CHEESE BALL GOBLIN (PAULA DEEN)

Steps:

• Place 2 packages cream cheese, butter and milk in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and combined. Add the shredded cheese and mix until well combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
• Remove the chilled cheese mixture from the refrigerator. Place the mixture on a piece of waxed paper and form the cheese ball into a head-like shape. Place 3 pieces of waxed paper around the edges of a serving plate, leaving open space in the center. Place the cheese in the center of the platter so some of it is right on the platter, but the edges are on the waxed paper. This will ensure the platter does not get dirty while you make your goblin.
• In a medium bowl, stir the remaining softened cream cheese until totally smooth. With a spatula, spread the whipped cream cheese over the head. It's O.K. if it's not totally smooth - this will give your goblin spooky skin.
• Place a few drops of green food in a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of water and mix well. With a pastry brush, pain the tortilla chips with the food coloring until they are the desired color. Set aside to dry for a few minutes.
• Once the chips are dry, press them into the sides of the cheeseball to form ears. Skewer the pepperoncini with a toothpick and then attach it to the center of the head to make a nose. Press the pimento-stuffed olives into the head to form eyes. Use the 2 red bell pepper strips to make eyebrows. Take the pepper triangles and insert them into the holes in the pitted green olives. The green olives will serve as toes and the red pepper strips will be the scary toenails. Once the olives are assembled, press them into the bottom of the head to form toes.
• Press the carrot sticks into the head to form teeth. Leave them sticking out a bit to make scary teeth. It's O.K. if your carrot sticks are different lengths and thicknesses. Hold the head onto the platter with a spatula and gently pull away the waxed paper. Finally, press the cabbage into the top of the head to make hair.
• Serve with crackers and assorted vegetables.
• Notes: This recipe is exactly as Paula Deen wrote it; however, I only used about 1 cup of cabbage for the hair and only 1 8-ounce container of whipped cream cheese and it worked out fine.