Gorgeous AND Delicious: Pomegranate Cheese Ball

When it all comes down to it, I'd rather a recipe taste fabulous than look attractive.  But, I love it when you can have both.

This year, I found myself concentrating on working up some new appetizer recipes for entertaining over the holiday season. And one of my favorite recipes just happens to be both attractive AND delicious.

In fact, when it comes to looking festive, this cheese ball always steals the show. 

The cheese ball itself is based on the flavors in one of my own personal "guilty" pleasures -- the Merkt's Swiss Almond cheese spread. Turns out its easy to make, and (no surprise here) the end result is even more delicious than the pre-made version. 

And then I went a step further and completely one-upped them on the presentation by coating the cheese in a swath of bright red fresh pomegranate seeds.

Both beautiful and delicious, it’s the perfect addition to pre-dinner snacks or a full-belly appetizer spread.

Get the recipe: Pomegranate Cheese Ball

©BURP!

A Very Retro Christmas: Butter Rum Glazed Ham with Pineapple Chutney

This ham is, I must confess, one of my favorite recipes. And I'm not a huge lover of ham (is that sacrilege to admit that around Christmas?).  In fact, prime rib is generally my Christmas protein of choice, especially now that I have my timing down so that I can achieve a perfect medium rare.

But, I have a bit of a soft spot for retro dishes lately. And very few things scream “iconic holiday centerpiece” like a glazed ham. 

But, I've never really been a fan of the pineapple and clove-studded variety. So, I decided to go there. Create my own recipe.

I'm very glad I did.

This easy updated recipe yields a beautiful brown crust and juicy interior, thanks to just three ingredients – rum, molasses and real sweet cream butter.

The sweet and sour pineapple chutney adds a warming fruity element to the rich, savory meat. But, I'll be honest, the ham itself is glorious on its own.

The one catch? Take care to invest in a high quality smoked, bone-in ham for this recipe. Since there are so few ingredients, the quality of the meat matters.

Get the Recipe: Butter Rum Glazed Ham


©BURP!