The Best Cheese Ball

I held an open house here as a meet-and-greet for women in my neighborhood last weekend. I tried three new recipes - all found on PW's Tasty Kitchen. This one was very good and I will definitely make it again!

Sweet and Savory Cheese Ball

8 ounce pkg Cream Cheese (use Neufchatel, but FF would work too)
¼ cups Sour Cream (I used light)
1 cup Finely Shredded Cheddar Cheese
¼ cups Shredded Parmesan Cheese
¼ cups Finely Chopped Onion
½ teaspoons Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 pinch Cayenne Powder
1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
¼ teaspoons Freshly Ground Black Pepper
⅓ cups Dried Cranberries, Optional (but best part!)
½ cups Toasted Pecans, Chopped

1) Place all ingredients except pecans in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer on medium-low speed until well combined.

2) Scrape the mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap. Cover with the plastic wrap and shape into a ball. Put the cheese ball on a plate and place in the refrigerator to harden, about 30 minutes – 1 hour.

3) Roll the cheese ball in the chopped pecans and place on a serving plate. Serve with crackers.

Best if allowed to sit for at least one hour in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to blend. When ready to serve, it is also recommended to remove from refrigerator for 15-20 minutes before serving.