chopped bacon.  This is the basis for greatness, right here, folks.  I’m not sure why they argue on Capitol Hill.  All they really need to do is bring bacon and cheese to the meetings, and I bet, suddenly, all the Congressmen would feel mighty mellow and good natured.
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Put your cheese and bacon mixture on a plate and scrape the cheeseball center onto the mixture. Grabbing it from the bottom, roll the cheese into a ball, covering it with cheese as you go.
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When you have your ball covered in delicious goodness, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate it until you’re ready to serve.  When it’s wrapped in plastic, you can also kind of “reshape” it, without getting your hands all nasty.
Bacon Cheddar Cheese Ball
Put it on a cute little plate and give it some Ritz buddies.  Everyone deserves a stay at the Ritz . . . even if it’s brief. haha.  This little guy . . . won’t be here that long. 😉
This cheeseball is the perfect snack for a fun family game night, a New Year’s Eve party, or any occasion where you want a fun snack with almost zero effort.  It looks like you spent a lot of time, but you really whipped it out in 5 minutes.  I love dishes like that.  It’s delicious, too . . . anything with bacon and cheese is bound to be, if you ask me.
You did it!  And I’m just so proud of you.

 


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