Autumn Owl Cheese Ball ~ Personal Appetizer Plate #Recipe

If you have been a reader of Mom Does Reviews for any amount of time, you know that Pam LOVES owls!  She loves them so much, that she said she really needed an owl recipe for Thanksgiving this year and asked me to help her come up with something cute.

Searching Pinterest, I found dozens of owl cupcakes and desserts; I even found a few owl cheese balls.  While I tried to come up with something good I thought more and more about the cheese balls and how I don’t like them — not because they aren’t delicious — but because I don’t like dipping into them and I’m always afraid my cracker will break inside and you can’t dig it out when you are at the party table (that’s unsettling for everyone).  Of course, this means I had to come up with a solution.

Personal Owl Cheese Balls!

I used my favorite easy cheese ball recipe and placed portions into a cupcake pan to chill.  The recipe is super simple:  combine two packages of cream cheese, softened; one packet of salad dressing mix/seasoning; a cup (or so… yes, I’m guilty of using more) of mixed shredded cheeses; one cup of Dukes Mayonnaise.

Spoon mixture into paper-cup-lined cupcake pan, pressing firmly into each form.  Cover and chill for, at least, one hour.

While you are waiting for the cheese balls to set.  Cut circle slices of mozzarella cheese for the owl eyes.  Using a straw, poke an off-set hole in each eye.   Set aside “eyes” until you are ready to assemble.

Once the cheese balls are firm, place them on small appetizer plates. and remove the cupcake wrapper.  Take a small piece of kale and place it behind the empty circle (pupil) on each eye and arrange on the upper portion of the cheese ball.

A single slivered almond created the beak.

To create feathers you can use almost anything you prefer.  I used sliced almonds in the center/chest and slivered almonds on the sides/wings.  Other options are to use bacon, carrot slices, kale chips, pecans — there are a lot of creative options out there.  Use flavors that pair well with the seasoning you choose.

The final touch was to add slanted strips of kale to accent each eye.

Owl Cheese Ball Recipe

Cheese Ball Ingredients:

• 2 Pkgs Cream Cheese
• 1 Cup Mayonnaise
• 1 Pk Salad Dressing or Soup Mix
• 1 Cup Shredded Cheese

Owl Decorative Ingredients:

• Mozzarella Slices
• 1 bunch Kale
• Slivered Almonds
• Sliced Almonds

Combine two packages of cream cheese, softened; one packet of salad dressing mix/seasoning;  one cup of mixed shredded cheeses; one cup of mayonnaise.  Spoon mixture into paper-cup-lined cupcake pan, pressing firmly into each form.  Cover and chill for one hour (or longer).

Use Owl Decorative Ingredients to create owl eyes, pupil, feathers and wings.  See above for detailed instructions.

(Serve on individual plates with crackers and/or vegetables.)

Print the Owl Cheese Ball Recipe!

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Autumn Owl Cheese Ball ~ Personal Appetizer Plate #Recipe

Prep time:  20 mins

Total time:  20 mins

Serves: 12

Ingredients

• Cheese Ball Ingredients:
• 2 Pkgs Cream Cheese
• 1 Cup Mayonnaise
• 1 Pk Salad Dressing or Soup Mix
• 1 Cup Shredded Cheese
• Owl Decorative Ingredients:
• Mozzarella Slices
• 1 bunch Kale
• Slivered Almonds
• Sliced Almonds

Instructions

1. Combine two packages of cream cheese, softened; one packet of salad dressing mix/seasoning;  one cup of mixed shredded cheeses; one cup of mayonnaise.  Spoon mixture into paper-cup-lined cupcake pan, pressing firmly into each form.  Cover and chill for one hour (or longer).
2. Use Owl Decorative Ingredients to create owl eyes, pupil, feathers and wings.  See above for detailed instructions.

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