Creativity Is The Key To A Tailgate Appetizer Made With This Best-Selling Trader Joe's Cheese

When one runs down the list of the best products to buy at Trader Joe's, it's pretty hard to skip Unexpected Cheddar Cheese. Barring any food intolerances or dietary restrictions, a good cheddar cheese is a "gotta have it" item for many shoppers, and Unexpected Cheddar is a superb specimen of the genus. A prized cheese shines in so, so many culinary applications, but during the autumn festivities of tailgate season, one of our favorite ways to put cheddar to work is in a cheese ball. Made of shredded cheese and miscellaneous fillers bound together by even more cheese (usually a softened cream cheese), then rolled in something crunchy, a cheese ball is the ultimate vehicle for kitchen creativity.

One of the secrets Trader Joe's wishes you knew is that it occasionally features recipes on its website featuring popular items. Unexpected Cheddar was voted into the Trader Joe's Product Hall of Fame, so it's no surprise to see this queso as the star of a well-loved TJ's recipe for a sharp, spicy cheese ball. Over on social media site Reddit, one poster who made the cheese ball at home for New Year's Eve was pleasantly surprised by the preparation. "I thought it was pretty tasty!" they wrote. "It definitely had a much sharper flavor than most store bought cheese balls and it packed a little heat from the chili pepper sauce and the spicy pecans." We're here to tell you, however, that much of the beauty of a tailgate-worthy cheese ball comes from the sheer amount of riffing that creative home cooks can do when making it. The sharp tastiness of Unexpected Cheddar in particular lends itself delightfully to experimentation.

Unexpected Cheddar already brings a lot of boldness to the (tailgate) party, but a few additions from your spice cabinet are a cheese ball 101 basis for building a delicious appetizer. Paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes will work a treat in your cheese. Don't stop there, however — turn to your windowsill herb garden for complementary flavors in dill, basil, rosemary, or oregano to bring a zip of freshness and pretty greenery to your ball. If you've dug into the Trader Joe's cheese section for your Unexpected Cheddar, keep going and grab other cheeses that will add nuance to your starter. We really love the idea of goat cheese or Gruyere for funk, or maybe some brie for sweetness and extra-creamy texture.

Then, of course, we have to address the fillers. Most tailgaters love some bacon, and cooked, crumbled slices will always beat the tough, chewy fragments you get from a bag. Hot sausage is another logical, meaty addition to a cheese ball, especially if you lean in an Italian direction and fill things out with some sun-dried tomatoes. Apple and cheddar cheese is a winning pairing, so we think some diced Granny Smiths would add crunch. We've even seen slivered dried plums added to the mix. 

And, of course, you have to roll your cheese ball in something crunchy. Trader Joe's uses spicy-sweet pecans, and nuts will always be a winner, but don't rule out pantry basics like sesame seeds, everything bagel seasoning, or panko breadcrumbs drizzled with butter and crisped in the oven. When you build a tailgate cheeseball, the world is your oyster. Following that analogy, Unexpected Cheddar is the pearl that sits at the heart of your creation.