Cover Star Kelly Senyei Shares a Football Cheese Ball Recipe That’s Sure to Wow Your Super Bowl Crowd

A cheese ball is the ultimate snack centerpiece for your Super Bowl spread: it’s easy to make ahead, guests can spread it on top of crackers or other dippers and you can form the mixture into a fun shape. Kelly Senyei, Woman’s World cover star and founder of Just a Taste, has a Bacon-Cheddar Football Cheese Ball recipe that delivers on sharp and nutty flavors and decorative flair. The cheese ball comes together in less than an hour, making it a great last-minute option for the big game. Don’t worry about finding a football-shaped mold for the cheese ball as Kelly uses a simple DIY trick to do this instead. Here’s how to make her football cheese ball for your upcoming Super Bowl watch party!

The ingredients in a cheese ball

Many cheese ball recipes use a blend of cheddar cheese, cream cheese, sour cream and other ingredients for the base. This mixture is then formed into a ball (or other fun shape like a football) before it’s chilled so it sets. One of the last steps of making a cheese ball is coating the outside with crushed nuts, pretzels or another crunchy ingredient. When you’re ready to serve, simply arrange crackers and other dippers around the cheese ball and let guests help themselves.

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Easy trick for forming the mixture into a football shape

Creating a football-shaped cheese ball takes this party favorite to the next level and is so easy to do! After combining ingredients for the base, Kelly suggests placing it on a sheet of plastic wrap and folding up the sides to cover the mixture. She shapes the wrapped mixture into a football and chills it in the fridge. This trick makes it simple to whip up a football cheese ball—with less hassle and no fancy mold. All that’s left is coating the outside with chopped nuts and garnishing the top with strips of white cheese (mimicking a football’s white laces). And voilà! Your edible creation is ready to serve.

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Kelly’s wow-worthy football cheese ball recipe

Here, you’ll find Kelly’s quick and tasty Bacon-Cheddar Football Cheese Ball recipe that’s sure to score a flavor touchdown during the big game!

Bacon-Cheddar Football Cheese Ball

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Delight guests with Kelly’s deliciously clever twist on a retro party snack.

Ingredients:

• 6 slices bacon, cut crosswise into thin strips
• 2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, room room temperature
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar
• 1 (4 oz.) jar diced pimiento peppers, drained
• 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• ⅓ cup sliced scallions
• 1 medium jalapeño, seeded, minced (optional)
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1½ cups finely crushed pecans
• 1 string cheese or 1 slice white cheese, cut into thin strips
• Crackers, pretzels or crudités, for serving

Directions:

• Active: 30 mins
• Total time: 50 mins
• Yield: 8 to 10 servings

1. Line plate with paper towels. In large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp and fat has rendered, 4 to 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels. Let cool.
2. In large bowl, stir together bacon, cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar, pimiento peppers, Worcestershire, garlic powder, scallions and, if using, jalapeño until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Arrange large sheet of plastic wrap on work surface. Transfer cheese mixture to center then fold plastic up to enclose. Using hands, carefully shape mixture into football shape. Chill until set, about 15 minutes.
4. Unwrap cheese ball and transfer to serving platter. Coat with crushed pecans. Arrange cheese slices on top to form football laces. Serve with crackers, pretzels or crudités for dipping.