Garden to Table 10-17-18

If you are looking for a cute idea for a Halloween party, check out the recipe below.

This time of year there is no shortage of bell peppers.  The shape of a pumpkin makes it especially appealing .

•3 cups orange cheese puffs
•2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
•3 cups shredded Cheddar
•1/4 cup chopped chives
•Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
•1 bell pepper with a long stem
•Crackers, for serving

Put the cheese puffs in a food processor and process until finely ground. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet.
Combine the cream cheese, Cheddar, chives, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl and mix with a hand mixer to combine. Mold the mixture into a ball, pressing the top of the ball with your hand to flatten it. With the tip of a butter knife, carve lines down the sides to resemble a pumpkin.  
Roll the cheese ball in the ground cheese puffs. Remove the entire bell pepper stem with a paring knife and put it on top of the cheeseball as the pumpkin stem. Seed and slice the bell pepper. Serve the cheeseball on a plate with crackers and slices of bell pepper and any other raw veggies that you like.