I came across this recipe and knew that I had to make it for the super bowl party that we were attending. Words cannot describe how good it was. The only changes that I made to the original recipe were that I substituted minced green onions for the cilantro, and I probably used about 2/3 of the crispy sriracha. It still had a decent kick, but it is easier to add, than take away. Another note: when you are baking the sriracha, the air will get spicy, so if your eyes get irritated at all from spicy food, you might want to open a window while baking.

Sriracha and Bacon Cheese Ball

via Buzzfeed

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sriracha
• 2 8oz packages of cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup minced green onions
• 1 tsp salt
• 8 slices of bacon, cooked and coarsely chopped
• crackers, for serving

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a rubber spatula to spread the sriracha in a thin layer over the baking sheet. Bake until it’s completely dried, about 80 minutes. Removed the dehydrated sriracha from the oven and let it cool, then break it into pieces.
2. In a large mixing bowl, use a spoon to stir together the cream cheese, cheddar, green onions, salt, a couple of tbsp of the dried sriracha, and half of the bacon. Stir until everything is evenly mixed. Shape the mixture into a ball.
3. On a large plate or baking sheet, combine the remaining bacon and the dried sriracha. Roll the cheese ball in this mixture until thoroughly coated.
4. Wrap the cheese ball tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Serve with crackers.