Muffuletta Cream Cheese Roll-Up Recipe

Prep Time:  5 minutes  Difficulty: Easy

This easy, tasty appetizer is an ode to my recent trip to New Orleans and my take on my new favorite sandwich, "The Muffuletta." This recipe is perfect as an appetizer for Mardi Gras, Gameday, or anytime you crave salty olives and salami (could be omitted for a vegetarian option), sweet roasted peppers, Provolone cheese, pepperoncini, and creamy cream cheese. Am I making your mouth water?

My hubby, I, and a few friends traveled to New Orleans (aka NOLA) for the first time and had the most sinfully delicious sandwich, "The Muffuletta," from The Central Grocery in The French Quarter. This enormous sandwich is made with homemade bread stuffed with layers of ham, salami, cheese, and a tasty olive salad. Seriously insane (everything in moderation, right?).

These tasty bite-sized morsels imitate the intense flavors of The Muffuletta without all the calories. For my version, instead of the traditional olive salad (found in most delis), I opted for green and black olives and provolone cheese from the olive bar at my local grocery store (you could make your own), salami, and added our sweet Pretty Peppers, and spicy Hot Banana Pepper Mustard. Oh my! Talk about a flavor party in your mouth! You have to try these flavorful morsels! They are a nod to New Orlean's "Muffuletta," but in appetizer-sized proportions, perfect for celebrating Mardi Gras, gameday, or any occasion. 

Comment below if you have tried this tasty appetizer.

For more easy and delicious appetizer recipes, check out our blog (blog.cherchies.com). Thank you for visiting:) We hope you come back!

Ingredients

• 1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese. softened

• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Cherchies® Hot Banana Pepper Mustard

• 1/4 cup pitted green olives, chopped

• 1/4 cup pitted black olives, chopped

• 1/4 cup cubed Provolone, chopped

• 1/4 cup salami, chopped

• 1/2 jar Cherchies® Pretty Peppers, drained

• 1/4 cup pepperoncini (seeds removed), chopped

• 3 8" tortillas

Preparation

Mix the cream cheese and the Hot Banana Pepper Mustard together in a medium bowl.  Chop the olives, provolone, salami, and pepperoncini into small pieces (In the first picture the salami had not been chopped fine enough).  Mix in the olives, Provolone, salami, Pretty Peppers, and pepperoncini.

Generously spread cream cheese mixture over tortillas.  Roll up tortillas and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (you could slice immediately, but the roll-ups are easier to slice if chilled).  

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Once roll-ups are chilled, slice into 1/2" slices.  Enjoy!

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Cheesy Havarti Dill Pull-Apart Bread Recipe

Cook Time:  20 minutes    Difficulty:  Easy

Oooey gooey cheesy bread is hard to resist.  Anything cheesy makes me weak in the knees.  But, imagine soft, crunchy artisan bread, melty Havarti cheese, drippy butter and Lemon dill spice...oh my!  I'm sorry to tempt you, but this recipe is so delicious, I just had to share it with you.

I thought our kiddos were going to faint the other night when I served this bubbly cheesy creation at dinner.  They kept asking what was in the aluminum foil?  I simply answered, "Just bread". Little did they know...

The fact that they were having soup (not their favorite), mom emerged as the hero (I like being the hero) when this glorious creation was unwrapped.  Not only did our kiddos devour the cheesy bread, they used the bread to sop up the rest of the soup.  Yes!

So, enjoy some Cheesy Havarti Dill Pull Apart Bread (made with the best dill seasoning blend...Cherchies® Lem 'n Dill) tonight with your favorite soup and our Strawberry Spinach Salad for a complete meal, or serve it as an appetizer.  I guarantee, this melty cheesy recipe will disappear before your eyes, and who knows, maybe your children will eat their soup too;)

Ingredients

• 1 loaf sourdough or artisan bread

• 1 block of Havarti Cheese

• 1 stick of butter, melted

• 2 green onions, chopped

• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) poppy seeds

• 1 Tablespoon Cherchies® Lem 'n Dill Seasoning Blend

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  With a sharp serrated knife, cut even slits into the bread, being careful not to cut completely through.

In a small microwave safe bowl, melt the butter for 30 seconds in the microwave.  Add the poppy seeds, Cherchies® Lemon Dill Seasoning, and green onions to the melted butter.  Stir and set aside.  Slice the Havarti cheese into 1/2 inch slices, then into squares.

Carefull pry apart bread and begin to stuff the slits with the cheese.  Spoon the melted herb butter mixture over the stuffed bread, prying apart bread as you go to allow the yummy goodness to sink in.  My mouth is watering already.  Wrap in aluminum foil and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until cheese is gooey and bubbly.  Wait for it...

Mmmmm...it doesn't get much better than this;)  Enjoy!

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Hot Pecan Spread Recipe

Cooking Time:  30 minutes  

Difficulty: Easy

If you're looking for a tasty easy dip for a crowd, then you will want to try this recipe.  It's perfect for any party, game day celebration, or any occasion, period. This recipe features Cherchies® Pretty Peppers and Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning.

This seriously may become your new favorite go-to dip!  

Comment below and let us know if you tried this recipe.

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Ingredients

• 3 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, room temperature

• 6 Tablespoons (Tbsp) milk

• 2 packages (4 oz. each) dried beef

• 1 jar Cherchies® Pretty Peppers slightly drained

• 1 1/2 teaspoons (tsp) Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning

• 4 Tablespoons (Tbsp) onion, finely diced

• 3/4 teaspoon (tsp) pepper

• 1 1/2 cups sour cream (could substitute plain greek yogurt)

• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

• 6 Tablespoons (Tbsp) butter

Preparation

Brown pecans in butter.  Set aside.

Combine cream cheese and beef.  Tear beef into small pieces and add to cream cheese mixture.  Mix 1/2 jar of the Pretty Peppers with the onion, Garlic Seasoning, and pepper.  

Fold in sour cream and spoon into a rectangular baking dish.   Top with the remaining 1/2 jar of Pretty Peppers, followed by the buttered pecans. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Serve with your favorite crackers.  Enjoy!

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Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts Recipe

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts Recipe

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Difficulty:  Easy

Yield: about 5 dozen.

You had me at bacon!  Practically anything wrapped in bacon is delightful, and these little gems are no exception.  This appetizer is the complete package; it has crunch from the water chestnuts, saltiness from the bacon and sweetness from the Cranberry Mustard.  Delicious and easy!

Another fantastic sweet/salty option is to serve these wrapped water chestnuts with our  Cherchies® Cherry Butter Spread and Cherchies® Strawberry Butter Spread.

You may want to grab some for yourself before you serve your guests because they will disappear off the tray.

Ingredients

• 2 (8 oz.) cans whole water chestnuts, drained and rinsed
• 1 pound of bacon
• Cherchies® Cranberry Mustard (Could substitute Cherchies® Champagne Mustard or Cherchies® Hot Banana Pepper Mustard)

Preparation

Cut bacon strips into thirds and wrap bacon around each water chestnut, ensuring seam is at the bottom. Place bacon chestnut bundles in an ungreased baking pan. Brush each bacon bundle with Cherchies® Cranberry Mustard.

Bake the bundles at 375° for 25 minutes or until bacon is crisp.  

Remove the bacon-wrapped bundles from pan and drain on paper towels.  Spear the wrapped water chestnuts with toothpicks and serve these tasty morsels with our Cherchies® Cranberry Mustard.  

Enjoy!