INTHEVUE.COM | NOVEMBER 2024 7 The addition of a favorite cheese ball welcomes in the guests as they wait for dinner, Friendsgiving, or gatherings for the season. Ingredients • 2 – 8 oz. cream cheese, softened • 2 C grated cheddar cheese • 1 C pecans, finely chopped • 2 T pimento, chopped or diced • 2 T green, red, or yellow pepper, diced • 2 T onion, finely diced • 1 clove garlic, minced • 2 T Worcestershire sauce • 1 t lemon juice • ½ t smoked paprika • ½ t garlic powder • ¼ t salt • ¼ t freshly ground black pepper • Dash of cayenne pepper Instructions • Add ingredients to a food processor (or bowl, if mixing by hand) and mix well. • Form into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap and chill for a few hours or overnight. • Remove the ball from the fridge and using either rubber bands or baking twine, wrap the pumpkin on the outside of the plastic wrap giving it the illusion of a pumpkin. • Chill again. • Remove from the fridge, remove twine and plastic wrap, and roll in grated cheese, nuts, paprika, parsley, or your other favorite garnish. You can use the edge of a knife to add more depth to pumpkin markings after adding the finishing garnish. • Add a stem of a pepper or a twisted pretzel stick and sage leaves to complete the pumpkin. Serve with favorite seasonal crackers or nuts. Pumpkin CHEESE BALL A great fall version of brownies with a pumpkin cream cheese filling. Make ahead for when guests gather for the holidays. These won’t last long! Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filling Ingredients • 1 - 8 oz. cream cheese, softened • 1 C pumpkin puree • ½ C light brown sugar • 1 large egg • 1 t vanilla • 2 T heavy whipping cream • 1 t cinnamon • ½ t ground nutmeg • ½ t ground ginger • ¼ t ground cloves Brownie Ingredients • 1 C or 2 sticks butter, melted • 1 C sugar • 1 C light brown sugar • 2 t vanilla extract • 3 large eggs • ¾ C cocoa • 1 ¼ C all-purpose flour • ½ t salt • 1 t baking powder **See note below for gluten free. Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filling Instructions • Spray a 9 x 13 pan with oven spray; add parchment paper and then spray the parchment paper with oven spray. Set aside. • Add softened cream cheese to a mixing bowl and stir until soft. • Mix brown sugar into the cream cheese and mix until dissolved. • Add egg and pumpkin puree to the cream cheese mixture and mix well. Next add the vanilla, cream, and spices, and stir until completely mixed. Set aside. Brownie Instructions • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pumpkin Cream Cheese BROWNIES • Melt the butter and add to a large mixing bowl. • Stir in the sugar and brown sugar until well mixed. • Whisk in the vanilla and eggs to incorporate. • Sift the flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder into a separate bowl; then add into the wet mixture. • Add half of the batter into the prepared baking dish. • Spread the pumpkin cream cheese filling over the top of the brownie mixture. • Using an ice cream scoop, add dollops of the brownie mix over the filling and spread out as evenly as possible. • To marbleize the brownies, take a kitchen knife, inserting into the brownies and make circle 8’s across the dish, from the top all the way to the bottom. • Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 45- 60 minutes until edges are set and the center slightly moves. • Remove from the oven and let cool for a few hours before cutting. • Lift the brownies from the pan by the parchment paper and cut into squares. • Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer up to a month. **TIP: To make gluten free, use 2 ALDI gluten free Live Well brownie mixes…make one for the first layer and a second for the top layer, adding ingredients that the mix requires when making.
