Pepper Jack Bola de Queso

- 1½ cups tortilla chips (plain, jalapeño, ranch, or salsa flavored)
- 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded pepper Jack cheese
- ½ cup (2 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
- 12 tablespoons (6 ounces) cream cheese, cut in chunks and at room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon Mexican hot pepper sauce, to taste (optional)
- 2 tablespoons grated white onion
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
- ¼ cup finely chopped dried Spanish olives with pimientos
- Fresh cilantro, red jalapeño pepper slices, or additional olives (optional), for garnish
- Tortilla chips or crackers
Instructions:
Everyone in our family loved it.
- Place the tortilla chips in the bowl of a food processor. Process to fine crumbs. Pour on waxed paper and setaside.
- Place the pepper Jack, Cheddar, cream cheese, and hot pepper sauce in the bowl of a food processor. Process until well blended and smooth. Add the onion and oregano. Pulse briefly to incorporate. Add a little half-and-half if the mixture is too stiff. (You may also use a heavy-duty electric mixer to make the cheese mixture.) Stir in the olives or work in with your hands. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
- Form the mixture into a ball. Roll the ball in the tortilla crumbs. Garnish with fresh cilantro, slices of red jalapeños, and/or additional olives. Serve with tortilla chips or crackers.