In this football cheeseball, white cheddar, bacon, a jalapeno pepper and a scallion are blended into cream cheese that’s covered in bacon. It’s a fun look and fairly simple to make. 

After what feels like a whirlwind month, I am looking forward to watching some football this weekend. Truth be told, I am probably looking forward to a plate of nachos and pint of beer while I watch some games, but given this is food blog, I suppose that comes as no big surprise.

If nachos are not your game day food of choice, don’t worry. A few blogger friends and I have come up with some fun foods to add to your game day spread.

We really love our dips, pepperoni pizza creations, and pork recipes, but there is definitely something for everyone in this new season’s worth of tailgating recipes.

From plenty of savory bites to a recipe to please your sweet tooth, we’ve got appetizers that will make you feel sophisticated and recipes that double as lunch. Check out everyone’s fantastic creations at the end of this post!

As for my contribution, I’m bringing you a pigskin cheeseball.

When I was considering what to make for this collaboration, I was of the mind that the last thing the internet probably needed was another football cheeseball. But, I wanted a football cheeseball. So that’s what I made. And I was utterly delighted.

My family has enjoyed a similar cheeseball during the holidays for as long as I can remember. Our cream cheese and scallions version is rolled in chipped beef. At the risk of taking on the responsibly for the holiday cheeseball, I gotta say it bores in comparison to what we have here.

This recipe takes the cream cheese up a notch, pairing it with some white cheddar, mixing in some bacon and a jalapeno pepper sauteed in bacon fat, and then switching out the chipped beef for – you guessed it – more bacon. Despite the way it may look, it’s also fairly simple and fun to make. Enjoy!

The Pigskin Cheeseball

Yield: 15-20 servings

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Additional Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

In this football cheeseball, white cheddar, bacon, a jalapeno pepper and scallion are blended into cream cheese that's chilled and then coated with pieces of bacon. It's a fun look and fairly simple to make. 

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds bacon, cooked and drained
• 1 medium jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup shredded sharp white cheddar
• 1 scallion, chopped
• white cheddar slices, for decorating
• crackers, for serving

Instructions

1. Cook the bacon until crispy and then place on paper towels to drain and cool. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease released from cooking. 
2. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the chopped jalapeno pepper in the reserved bacon grease until softened, about 5 minutes. 
3. Place the cooked jalapeno in a large bowl with the cream cheese, white cheddar, and scallions.
4. Chop the cooled bacon, add 1 cup to the cheese mixture (reserve the rest of the bacon for the outside of the cheeseball), and stir to combine.
5. Form the cheeseball mixture into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
6. Before serving, form the chilled cheeseball into an oblong football shape. I did this by pressing gently on the center of the ball to flatten, tapering the ends, and then repeating until I had what resembled a football. 
7. Roll the oblong cheeseball into the reserved chopped bacon to coat, patting the bacon in with your hands as needed. 
8. Cut a few pieces of white cheddar and place them on top of the cheeseball to resemble the laces of a football.
9. Serve with crackers and enjoy the game.

Notes

To cook bacon, I lay strips of the meat on a lined baking sheet and then place it in the oven at 400 degrees F until crispy, about 15-20 minutes.

I purchased an 8-ounce block of white cheddar and grated half for the one-cup of cheese needed for the cheeseball. I then used some of the remaining cheese to create the laces, although any white cheese you have around the house will do.

Recipe from Great Balls of Cheese by Michelle Buffardi.

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