Happy National Cheese Ball Day! We were thrilled to learn that there's a day to celebrate the cheese ball, because we're always looking for an excuse to make one.
If you've never had a cheese ball, allow me to introduce you to your new favorite appetizer: its base is cream cheese, and it's typically whipped up with various aromatic herbs, other cheeses, and sometimes meat, like bacon. Then it's patted into a ball shape and rolled around in various coatings like pecans, pepper, dried fruit, or chocolate chips. Serve it with crackers, pretzels, fresh fruit, or cookies like Nilla Wafers (there are also sweet varieties out there). While cheese balls are typically reserved for party occasions, we're thinking there's no reason on earth not to make and enjoy a cheese ball to ourselves on this fine holiday.

From 2003 to 2006, every October I hosted an annual 