Lemon Cheesecake Cheese Ball

 

Everybody makes mistakes in the kitchen.  Maybe you've doubled a recipe but forget to double the sugar, and can't figure out why your cookies aren't quite right.  Perhaps you've started the blender before you put the top on and ended up with butternut squash puree all over your kitchen.  But...have you ever put your fingers through a hand mixer?

I was rushing to get this dessert put together to bring to my in-laws' house.  I was trying to get the cheese ball combined, the strawberries washed, find some cookies, pack it all up, and do my hair all at the same time.  I wasn't paying attention.  And my hand mixer snatched my spatula - and my hand - and ran it all through the whirring beaters.  Can we say OUCH?  As if it wasn't bad enough that three of my fingers were now bruised and bleeding (luckily not into the mixing bowl), cream cheese was everywhere.  Ev.ery.where.  After wiping cream cheese off every knife in my knife block, the food processor, my shirt, the counter, wall, floor, and sink, and bandaging my hand...I still had to finish the dessert.  Darn.

I packed everything up to bring to Ann and Vern's house and finish assembling it there.

Despite its disastrous beginnings, this cheese ball is quite good.  As we were eating this, we were thinking of a million other combinations that would be delicious - mix in chocolate chips and roll in crushed Oreos, sub in orange juice and zest and roll in dark chocolate shavings, and on and on.  You could really do anything with this base recipe, and it would make a great dessert at a shower, brunch, or cocktail party.


Lemon Cheesecake Cheese Ball
from Annie's Eats

10 oz. cream cheese
2-1/2 tbsp. sugar
zest of 1 large lemon
4 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
graham cracker crumbs

Beat together the cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add lemon zest and juice, beat to combine.

Dump mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap.  Carefully roll into a ball, making sure it is completely covered in plastic.

Chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours.  Reshape the ball if necessary, then remove from plastic wrap.  Roll the ball in graham cracker crumbs (I think I used about 1/3 cup).  Serve with fruit, cookies, and whatever else you'd like!

We ate a delicious dinner of lamb, two potato gratin, fresh bread, and salad, prepared by Ann!

Then we ate this delicious cheese ball, which I opted to serve with sliced green apples, fresh strawberries, and gingersnaps.