Cheese ball with sun dried tomatoes

8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup shredded chedder cheese
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes with oil
1/2 tsp Tobasco
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

Mix cream cheese with electric mixer until fluffy, add chedder cheese, onion powder, sun dried tomatoes and tobasco. Form into a ball or log shape and wrap in saran wrap and chill or freeze until ready to use. When thoroughly chilled or defrosted, roll cheese ball in toasted pine nuts.
Serve with crackers. I usually use fresh basil on the plate and have the leaves coming out from under the log for a pretty presentation.

Variations: You can use the basic recipe i.e. cream cheese, shredded cheese and onion powder and make up your own versions. I recently used
1/4 cup strawberry balsamic preserves and then rolled the cheese ball in toasted crushed pecans.

You can combine some of your favorite wine, bacon bits, fresh veggies,
whatever you like wit cheese and experiment with the cheese balls.

For a sweet cheese ball, try adding some melted chocolate, nuts and then rolling in powdered sugar and serving with graham crackers.