2 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 fresh sage leaves
1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, softened
4 ounces mascarpone cheese, softened
6 ounces freshly grated sharp white cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sliced, toasted almonds
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup pomegranate arils
Crackers for serving

Heat a skillet over medium heat and add butter. Once it’s sizzling, toss in the sage leaves and cook until crispy – flipping once and cooking about 1 minute per side. Remove the sage leaves and place them on a paper towel to crisp up a bit. Set the butter aside. In the bowl of your electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, mascarpone and cheddar cheese. Beat until combined, then add in the almonds, sage leaves, remaining butter, salt and pepper. Mix on low speed until combined, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides and the bottom if needed. Take the cheese mixture out of the bowl and mold it into a big ball as best you can. Roll it in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, place the arils on a paper towel and pat them completely dry. Let them sit out while the cheese is chilling to remove as much liquid from them as possible. This will keep the cheeseball pretty! After 30 minutes, mold the cheese into more of a smooth ball. Add the arils to a plate or baking sheet and roll the ball through them, using your hands to press arils into all the cracks and crevices. You will need to gently press so the arils adhere to the cheese. At this time, you can serve it immediately or keep it in the fridge until ready to use. If you want to make it ahead of time, you can roll the ball 1 to 2 days beforehand. I’d wait until the night before or morning of to add the pomegranate arils, and you may need to let the cheese come to room temp a bit so it’s sticky enough.