Spiced Orange, Sage and Macadamia Nut Cheeseball.

It’s macadamia nut cheeseball time! I always love sharing something EASY with you on this Monday before Thanksgiving – but something that you can still make in time for Thursday! Of course, I have lots of uses for leftovers, but I wanted to give you one last creative snack that you can make if you’re […]

The post Spiced Orange, Sage and Macadamia Nut Cheeseball. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

It’s macadamia nut cheeseball time!

This macadamia nut cheeseball is flavored with fresh orange, spices, crispy sage and pecorino cheese. It's the perfect make-ahead snack!

I always love sharing something EASY with you on this Monday before Thanksgiving – but something that you can still make in time for Thursday! Of course, I have lots of uses for leftovers, but I wanted to give you one last creative snack that you can make if you’re in search of something new. It’s dreamy!

And it will complement all of your Thanksgiving table flavors SO well. It’s quite autumnal and seasonal if I do say so myself. 

ready to roll cheese ball

I know that I’ve said it a million times, but cheese balls are a thing in my family. This should come as no surprise consider BOTH (not one, but both) of my cookbooks have a cheeseball recipe inside. And I have countless cheeseballs here on the blog too. It’s slightly embarrassing. 

Much like my long-standing obsession with the blue Manolos that Carrie wears on Sex and the City or the great way I behave during arguments with Eddie:

I JUST CAN’T LET IT GO.

I can’t let the cheeseball go. And I don’t care how 80s or 90s it is. I can’t get over it!

This macadamia nut cheeseball is flavored with fresh orange, spices, crispy sage and pecorino cheese. It's the perfect make-ahead snack!

And here’s why:

First, it’s obviously delicious. A really good cheeseball, like my pomegranate jeweled cheeseball, has become a staple that people use every single year. 

Second, it’s easy. Sure, this one is slightly more high maintenance, but the reality of cheeseballs is that they are easy. Mix everything together, coat it in nuts and serve. YUM.

Finally, you can make them ahead of time and they only taste better as they sit. YEP.

This is obviously the best part of cheeseballs, especially during this hectic holiday season, when you might need to make more than one snack. You can prep the cheese ball two days ahead of time and then the night before (or morning of), coat it in crushed nuts and herbs. 

Of course, this also means that cheeseball leftovers are excellent too. Remember when I shared my first ever cheese board years ago? I show you how to make a few cheese balls in that post and they are huge hits!

Plus more: goat cheese truffles, which are basically mini cheese balls. I LOVE CHEESE.

Oh! And as a post script point: they are fantastically easy to travel with. That earns triple points in my book. 

This macadamia nut cheeseball is flavored with fresh orange, spices, crispy sage and pecorino cheese. It's the perfect make-ahead snack!

Let’s dig into the flavors though! It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that I’ve been wacky over spiced orange creations this season. I’ve made a spiced orange spritzer and a spiced orange vinaigrette for salad. Naturally, cheese comes next in my brain.

Obviously.

I’ve wanted to make a macadamia nut crusted cheeseball for years. I’ll be talking more about those little love nuts in the next month, but they are just.so.buttery. They impart such a rich, buttery flavor wherever they are placed, which is one of the things I love about them.

So we have cream cheese, pecorino, some crushed macadamia nuts inside, lots of fresh orange zest, a few herbs and spices. We really took our time and played with these flavors to get just the right ratio of spice to orange that we loved.

This macadamia nut cheeseball is flavored with fresh orange, spices, crispy sage and pecorino cheese. It's the perfect make-ahead snack!

However!

Everyone is different, and I suggest mixing up the concoction below and tasting it for yourself. Before you roll the ball, take a cracker and taste the cheeseball insides. If you want more orange, reach for more zest! If you want more spice, throw in some extra allspice. Remember that we do cover it in crushed macadamia nuts (and a few pecans for color) and herbs, so there will be some extra crunch and flavor on the outside.

This macadamia nut cheeseball is flavored with fresh orange, spices, crispy sage and pecorino cheese. It's the perfect make-ahead snack!

If you can’t tell, I’m nutty over this cheeseball! Pun intended. 

This macadamia nut cheeseball is flavored with fresh orange, spices, crispy sage and pecorino cheese. It's the perfect make-ahead snack!

Macadamia Nut Cheeseball

Spiced Orange, Sage and Macadamia Nut Cheese Ball

This macadamia nut cheeseball is flavored with fresh orange, spices, crispy sage and pecorino cheese. It’s the perfect make-ahead snack!

  • 2 (8-ounce) blocks of cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 cup finely grated pecorino cheese
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped macadamia nuts
  • 2 tablespoons freshly chopped chives
  • 2 tablespoons chopped crispy sage ((recipe below))
  • 3 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
  • ½ teaspoon ground allspice
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  • Pinch of salt
  • Pinch of freshly cracked black pepper

for the outside coating:

  • ⅔ cup finely chopped macadamia nuts
  • ½ cup finely chopped pecans
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, (like parsley, sage and chives)
  1. To make the crispy sage, heat 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in a skillet. Once melted and bubbling, add 8 to 10 sage leaves into the butter, cooking for 2 to 2 minutes. Remove the sage with kitchen tongs and place it on a paper towel to drain any excess grease.
  2. In a large bowl, stir together the cream cheese, pecorino, nuts, chives, sage, orange zest, allspice, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir until combined and everything is evenly distributed. Taste with a cracker and determine if you would like more spice or orange. I love it just like this!
  3. Place a large piece of plastic wrap on your counter. Form the cheese mixture into somewhat of a ball and place it in the center of the plastic wrap. Wrap it up, forming it more into a ball as your go. Refrigerate it for at least 2 hours, or even overnight. After refrigerating, you can form it into more of a ball with your hands while it’s still wrapped in plastic.
  4. To roll the cheeseball, combine the macadamia nuts, pecans and herbs on a plate, stirring them together. Place the cheeseball on the plate and roll it through, coating the outside.
  5. You can serve the cheeseball immediately or wrap it up and serve a few hours later. You can make this a day or two ahead of time, but I would wait to roll the ball in the nuts, as they will soften over time because of the cream cheese.

This macadamia nut cheeseball is flavored with fresh orange, spices, crispy sage and pecorino cheese. It's the perfect make-ahead snack!

Pita bite crackers are where it’s at.

The post Spiced Orange, Sage and Macadamia Nut Cheeseball. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Side Dish Sundays: Cacio e Pepe Brussels Sprouts.

Newest obsession of life: cacio e pepe brussels sprouts! Oh my gosh, you guys. These are the best brussels I’ve had in my life. THE BEST. They are embarrassingly simple but have a ton of flavor. They’re salty, crispy and have a bit of a bite from the pepper. You will love them! Because cheese […]

The post Side Dish Sundays: Cacio e Pepe Brussels Sprouts. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Newest obsession of life: cacio e pepe brussels sprouts!

This cacio e pepe brussels are out of the world. Roasted until crisp, topped with tons of black pepper and salty pecorino cheese. Yum.

Oh my gosh, you guys.

These are the best brussels I’ve had in my life. THE BEST.

They are embarrassingly simple but have a ton of flavor. They’re salty, crispy and have a bit of a bite from the pepper. You will love them! Because cheese and pepper brussels sprouts are the only way to do it.

melted butter on brussels

Way back when I wrote Seriously Delish, I included a recipe for crispy salt and pepper brussels sprouts. You make them on the stovetop and they are quick and crispy and easy and a fave. The flavor is so good, but these… oh wow. These are the business. These take brussels to a whole new level.

The cacio e pepe brussels are roasted with tons of black pepper and pecorino. Instead of using olive oil, I use melted butter to really mimic that cacio e pepe flavor. The butter slightly browns in the oven which adds another whole dimension of flavor too. And the pecorino is extra salty so I find that I don’t even need a lot of salt – if any! 

The key is to pile a lot of pecorino on top so it bakes right on the baking sheet into that golden, crispy perfection. Then add another shower of pecorino on top after they come out of the oven. In addition to extra cracks of pepper!

WHAT.

Every time I make these, I want to devour the entire pan. Because, HELLO. They are completely addictive and everyone is a huge huge fan.

This cacio e pepe brussels are out of the world. Roasted until crisp, topped with tons of black pepper and salty pecorino cheese. Yum.

Pecorino is the best choice for cheese, but parmesan can work too. Give the pan a big heavy handed throw!

This cacio e pepe brussels are out of the world. Roasted until crisp, topped with tons of black pepper and salty pecorino cheese. Yum.

What we love to eat with cacio e pepe brussels:

These brussels are amazing as a side dish, but you can also toss them in roasted pastas and grain bowls!

Hot honey pretzel chicken.

Best ever lemon roasted chicken.

Applewood smoked turkey.

Brown sugar butter roasted chicken.

Maple BBQ salmon.

Hot honey roasted salmon.

Pomegranate braised short ribs.

Herb butter roasted beef tenderloin.

Cauliflower schnitzel sandwiches.

Homemade cauliflower gnocchi.

This cacio e pepe brussels are out of the world. Roasted until crisp, topped with tons of black pepper and salty pecorino cheese. Yum.

Cacio e Pepe Brussels

This cacio e pepe brussels are out of the world. Roasted until crisp, topped with tons of black pepper and salty pecorino cheese. Yum.

  • 1 pound brussels sprouts, (stems removed and cut in half)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ½ to 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • ⅓ cup freshly grated pecorino cheese, (plus extra for sprinkling)
  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Place the brussels on a baking sheet. Pour the butter over top, then toss the brussels well so all of them are covered. Sprinkle with the black pepper and toss. Cover with the pecorino cheese, tossing again.
  3. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until the brussels are slightly golden and the cheese is crisp on the baking sheet. Lift the brussels and crisped cheese off the sheet and onto a place. Top with additional pecorino and serve!
  4. Note: pecorino is super salty so I do not use salt in this recipe. If you feel that you need it, add a sprinkle of salt when roasting!

This cacio e pepe brussels are out of the world. Roasted until crisp, topped with tons of black pepper and salty pecorino cheese. Yum.

Most incredible plate of my life.

The post Side Dish Sundays: Cacio e Pepe Brussels Sprouts. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Broccoli Rabe and Pistachio Pesto Pasta with Burrata

This unique piquant twist on pesto is made with broccoli rabe and toasted pistachios and served with creamy chunks of fresh burrata cheese. Mix up your dinner game with this fast and flavorful pesto-coated casarecce. No basil and pine nuts here: this beaut is made with earthy broccoli rabe and toasted pistachios. It may sound […]

This unique piquant twist on pesto is made with broccoli rabe and toasted pistachios and served with creamy chunks of fresh burrata cheese.

Mix up your dinner game with this fast and flavorful pesto-coated casarecce. No basil and pine nuts here: this beaut is made with earthy broccoli rabe and toasted pistachios. It may sound weird, but trust me, this recipe will quickly become one of your new weeknight staples!

Broccoli Rabe and Pistachio Pesto Pasta with Burrata

I’m of the opinion that if it’s green, it can probably be made into pesto.

I’ve done it with arugula and beet greens and kale and even garlic scapes.

Need further proof? Take broccoli rabe. And pistachios. Both green. And together they make for a fabulous homemade pesto.

Broccoli rabe, also called broccoli raab or rapini, somewhat resembles an extra leafy and leggy broccoli with very small, loose florets (although technically speaking, it’s more closely related to a turnip than anything). It has a flavor somewhere in between broccoli and turnip greens, slightly bitter and mildly earthy (but less so than say, beet greens).

If you can’t find it, you can use a mix of regular broccoli or broccolini and dark leafy greens such as turnip greens or kale.

Broccoli rabe can be quite bitter in its raw form (it tends to mellow as it cooks), so we’ve blanched it first to help remove some of that bitterness, before blending it into a piquant pesto along with pistachios, pecorino and parmesan cheeses, and even a splash of toasted pistachio oil for another layer of buttery richness.

Also helping to offset that bitterness? Chunks of rich, creamy burrata cheese scattered on top. (Seriously though, is there any pasta recipe out there that’s not improved by the addition of burrata? I think not.)

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