Is a cheese ball a MUST-HAVE at your holiday get together? If so, we have a new recipe for you!

In our kitchen today, Chef Eli Laidlaw, Plat 99, and Michael Frentz, Assistant Banquet Manager, The Alexander, make us their special Holiday Cheese Ball, along with their recipe for Puppy Chow and a SnowBall Old-Fashion.

Holiday Cheese Ball-
2 3# blocks of cream cheese
2 cups shredded 2 year cheddar block
1 cup port reduction
1 cup dried diced apples
1 cup dried cranberries
2 cups toasted almonds, lightly chopped
2 balls boursin cheese
3T smoked paprika
1-2T salt, to taste
½ cup hickory syrup
Toasted pecans/ almonds- enough to roll the log in and coat well. Make a big batch and have leftovers
-Beat cream cheese with paddle in the mixer until fairly fluffy and smooth. Add in the boursin cheese and beat again. Add the dried fruit, nuts, shredded cheese and paprika, turn the mixer on low and mix together well. Now add the port reduction, hickory syrup and salt, mix everything together and taste for seasoning.
Lay out a few pieces of parchment paper, spray with pan spray (this helps the pecans and almonds stick a little better) and spread the pecans and almonds lightly over the first ¼ or so of the sheet.
Now, using a large spoon to make a 1-inch log across the paper from left to right, leaving an inch of space on either side of the log.
Take the bottom of the paper and roll it up over the log, some of the nuts will fall off, just try to sprinkle them onto the mixture and start rolling up the log. Once you’ve rolled to the end, grab either side of the parchment paper and twist in the opposite directions to tighten the paper onto the mixture and form a tight roll.
Lay onto a sheet tray and put in the cooler to firm up for at least an hour, overnight is preferable.

Puppy Chow-
1 bag chex
2 bags pretzels
1 bag butter finger pieces
1 bag milk chocolate
½ jar peanut butter
1 quart Dulcey blonde chocolate
1 bag powdered sugar
½ quart malted milk powder

In a large bowl, mix together the chex, pretzels and Butterfinger pieces and set aside.
In another large bowl set over simmering water, add the chocolates and peanut butter. Melt until smooth.
Mix together the powdered sugar and malt powder, keep covered tightly until you need to use it.
Add the chocolate mixture to the chex mixture and start folding it together. The mixture is pretty warm but if you wear a cut glove covered with 2 layers of regular gloves, you can use your hands to mix everything together, make sure everything gets coated well.
Lay out 4 or 5 sheet pans, more if needed, line them with parchment paper or silpats and spray with pan spray. Put the chocolate chex mixture onto the trays and thin layers, keep everything as separated as you can, the less clumps the better. After you’ve spread the mixture evenly into thin layers on the sheet trays, put them all on a speed rack and roll it into the meat room (not the walk in, there is too much moisture in the air)
Once the trays of puppy chow have cooled completely and hardened back up, start breaking everything up (wear two layers of gloves so it takes longer for the heat from your hands to start melting the chocolate again) keep everything still in thin layers on sheet trays as much as possible.
Once you’ve finished breaking everything up as individually as possible, get the large circle sifter and pour in the powdered sugar mixture. Shake the sifter and dust the chocolate mixture to coat everything well, mix it all up as you go so there is an even coating of the malt sugar over all of it.

SnowBall Old-Fashion
2 oz Caramelized
Pecan Bourbon
¼ oz Spiced
Molasses Syrup
1 drop Saline Solution
2 dashes Wormwood
Bitters
orange zest, to
express and discard
1 In a mixing glass, combine all ingredients
with cracked ice and stir well.
2 Strain into a Miracle® Double Rocks Glass.
3 Express orange zest over the drink, discard the peel, then add the snowball ice.

2019 Miracle Cocktail Menu

COCKTAILS

Christmapolitan
Vodka, Elderflower, Dry Vermouth,Spiced Cranberry Sauce, Rosemary,Lime, Absinthe Mist

Koala-La La La, La La La La
Gin, Pine Tea Cordial, Grapefruit, Oleo, Eucalyptus Bitters

Snowball Old-Fashioned
Caramelized Pecan Bourbon, Spiced Molasses Syrup, Wormwood Bitters

Run Run Rudolph
Prosecco, Gin, Mulled Wine Puree,Lemon, Cane Syrup

Bad Santa (served hot)
Rum, Batavia Arrack, Black ChaiTea, Date-Infused Oat Milk, Spiced Vanilla Syrup

Christmas Carol Barrel
Blanco Tequila, Coffee Liqueur, Cocoa Nib-Infused Orange & Cognac Liqueur, Iced Hot Chocolate, Mexican Spices

Gingerbread Flip
Rye Whiskey, Gingerbread Syrup,Tiki Bitters, Whole Egg, Ginger Snap Cookie Crumbs

SanTaRex
Rye Whiskey, Oloroso Sherry, Spiced Apple Cider Concentrate, Lemon Juice, Hard Cider, Baked Apple Bitters

Yippie Ki Yay Mother F****r!
Barbados Rum, Cachaça, Trinidad Overproof Rum, Purple Yam & Coconut Orgeat, Pineapple Acid

Jingle Balls Nog
Brown Butter and Cinnamon Fat-Washed Cognac, Amontillado Sherry, Almond Milk, Cream, Sugar,
Egg, Vanilla, Nutmeg

Naughty Shot
Bourbon, Cinnamon

Nice Shot
Rum, Peppermint Tea, Chocolate

Mistletoe Shot
Gingerbread Spiced Rye

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