Cheddar Horseradish Spread

Ingredients:
2 cups grated extra sharp cheddar
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 shallot, minced

Directions:
Place the cheese, cream cheese, shallot, horseradish and Worcestershire sauce in a blender. Pulse until smooth. Scrape into a bowl. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in refrigerator overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Note: This would make a great cheese ball. Simply chill it for 30 minutes and then roll it into a ball. Roll in herbs or crushed nuts, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

My thoughts:

I first made this recipe as part of our 1950s night. When flipping though vintage cookbooks and my reproduction of that masterpiece, 1950's Betty Crocker's Picture Cookbook. I didn't come across a recipe I particularly liked but I was pleasantly surprised by how robustly flavored cheese spreads, cheese balls and dips were. Strong mustard, cheese and horseradish were all used with great abandon. So I created a recipe that used a bunch of horseradish and my favorite extra sharp cheddar cheese. The spread is wonderful on celery sticks (as suggested by Betty Crocker), apples and of course, a variety of crackers.