How to Make a Cheese Ball + my favorite recipes- Bacon Pecan and Cranberry Almond

I didn't grow up with a tradition of having a cheese ball during the holidays but I bought one several years ago and was immediately sold. They're so good! I don't know what it is about them, but they're easily one of my favorite appetizers. I no longer buy them though! They're so easy to make and you can change the ingredients to suit your family's tastes. Here's a basic, 3 ingredient recipe, plus my two favorite add-ons down below.

Stop by my food blog, www.ButterwithaSideofBread.com to see more great recipes!  We have a giveaway up for a $100 amazon gift card right now...wouldn't that be super right before the holidays? 


On to the Cheese Ball...

BASIC CHEESE BALL RECIPE:
Original recipe from Allrecipes.com

2 (8-oz) bricks of cream cheese
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 packet dry Ranch dressing mix

{Makes 2 cheese balls}

Step 1: Mix It Up

Mix all ingredients together using a hand mixer or stand mixer. It's easier to shape the cheese if the cream cheese is still cold, so using a mixer saves your arms since it's not an easy talk to mix cold cheese