Of the hundreds of cookbooks we peruse each year, some are weighty tomes by toqued gurus of molecular gastronomy. Others are smaller and, ahem, interesting (i.e. “The Vegan Stoner Cookbook: 100 Easy Vegan Recipes to Munch”).
And then there is “Great Balls of Cheese: More than 50 Irresistible Cheese Ball Creations for Any Occasion” by Michelle Buffardi (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $16.99), a small book proud of its cheesiness, cheese ball wisdom and clever ideas involving lots of cream cheese.
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We grinned at the cover image: a cream-cheese-and-cheddar owl with sliced toasted almonds subbing for feathers. And loved the Chilly Penguin with its poppy seed coating, carrot earmuffs and red pepper skis. Cute critters rule: a spicy Nacho Cat, coconut-dusted Bald Eagles with cashew beaks and a Sweet Almond Hedgehog with slivered almond quills.
A writer-editor at FoodNetwork.com and CookingChannelTV.com, Buffardi offers tips for making cheese balls — avoid the food processor, she notes: “It whizzes the cheese up too much” — creative inspiration and cheesy possibilities for holiday entertaining or Super Bowl munching, such as these.
Mouse bites
Mix together 8 ounces softened cream cheese, 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese, 1 tablespoon chopped shallots, 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce and 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt until combined. With a teaspoon, scoop out about 16 balls. Form into mouse shapes (teardrop shapes about the size of your thumb). Place on a baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. To serve, set each mouse on a cracker. Decorate with tiny pieces of olive for the eyes and nose. Use almonds slices for the ears and a fresh chive for the tail. Makes: 16 mice