The First Recipe: Why Save the Best for Last?

One of the most exciting things that has ever happened to me about cooking occurred just this past week. As a follow-up to a survey I had completed in mid-July on their Facebook page, King Arthur Flour Company asked for my Chocolate Chip Cheeseball recipe to put in their magazine "The Baking Sheet." The survey was about "unusual holiday cooking/baking traditions" so I mentioned this recipe along with my mom's "non-feathered meat" Thanksgiving dishes and French-Canadian Christmas Eve tortiere.  After I emailed them the information below, Mrs. Reid told me the Holiday issue was just about filled up but she looked forward to putting in the Valentine's Day issue! With a circulation of about 25,000, I was elated it was making it into any issue!
Here is an excerpt of the email I sent to Susan Reid, the editor of "The Baking Sheet" at King Arthur Flour:

I've been making this recipe for almost ten years at Christmas time (and whenever else my family can talk me into it.) I am a pastor's wife and I started making this recipe because of a tradition at my husband's first congregation. Each Christmas, the ladies of the church would inundated us with an overwhelming amount of baked goods. There was no way two people could ever begin to eat so many treats.  So, I served them at family holiday gatherings. As an advid home cook,  I couldn't bear to serve things only made by others but I also had no idea of the exact baked goods we would receive each year. The chocolate chip cheeseball became the perfect solution to my quandary. I am afraid it is a cardiologist's nightmare but I can't think of a way to duplicate the butter's richness. 

Chocolate Chip Cheeseball - the original version
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. Brown sugar
3/4 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
Graham crackers or vanilla wafers

In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until fluffy. Gradually add sugars. Beat until just combined. Stir in chips. Cover and refrigerate two hours. Place in plastic wrap. Shape into ball. Chill for at least an hour. Just before serving, roll ball in nuts. Serve with Graham crackers or vanilla wafers. Makes 2 cups
Cook's Notes:
*Use a stand mixer! 
*Mini chocolate chips are a must. Regular ones are too coarse for spreading.
*I often omit the vanilla. It can be a bit overpowering. 
*I also omit the pecans occasionally.  This makes it more of a kid-friendly dessert. If this is the case, I just place it in a serving bowl and let people scoop it out. When I make it just for my family, we each have our own labeled, Tupperware container. It eliminates many a squabble.