The name sounds disgusting but kids love these baked cheddar cheese balls with olives that look like eyeballs. Great appetizer for parties or Halloween. These may be made in advance and frozen before baking. Plan on making a double-batch.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Hungarian sweet paprika
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 pound (2 cups) shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) cold butter, cut into small cubes
- 24 pimento-stuffed green olives (about 1 6-ounce jar)
Preparation:
Whisk together salt, paprika, and flour. Set aside.Place the cheddar cheese and butter in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. With machine running, slowly pour the flour mixture down the feed chute and stop as soon as the mixture is combined. Do not over-process. Remove to a bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line baking sheets with Silpat baking liners or parchment paper.
To make the cheese eyeballs, take about 1 teaspoon of the mixture and form it around an olive, leaving the large end with the pimento exposed. Place on prepared baking sheet with "eye" staring upward at a slight angle. Repeat with all of the olives.
The appetizer may be frozen, uncovered, at this point. Once frozen, place in a zip-top bag, squeeze out all the air, and seal. Let them thaw slowly before baking.
Bake in preheated oven for about 15 minutes. Serve warm.
Yield: 24
