January 29, 2011

Jen's "Buffalo Wing" Cheese Ball

~~posted by Jen


Dig in!
Earlier this week Nik shared her scrumptious Buffalo Chicken Salad. I too, am a hardcore devotee of Shari's original Buffalo Chicken dip. That stuff definitely helped me get real food in when I was early out.

My ex-husband Ken LOVES LOVES LOVES buffalo wings. I am not kidding. So I created this dish for him to snack on when watching football, and he says it's "the bomb." That was one of his Christmas gifts from me, along with his DVD Snack Basket. I'm not even a big fan of actual buffalo wings, but I love this cheeseball.


Jen's Buffalo Wing Cheeseball
(makes 2 cheese balls or logs, whichever shape you prefer)
Ingredients:


For the cheese ball:

16 oz. Neufchatel cheese (1/3 less fat cream cheese), softened

1/4 cup Greek Yogurt
2 stalks celery diced fine, I chopped mine in my Ninja (note: Celery is optional, and only recommended if you are a year out or more. Celery is very stringy and can bother newer pouches! Some plans even prohibit it for life so check yours before using it. You can substitute celery salt or dried celery leaves for the same flavor profile.)
1 can chicken breast meat, drained and shredded fine with a fork
1 package bleu cheese crumbles
1/2 packet Ranch dip mix (I used Hidden Valley)
2 tsp Hot Sauce (I used Frank's Hot Sauce, or Tabasco would work. I don't like spicy, if you do, feel free to add more.)

For the coating:
1c. slivered almonds
2 tbsp Ranch dip mix

Directions:

In a bowl, combine cheese and yogurt and beat with a hand mixer until just blended. Add protein powder and dip mix powder and beat again until fully incorporated. 
Stir in the chicken, bleu cheese crumbles, and celery until well mixed. 




Lay out a large piece of waxed paper and, using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, scrape half of cheese 
mixture onto it. Roll it into a log (or ball, your choice) and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Repeat the process with remaining half of the mixture. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.
Nuts and Dip Mix waiting for the cheese to drop!

In a rectangular bowl or plate, combine the coating ingredients until mixed well. Drop the first cheese log/ball into the coating mix and roll it around until all sides are completely covered. Repeat with the second log. If you're planning to serve right away, transfer to your serving platter. Otherwise wrap tightly with plastic wrap and store in the fridge. They're good for up to a week as long as kept refrigerated. 
The completed cheese log 

I serve this with Wheat Thins or those new Flatbread Thins Olive Oil and Sea Salt crackers. You could use pita chips or veggie dippers as well.
YUM!


Of course, I blame Nikki for my newfound love of cheeseballs. It all started with the curry. So this combines my love of the flavors associated with buffalo wings and the snackability of a cheese ball. THIS is what we mean when we say Play With Your Food™!

Think of a flavor combination that you enjoy, and remix it with healthier, more WLS-friendly ingredients. Snap a pic and send us your creations! Rock on, Pouch Party™ Nation!


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