tomato paste question

[piegirl]

My new holiday 'thing' is cheese balls. I thought what if you take the cheese, etc. add a little tomato paste and chopped fresh parsley with probably shredded cheddar and then roll it bacon - the precooked, microwave kind (not bacon bits-ick) Do you think the tomato paste would be too tomato or maybe just then it pink? Any ideas, I think it sounds kinda good just no fresh tomatoes to put around the edges. Maybe we need just a recipe exchange post. Piegirl

[Zana]

It might turn it orangy if the cheddar is more yellow or orange in colour. But sounds like a good idea. Hadn't thought of adding the tomato to the combo. Thanks for the idea.

I've made something similiar. I chopped up some back bacon (Canadian Bacon) into small chunks, cooked it, drained it and added it to a cheese ball mixture. I've also added it to a mixture that included cheese, crabmeat, herbs and slivered almonds.

[piegirl]

it did dawn on me today that maybe I can some sun dried tomatoes in olive oil, chop them up and add. Depends on the price! piegirl

[tuk50]

piegirl, we used mesquite smoked dried tomatoes in a cheeseball and the family loved it. We just took scissors and cut the dried tomatoes in very tiny thin strips and combined it with cream cheese, parmesian cheese, and chopped black olives then rolled it in chopped almonds or pistachios. 8)