Paula's Cheese Ball (by Paula Deen)

Total Time: 2 hrs Preparation Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 1/4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (1 ounce)
• 1/4 cup green onion ( parts only)
• 1 (2 ounce) jar pimientos, drained
• 1 cup chopped pecans (paula uses fisher pecans)
• 10 slices bacon, cooked and finely crumbled
• salt & fresh ground pepper (to taste)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon poppy seed

Recipe

• 1 place the cream cheese and milk in a bowl; beat until well combined.
• 2 add in shredded cheese, onions, pimento and half of each, crumbled bacon and chopped pecans; mix to combine.
• 3 season with salt and black pepper.
• 4 transfer the mixture to a large piece of plastic wrap, then form into a ball; cover tightly and chill a minimum of 2 hours.
• 5 in a pie plate mix together the remaining chopped pecans and bacon, then mix in the parsley and poppy seeds.
• 6 unwrap the cheese ball then gently roll into the nut mixture.
• 7 wrap again in a clean piece of plastic wrap and chill up to 24 hours.