"Who ever thought cheese that you squirt out of a can was a good idea?" asked a coworker last week. Who, indeed? (Full disclosure: I do remember buying Cheez Whiz at one point in college....) My son and I have been keeping up with a "reading month" calendar from his class - every day has a different reading task - and he was asked to "read a recipe and make it at home." One of his favorite cookbooks is the Green Eggs and Ham Cookbook, which is actually quite a clever book of recipes inspired by the late, great Dr. Seuss's silliness. Since we were limited by what ingredients I had on hand and restricted to something I could serve to company that night, we ended up making "Biggel-Balls," which reminded me, in their soft form, of Cheez Whiz. The original recipe calls for mild, child-friendly cheeses (mild cheddar, Monterey Jack) and a bit too much salt for my taste, so here it is in a more adult-friendly version.
I’m always looking for a quick first course to serve with drinks—most store-bought options are too expensive, highly processed, too salty. This option is quick, tasty, and homemade. You can serve it at room temperature as a spread with some whole grain bread or crackers, or form it into balls, roll them in a variety of toppings, and chill slightly before serving. Also makes a great spread for a vegetarian sandwich base.
Approximately 8 oz, enough to serve 6-8 adults as an hors d'oeuvre.
Ingredients:
- 8 oz of your favorite cheese, at room temperature—avoid blue-veined varieties for color reasons!
- 1 T sour cream
- 1 T unsalted butter, at room temperature
- salt, to taste
- 1 T minced chives or other fresh herbs, chopped
- 1/2 c finely chopped toasted nuts or seeds, or tiny seeds (poppy, sesame)
Method:
- Combine the cheese, sour cream, and butter in a food processor until smooth.
- Season to taste with salt—you may not need to add any!
- Add the herbs, pulsing to combine without chopping the herbs too much more.
- Pack into a ramekin or small serving bowl and serve at room temperature or use a small scoop to form balls, drop the balls into the topping, roll gently to coat, arrange on a plate, and serve slightly chilled.
Variations:
- You can add other ingredients to this recipe if you start with a fairly neutral/mild cheese or keep the additions mild if the cheese is strong. Chopped pitted olives, rehydrated sundried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, basil (or other herb) pesto…. You may need to adjust the amount of sour cream and/or butter: if the addition has a high oil or water content, reduce the amount of sour cream and/or butter used; if you are adding a fairly dry ingredient, increase the amount of sour cream and/or butter used.
- You can make beautiful torta by layering the cheese mixture with another ingredient (see first variation), then gently unmolding it onto a plate. Layer in a shallow, heatproof bowl while the cheese is room temperature, chill for at least 2 hours, then quickly dip the bowl into hot water, run a knife around the edge, and invert onto the plate.
Do ahead:
Both the spread and the cheese balls can be made up to 48 hours in advance. Keep in the fridge in a tightly covered container, and bring the spread back to room temperature before serving.
Download Cheese Spread
