Mini Honey Roasted Almond Cheese Balls

These Mini Honey Roasted Almond Cheese Balls are a creamy mixture of mozzarella, Parmesan, & cream cheese that are rolled in sweet & crunchy honey roasted almonds and served on a pretzel stick...

This post is sponsored by Blue Diamond Almonds.

It is hard to believe that another year is almost done and over with. This has been such an incredible year for Frugal Foodie Mama, and I first and foremost want to thank all of you out there who come back day after day to read what I have to say, grab my recipes, pin them, share them, and just be a part of this little food blogging dream of mine. 

Without you all, this dream of mine wouldn't even be possible. So THANK YOU. :) 

I am determined to make 2016 another fabulous year for this little space of mine, so stay tuned. There is so much more good stuff coming your all's way very soon.

But let's talk New Year's Eve for a second, shall we? I have never been much for partying it up and painting the town for this big night. I have always loved staying at home with the ones that I love to ring in the new year. 

But we always try to make it a special night with lots of delicious finger foods, plenty of bubbly (sparkling grape juice for the kiddos), and watching the ball drop at midnight (for those of us who make it til then, lol.). ;) 

I have always been a sucker for all things sweet & savory, so when Blue Diamond sent me their new Honey Roasted Almonds to try out in a recipe I knew I wanted to make a little something for New Year's Eve. 

Cheese balls have always been a favorite with my family, so I decided to turn one of our favorite creamy appetizers into the perfect finger food- these Mini Honey Roasted Almond Cheese Balls! 

These mini cheese balls are a creamy mixture of mozzarella, Parmesan, & cream cheese that are rolled in sweet & crunchy honey-roasted almonds and served on a pretzel stick...

Sweet & Spicy Sriracha Cheese Ball

This Sweet & Spicy Sriracha Cheese Ball is the perfect combination of sweet & spicy with its roasted, crunchy sriracha almonds, sweet dried apricots, and an added extra kick of heat from a little sriracha sauce...

My husband and I love to entertain all year round, but we really kick up our party and get-together hosting once the warmer weather arrives. Our side deck and fire pit become an extension of our kitchen and dining area making it easy for us to invite over and entertain even more family and friends. 

Most of our summer get-togethers are laid back with very little fuss. While I love cooking and creating in the kitchen, I would rather be spending more time chatting with our guests and enjoying the company so I try to make self-serve dishes and appetizers that I can easily prep while guests are arriving or that can be completely made ahead of time.

When Blue Diamond sent me some of their brand new Bold Sriracha Almonds to try, I instantly was inspired to create an easy-to-make cheese ball that would be perfect for summertime entertaining. These Bold Sriracha Almonds are addictive, my friends. 

After enjoying a few small handfuls of these crunchy and spicy almonds, I knew I wanted to pair them with a little sweetness for this cheese ball.  This Sweet & Spicy Sriracha Cheese Ball is the perfect combination of sweet & spicy with its roasted, crunchy sriracha almonds, sweet dried apricots, cooling cream cheese, and an added extra kick of heat from a little sriracha sauce...