Creamy Goat Cheese Balls

These cheese balls are so yummy and are the perfect holiday appetizer! They are also very festive in color!  I made them into 4 large balls but you could make them into smaller size balls.  This was a big hit at my last Christmas open house. What appetizers do you make for the holidays?

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Creamy Goat Cheese Balls

Ingredients

8 oz cream cheese, softened
6 oz semi soft goat cheese (chevre or crumbled feta cheese)
24 pickled, finely chopped jalapeno pepper slices or small, chopped pimiento stuffed green olives, well drained (I do both)
1/2 c. dried red sweet pepper, finely chopped (or sweet paprika)
1/2 c. snipped, finely chopped fresh cilantro(or chopped dry cilantro)
1/2 c dry dill (or fresh finely shopped)
1/3 c. chopped toasted pumpkin seeds (out of shell) or dry onion flakes

Directions

In a medium bowl, stir together the cheeses until smooth.  Cover and chill for 1 hr.  For the small balls use a rounded tablespoon of the cheese form it around a chopped pepper or olives. If you are going to make the 4 large balls then just divide the dough into 4's. (Note the cheese mixture will be sticky. You can wear kitchen gloves)  Keep doing this until I've used up all the cheese and peppers/olives.  Place on shallow pan, cover and chill for 1 hr.  Makes up to 24 small cheese balls or 4 large.

*This last part if the fun and creative part.  To make them look festive you have the green of the herbs and the red of the pepper flakes or paprika.   Set up each spice in a bowl.  You will roll one ball in a spice.  Have fun with it and make them festive!

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