Pumpkin-shaped Cheese Ball with Crackers!

We still have 3 weeks of fall! 🍁Here’s an easy fall inspired appetizer you could make for your next snack or gathering. Behold… “Pumpkin-shaped cheese ball with crackers!” 🎃

The cheese ball is made with cream cheese, applewood smoked bacon and shredded cheese blended with chives and onion covered in crushed Cheetos cheese puffs. The flavors are savory, a lil Smokey with a hint of tang from the cheese. They taste amazing with crackers and are sooo addicting 🤤

Ingredients:

- Philadelphia cream cheese (2 packs) ~ softened

- applewood smoked uncurled bacon (6 slices) 🥓

- shredded double Gloucester cheese blended with chives & onions or you can use cheddar or pepper jack🧀 (1/4 cup)

- cheetos cheese puffs (half of a 3oz bag)

- ritz crackers

- 1 Bell pepper (we just need the stem)

- Water 3 tbsp

Instructions:

1. Dice up your bacon 🥓

2. Place them in a cold pan with 3 tbsp of water and let the bacon slowly render out the fat on medium heat. This makes the bacon come out “extra” crispy without burning.

3. Then place the bacon bits on a paper towel to soak up all the excess fat

4. Shred your cheese into thin shreds

5. In a bowl, mix together the softened cream cheese, shredded cheese and bacon bits.

6. Create a ball in the bowl and place it onto plastic wrap. Then wrap it up!

7. Pop into fridge for 30 mins or freezer for 15 mins to set its’ shape

8. Meanwhile, crush up your Cheetos into powder in a zip lock bag

9. Cut out the stem of a bell pepper

10. Take out your cheese ball and unwrap

11. Smooth out the edges with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon

12. Push the bell pepper stem down on top of the cheese ball

13. Coat the entire ball with your crushed Cheetos puffs

14. Plate up! And serve with Ritz crackers :) enjoy!

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