Onion Bacon Cheeseball

In the spirit of Thanksgiving I give to you the deliciousness that is the onion, bacon, cheeseball!

What you'll need:

• Cream Cheese (I like to use the 1/3 less fat version when it's part of a receipt that will have other flavors or seasonings.)
• Shredded Cheddar (Any variety of finely shredded cheddar will do, I went with the 3 cheddar blend.)
• Bacon (Peppered bacon is best if you can find it.)
• Red Onion
• Green Onions
• Garlic
• Dried Beef
• Seasonings (I chose a Backyard Brick Oven, Dill, and Parsley. You can season the cheeseball anyway you see fit, from Italian, Southwest, Etc.)

As I'm writing this I just had an idea for a chocolate cheeseball, so stay tuned to for that!

Step 1: Getting It Together...

Put the cream cheese and 1/2 to 3/4 cup shredded cheese in a mixing bowl, then get out the skillet and make with the bacon cookin'!

Once you've fried up the delicious gift from the gods, place it on a paper towel (or paper bag as I have discussed in other instructables)

Once the bacon has cooled enough to be handled, chop it into bacon bits and add it to the bowl with the cheesy goodness.

Step 2: What's That Smell?

By now the house smells like bacon, which is incredible...

But it can smell better! So lets layer that bacon smell with onions and garlic.

Add 1 Tablespoon of butter to your skillet and set it over a medium high heat setting.

Once the butter has melted and the skillet is warm, add your onions and garlic. I should note that you can mince, dice or crush the garlic.

Cook the mixture until the onions start to become translucent, then add the mix to the bowl!

Step 3: As If It Wasn't Flavorful Enough...

We've got bacon, onions, garlic and cheese, yes this is already the most perfect combo I can imagine but it's about to get better!

It's time to chop up some green onions. Just like everything else in a cheeseball you add green onion to taste. I used 2 stalks in my ball. Once they are chopped up add them to the ball.

Next sprinkle dill into the mix, too taste...

Then add your next spice (for me it's Backyard Brick Oven, but a Southwest Seasoning would be great!)

Finally add some Parsley flakes. These are mostly for color.

Step 4: Wrapping It Up!

The house smells of bacon, onions and garlic. The mixture is making you salivate. Now let's wrap this up.

Take about 1/2 to 3/4 of the Dried Beef and chop it up. Add 1/2 to the mixture and using a spoon or spatula blend the mixture until all of the spices and add ins are evenly distributed.

Finally take the mess out of the bowl and using your hands create a ball and then roll it in the left over beef, coating the outside.

That's it you're done. Place it on a platter and serve with crackers, pita chips, etc.

I should let you know that the ball gets better overnight. This gives the flavors a chance to get all happy and make that sweet, sweet, food love to each other!