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Langley woman creates winning cranberry walnut cheese ball recipe

Maryalice Wood won the Cranberries BC Culinary Contest
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Langley’s Maryalice Wood, 71, won Cranberries BC Culinary Contest in October 2020 for her cranberry walnut cheese ball recipe. (Coreen Rodger Berrisford/Special to Langley Advance Times)

Out of 400 recipes submitted a Langley woman’s was selected the winner of a Cranberries BC Culinary Contest for her cranberry walnut cheese ball.

Maryalice Wood, 71, was awarded “a year’s worth” of Craisins, and a harvest tour courtesy of Hopcott Farms in October for her winning recipe in a contest organized by the BC Cranberries Marketing Commission, the body that represents cranberry growers in the province.

“I actually saw the contest on a Black Press [Media] website… and so I entered,” the Willoughby resident recalled about first learning of the competition.

“And you were to make-up a recipe… using cranberries, either dried ones like Craisins, or fresh ones,” she explained.

There were several contest categories and Wood said she submitted a creation for each.

“I’m making recipes all the time,” she laughed. “I enjoy it.”

And Wood is no stranger to winning contests, in 2016 she won $10,000 for her cheese soufflé through a magazine recipe challenge.

READ MORE: Cheese soufflé earns Langley woman $10,000

“I’ve just always enjoyed cooking and baking; My husband says that’s how I nabbed him, really,” Wood laughed.

The mother of six calls cooking and baking a hobby and said she’s never had any formal training.

“I was one of 10 children and I really enjoyed cooking for lots of people,” she said, calling herself a registered nurse by “vocation.”

So what advice would Wood share with novice bakers?

“Just follow your instincts… and just experiment,” she said.

Maryalice’s cranberry walnut cheese ball recipe:

1 - 250 gram package cream cheese, softened

1 - tablespoon sugar or honey

1 - tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/3 cup dried cranberries (Craisins)

2/3 cup chopped walnuts, divided

Place cream cheese, sugar, and vinegar in mixing bowl. Beat until fluffy. Add cranberries and 1/3 cup chopped walnuts. Beat slowly until well blended.Put cheese mixture onto plastic wrap and shape into a ball. Refrigerate until well chilled, about 2 hours.

When ready to serve, put remaining chopped walnuts on a plate. Unwrap cheese ball and roll in walnuts to coat outside of ball. Serve with pear and apple slices or crackers of your choice. Serves 8.

Note: Alternatively, instead of making a ball, roll into walnut-size balls. Then coat each ball in remaining chopped walnuts, place on parchment covered tray, and refrigerate. Stick a toothpick in each ball and serve with fruit slices and/or crackers.


@JotiGrewal_
joti.grewal@blackpress.ca

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