A patriotic cheese ball: our national bird, the bald eagle (photo © Di Bruno Bros | Philadelphia).

O.K., we’re impressed! The cheese professionals at Di Bruno Bros in Philadelphia created this bald eagle cheese ball.

Why not salute our national bird on July 4th? The garlic-herb cheese ball is great with beer and wine.
 
 
RECIPE: GARLIC & HERB CHEESE BALL

Ingredients

1. MAKE the candied pecans. Here’s the recipe. If you have extra, they’re delicious for snacking, to serve with cheese, or to garnish green salads.

2. BLEND the cream cheese, butter, herbs and garlic. Chill in the freezer until and you can form the eagle’s head. You can start with a ball and shape it further.

3. CARVE the bell pepper into a beak shape as shown in the photo. Insert into the head. When ready to serve…

4. PLACE the eagle head on a serving plate, affix the eyes and press the pecans into the base. Surround with crackers or breads.

NOTE: This makes a small eagle head. To make a larger one, double the recipe.
 
 
Bald Eagle Trivia: The bald eagle has been the national bird of the United States since 1782, when it was included with outspread wings in the design of the Great Seal of the United States. Here’s the story.
 
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*Garlic powder yields a more intense flavor than the equivalent amount of granulated garlic. To use granulated garlic as a substitute for garlic powder, double the amount.