New Lebanon— With the holidays upon us, we are certain to entertain many guests. This year, I wanted to do something different from the usual cheese and crackers and dips and chips. For recent company, I prepared Barbara Beach’s Cranberry Piquant (recipe here) and a Cranberry Pistachio Cheese Ball— both of which went over very well! Both are festive and tasty dishes sure to delight your holiday guests.
Cranberry Pistachio Cheese Ball
1 block of softened cream cheese
8-ounce block of cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
1 shallot, finely minced
3 scallions, finely minced
1/2 + 1/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped
1/2 + 1/4 cup pistachios, chopped
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
In a bowl, mix both cheeses, shallot, scallions, and 1/2 cup each of dried cranberries and pistachios.
Using plastic wrap, form the mixture into a ball and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Once the ball is set, mix 1/4 cup each of dried cranberries and pistachios and 1/2 cup parsley on a plate. Roll the ball in this mixture.Â
Plate and serve with crackers.Â
