Name: Date & Blue Cheese Ball
Yield: Makes about 1 1/2 cups (360 ml)
Ingredients: 8 oz/225 g of low-fat cream cheese (bar style), at room temperature; 1 cup/115 g crumbled blue cheese, at room temperature; 1 tbsp reduced-fat buttermilk; 3 tbsp minced Medjool dates (5 to 6 pitted dates); 1 tbsp minced shallots; 1 tsp grated lemon zest; 1/4 tsp kosher or sea salt; 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper; 2 tbsp minced fresh flat-leaf parsley; 2 1/2 tbsp finely chopped toasted walnuts; Crostini, Baked Pita Chips, Baked Bagel Chips, Marbled Rye Toasts, celery and carrot sticks

Image may contain Plant Food and Seasoning

Date & Blue Cheese BallSheri Giblin

Cheese balls were all the rage in the 1970s, an easy, tasty, fab party food for any occasion. What's old is now retro-chic—this lightened-up cheese ball seduces with the sweetness of dates, the savory bite of blue cheese, a hint of shallot, and a teasing whiff of lemon zest.

Dip Do-Ahead:

The cheese ball can be prepared up to 2 days in advance. Cover and refrigerate.

Recipe notes

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

27 Date Recipes for Smoothies, Energy Bars, Cakes, Salads, and More
Because the dried fruit really is a kitchen powerhouse.

Smothered Italian Sausage

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

Salmon With Sizzled Nut Salsa

A savory-hot salsa made with mixed nuts (like the kind dubbed cocktail nuts meant for snacking) gives roast salmon a kaleidoscope of textures and flavors.

Our Favorite French Onion Soup

Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.

White Bean Turkey Chili

A dash of cocoa powder adds depth and richness to the broth of this easy turkey chili.

One-Pot Chicken Thighs With Cilantro Rice and Beans

This one-pot dinner cooks chicken thighs directly on top of a bed of flavorful cilantro rice studded with black beans for a complete dinner.

Butternut Squash–Kale Salad With Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

Round out these autumn greens with tart pomegranate seeds, crunchy pepitas, and a shower of Parmesan.

Dulce de Leche

Make this versatile caramel at home with our slow-simmered method using milk and sugar—or take one of two sweetened condensed milk shortcuts.

Golden Mushroom Soup With Orzo & a Pat of Butter

This is the type of soup that, at first glance, might seem a little…unexciting. But you’re underestimating the power of mushrooms, which do the heavy lifting.

Recipe notes

27 Date Recipes for Smoothies, Energy Bars, Cakes, Salads, and More