BLT Party Cheese Ball

prep time: 5 minutes, plus 1 hour to chill cook time: 4 minutes yield:
8 servings

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
½ cup sour cream
1 cup crumbled blue cheese or shredded sharp
cheddar cheese
½ cup diced tomatoes (fresh or canned)
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
3 strips bacon, finely diced
Crispy lettuce leaves, such as iceberg or romaine, for
serving

1. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the cream
   cheese, sour cream, blue cheese, tomatoes, and salt.
   Form the mixture into a ball, wrap in parchment paper,
   and place in the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour.


2. Meanwhile, cook the bacon: Place it in a skillet
   and fry over medium heat until golden and crispy,
   about 4 minutes. Remove the bacon from the skillet
   (reserving the fat for another use) and place in a
   shallow bowl.


3. When the cheese ball is set, roll it in the bacon