Make a pineapple and cheese appetizer for your party.
Appetizers are served while diners are socializing as they wait for a formal meal. Appetizers are usually finger foods or small foods taken easily from a plate. They may be plentiful but are typically light. Cheese and pineapple appetizers are a comfortable waiting food, perfect for summer parties.
Instructions
Pineapple and Cheese Ball
1. Combine the cream cheese, crushed pineapple, green pepper and onion in a bowl. Stir it with the spoon until the mixture becomes tough, then knead it until it is smooth and slightly soft.
2. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for two hours or until the cheese is slightly hardened. The cheese will be firm, yet easy to mold. If the cheese is left in the refrigerator too long, it will become too firm and will need to soften at room temperature.
3. Roll the cheese-and-pineapple mixture on the counter into a slightly oval ball.
4. Roll the ball in the walnuts, covering the cheese with them. Use as many or as few walnuts as you like. The nuts add flavor but are also decorative, so be creative.
5. Place the cheese ball on a plate and press down on it to flatten the top and bottom to keep it on the plate. It will resemble a rectangle. Sprinkle crackers on the plate and serve.
Pineapple and Cheese Sticks
6. Slice the Cheddar cheese into chunks approximately 1/2 inch long and the pineapple into chunks approximately 1/4 inch long. The cheese will cover most of the toothpick; the pineapple sits on the bottom.
7. Spear the pineapple. Spear the cheese, using the empty end of the toothpick. The pineapple will be resting in the halved pineapple, so make sure the cheese does not rest directly on the pineapple piece. The weight will crush the fruit.
8. Pin a cherry on the top of each toothpick. The cherry adds a pop of color and a hint of flavor.
9. Place each stick inside the pineapple shell, with the pineapple end down.
10. Refrigerate the appetizer until it is to be served.
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