Pear-Pecan Cheese Ball

By MaryEllen

Good with some modifications Made this for 3 events now, and it was a hit... Here's what I did differently: 1. Toast the pecans in a pan or the oven for a few. Also, chop them finely. use some of the small 'dust' or pieces to mix right in the dip to get that toasty nutty flavor right in the dip. 2. GOAT CHEESE- either replace some of the cream cheese or just add about 4 oz or more to give the dip some tang! 3. I'm not a big onion person, but depending on how big your green onion is, it may need a bit more. 4. The favorite way I served this is on crostini that was made from day old bread with just a little salt/pepper and a hint of granulated garlic. Second favorite- pretzel thins, so that the flavor comes through!

Ingredients

• 8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/4 cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 medium firm ripe pear, finely chopped
• 1 scallion, white and green separated, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/3 cup finely chopped toasted pecans

Preparation

Step 1

Stir cream cheese, Cheddar, pear, scallion white, salt and pepper together in a medium bowl.

Coat a large piece of plastic wrap with cooking spray. Scoop the cheese mixture onto it. Using the plastic wrap to help you, form the cheese mixture into a ball, then completely wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.

Just before serving, combine pecans and the reserved scallion greens in a shallow dish. Roll the cheese ball in the mixture, pressing to adhere.

Serving size: 2 Tbsp.
Per serving: 63 calories 5 g fat(2 g sat); 0 g fiber; 2 g carbohydrates; 2 g protein; 4 mcg folate; 13 mg cholesterol; 1 g sugars; 0 g added sugars; 147 IU vitamin A; 0 mg vitamin C; 53 mg calcium; 0 mg iron; 118 mg sodium; 36 mg potassium