Festive Pesto Cheese Spread

I'm always on the look out for a tasty and easy to make dish for our workplace Christmas potluck. This year I made a pesto cheese spread, which is a variation of a cheese ball that I shaped into a wreath and garnished with fresh herbs and red peppers.

I found an image of a wreath made from cheese spread on the Kraft web site, but they did not go into detail on how to make it, and I did not like the ingredients that they used, so I came up with my own version. Here's my recipe.

Step 1: Ingredients:

• 500g(~1lb) cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons pesto
• ~1/2 cup chopped parsley and/or basil and/or cilantro
• 1 medium red pepper (you can also use yellow and orange peppers if you want more colour)
• 2-3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Tools:

• knife and cutting board
• mixing and measuring spoons
• spatula
• saran wrap
• mixing bowl
• plastic container to use as a mould (I used a 8 cup container, 15 cm in diameter.)
• food processor if you have one

Step 2: Adding and Mixing Ingredients

Mix together the ingredients in a food processor. If you don't have a food processor like me (hmm, maybe I should ask Santa for one) take the cream cheese out beforehand so that it softens and is easier to blend.

• Cut the cream cheese into smaller pieces and put in bowl.
• add 2 tablespoons pesto mix.


• wash and finely chop a medium size red pepper, add 3/4 of it to the cream cheese (save rest for later)*.
• add 2-3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese.


• blend well.

*If you plan to refrigerate overnight and serve the next day, chop the remaining 1/4 pepper the next day.

Step 3: Making a Wreath

• Line your plastic container with saran wrap.
• Spoon cream cheese mix into plastic container.
• With a spatula, make a hole in the center pushing the mixture outward (see image below).
• Press and flatten the top of the cream cheese mix with the spatula .
• Cover the container with a lid if you have one or saran wrap and place in fridge for a minimum of 3 hours so it becomes firm

.

• After at least 3 hours, gently remove the wreath from the container by tugging on the saran wrap. Then tip it over onto a plate.
• Using the spatula, make the surface of the wreath smooth.

Step 4: Decorate Wreath

• Wash and finely chop herbs.
• Cover surface of wreath with the herbs.
• Chop the remainder of the red pepper, if you haven't done so already.
• Decorate the wreath with the red peppers (I just made little red circles with them)
• With a spoon or spatula press the herbs and peppers down so that the stay put.

Serve with crackers or bread. Enjoy!