Pig Skin Cheese Ball

This cheese ball is sure to score with your family and friends. Bacon, cheddar and ranch come together in this football shaped treat. Perfect for the big game or any get together!

     It's that fun time of year when we really get locked into football.  People who are just kind of fans are suddenly paying attention.  Even non-fans are wondering what they should eat during the big game.  The folks who are just there to watch the commercials need to eat too after all!  We start warming up for the big dance by making extra snacks during the playoffs.  We need to be good and ready, after all!

      

      When we are planning the menu for a big football game, there are usually plenty of buffalo chicken options.  We love our buffalo chicken dip and buffalo chicken taquitos.  We also love chili, stuffed jalapenos and kickin' corn dip.  But not everyone likes the spicy food as much as we do, so I always try to have plenty of milder options as well.  

    This Pig Skin Cheese Ball is a perfectly fun and easy way to celebrate.  The shape makes it festive football food but it is really perfect any time of year.

    You can roll it into a ball of course. In fact, I recommend you do that for your next potluck. Cheese, ranch and a pound of bacon are sure to make it popular no matter the shape.  But right now, the football is the only way to go! 

     I made this for the Sunday games last week.  They were both nailbiters.  A pot of chili and 2/3 of this cheese ball disappeared in no time.  Maybe it was all the stress?  That may have had something to do with it.  But the fact that it is delicious didn't hurt anything.

       In fact, as each new person arrived my husband suggested they shouldn't try the cheese ball.  "It's terrible" he said, trying to save what was left for himself. 

    Then he dug in for another bite.  We were all surprised he didn't end up skipping the crackers and just go for it with a spoon as time went on. 

    If you are looking for more fun football shaped food, there are always the stuffed pizza footballs and MiMi makes a mean cookies and cream cheese ball that is also cute as a football! What are your favorite football watching snacks?

Yield: 1 Large Cheese BallAuthor: Cooking With Carlee

Pig Skin Cheese Ball

This cheese ball is sure to score with your family and friends. Bacon, cheddar and ranch come together in this football shaped treat. Perfect for the big game or any get together!

prep time: 15 MINScook time: 5 MINStotal time: 20 mins

ingredients:

• 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 16 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 (1 oz) ranch seasoning mix
• 1 pound bacon, cooked crisp
• 1 stick string cheese

instructions

1. Chop the crisp and cooled bacon into small pieces. 
2. Stir together the cream cheese, ranch mix, cheddar and 1/3 of the bacon pieces.
3. Form into a football shape and wrap tightly in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for at least a half hour.
4. Remove plastic wrap and football on serving tray. Press remaining bits of bacon into the ball to coat.
5. Use string cheese to make laces on the ball.
6. Serve with crackers. 

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Copyright: Cooking With Carlee 2017

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