TOASTED PECAN AND HERBED CHEESE BALL BITES

Toasted Pecan and Herbed Cheese Ball Bites image

Provided by Fisher® Nuts

Yield 10 Servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

1½ cup Fisher® Pecan Halves, divided
½ cup chopped parsley, divided
8 ounces of firm cream cheese ( 1 package), room temperature
5.2 ounces "garlic and fines herbs" cheese (1 package)
4 ounces goat cheese (1 log), room temperature
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ to 1 teaspoon hot sauce
¼ cup finely chopped scallions
¼ cup chopped pimentos, drained and patted dry

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread the nuts onto a cookie sheet and bake for 7 to 8 minutes or until the nuts begin to brown and become aromatic. Remove from oven and let cool. Coarsely chop ¼ cup of pecans; set aside. Finely chop the remaining 1¼ cups of pecans and mix with ¼ cup of chopped parsley in a medium bowl; set aside. Line a cookie sheet with plastic wrap.
Make the cheese mix: In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese, garlic and fines herbs cheese, goat cheese, salt and hot sauce until smooth. Mix in the remaining ¼ cup parsley, the scallions, pimento peppers and the coarsely chopped pecans. Use a tablespoon measure to transfer tablespoons of the cheese mixture to the prepared cookie sheet to make about 30 mounds. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Remove the cookie sheet from the refrigerator and roll the mounds into balls. Coat the balls with the reserved pecan and parsley mixture.
Refrigerate until ready to use. Serve with crackers, crudités or grilled bread, if desired.