Pumpkin-Shaped Cheese Ball

Daylight saving ended. The dark at six PM. Three days of counseling at the middle school in East Point. The work was the work.

Daddy in his apartment in the back. I brought him his coffee and his medication this morning. He grumbled. The grumble was the love. I caught the smell of Mama's seasoning blend at the stove Tuesday morning. Just for a second. The grief comes when it comes.

Baked mac and cheese. Three cheeses. Brown crust. Brenda's recipe with extra sharp cheddar.

Marcus, 21, studying for finals at Alabama. Jasmine, 19, home from Howard for the weekend.

The kitchen smells like greens. The greens smell like home.

I went to the cemetery Saturday morning. Brenda's grave is on the hill at South-View. Curtis still goes most Sundays. I left a small bouquet of magnolias.

Wednesday Bible study at the church. We read through Proverbs. The women in my row argued about whether wisdom is built or born. I said both. They agreed, sort of.

The kids were home for the weekend. The house was loud the way it should be.

I drove to the Walmart on Camp Creek Saturday morning. The kind of grocery run that takes two hours because you run into three people you know. Sister Patrice caught me in the produce. We talked about her grandbaby for fifteen minutes.

Andre called from LA. He told the Kevin Hart story again. Twenty-some years and that boy is still telling that story. Everyone in this family is going to hear about Kevin Hart at our funerals.

Darnell sent a photo from Clarksville. The garden is producing. He grew tomatoes the size of softballs. I sent him back a photo of my sweet potato casserole. We are competitive about food now in our middle age.

The blood pressure check was Wednesday. The numbers were borderline. The doctor wants me to walk more. I am walking more.

Tuesday evening I sat at the kitchen table with my composition notebook and worked on the cookbook. From Brenda's Kitchen — that's the working title. I cannot write the introduction without crying yet.

Daddy sat in his chair after dinner watching the news. He fell asleep before the third quarter. Standard.

The neighbors had a Friday cookout this week. I brought my mac and cheese. They have come to expect this. I have come to expect this. The block is the block.

I had a hard counseling case at school this week. A seventh-grade girl whose mama lost her job. We talked. I gave her my number. I told her she could call.

I made a casserole for the church potluck. The pan came back empty. That is the only review I trust.

Derek and I had date night Friday. Same restaurant, same booth, same enchiladas for me and carne asada for him.

Miss Ernestine called Tuesday. She's ninety-something and sharp as ever. She told me my potato salad still needs more mustard.

Saturday morning I had Set the Table at the Cascade Heights center. Twelve young women. We did baked chicken. One of them — Imani, sixteen — was so afraid of seasoning that she barely shook the salt. I stood next to her and put my hand over hers and said, baby, you cannot be afraid of food. We seasoned the chicken. The chicken came out right. She glowed.

Sunday service at New Birth this morning. The choir sang. I sang soprano in the second alto row. Pastor preached about Naomi and Ruth. The congregation said amen. I said amen.

Thursday I made cornbread for a sister at church whose husband had surgery. I dropped it off at the hospital. She cried at the door. I told her, eat the cornbread, baby. The food is the saying.

The neighbors had come to expect my mac and cheese at the Friday cookout — and honestly, that expectation is something I carry with a lot of pride. But as fall settled in and the gatherings got cozier, I started leaning into something that could start the party before the main dish even hit the table. This pumpkin-shaped cheese ball is the kind of thing you set out and people gather around it like they gathered around Mama’s stove — slowly at first, then all at once. It’s festive enough to feel like an occasion, and simple enough that you can make it the morning of a cookout, a potluck, or a Sunday after service, and still have time to breathe.

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 0 min | Total Time: 2 hr 20 min (includes chilling) | Servings: 12

Ingredients

2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 packet (1 oz) ranch seasoning mix
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Orange food coloring (gel preferred), as needed
1 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts, for coating
1 small celery stalk or green bell pepper stem, for the pumpkin stem
Assorted crackers, for serving

Instructions

Mix the base. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add the shredded cheddar, ranch seasoning, green onions, garlic powder, and paprika. Mix until fully combined.
Color the mixture. Add orange gel food coloring a little at a time, folding it in until the mixture reaches a deep pumpkin-orange color throughout. Start with a few drops and adjust to your liking.
Shape the ball. Turn the mixture out onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Use your hands to form it into a round ball, slightly flattened at the top and bottom to suggest a pumpkin shape. Use a butter knife handle or your finger to gently press 6 to 8 vertical ridges around the sides.
Chill. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours, until firm.
Coat and decorate. Spread the chopped pecans on a plate. Unwrap the cheese ball and gently roll and press the nuts into the surface to coat evenly. Insert the celery stalk or bell pepper stem into the top center to complete the pumpkin look.
Serve. Transfer to a serving board or platter surrounded by an assortment of crackers. Serve immediately or return to the refrigerator until ready to present.

Nutrition (per serving)

Pumpkin-Shaped Cheese Ball — The One the Block Always Expects