By Angela McGowan
Here’s a cute appetizer idea you can make on Christmas or to bring to any holiday party. I made him with almond basil pesto and Italian cheeses. My son helped make him and had so much fun. This will be the only type of snowman we can make together this year, besides maybe a sandman at the beach.
Snowman Cheese Ball
Ingredients:
- 3 – 8 oz packages cream cheese, at room temperature
- 4 cups Italian blend shredded cheese
- 3 teaspoons almond basil pesto, recipe follows
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- A handful of fresh basil
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 – 3 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper
Decoration
- nose – carrot
- eyes and buttons – raisins
- crown – rosemary, or you could do a hat with stacked crackers
- arms – asparagus, green onions or pretzels
- on crown – cranberries
- scarf – green onion (I used 2 pieces attached in the back with toothpicks and held on with a cocktail toothpick in the front), carrot or radish shaving
- mouth – red pepper or currants
- optional – add a corn pipe, a chunk of baby corn on the end of a toothpick
Directions:
1. Make pesto first in the food processor by adding basil, almonds, garlic, salt and pepper to processor. Pulse until chopped. Turn processor on and stream in olive oil until pesto is movable.
2. Add cream cheese and pesto to a large bowl. Use a hand mixer to blend the pesto through the cream cheese. Add shredded cheese and use hands to incorporate. Divide the cheese into 1/3 for the head and 2/3 for the body. Make into a ball in your hands. Roll in grated Parmesan and place on platter. Refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours.
3. Decorate snowman with carrot, asparagus, raisins, cranberries, green onion, red pepper, and rosemary.
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