Champagne Blackberry Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Cooking Time: 8 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

AAhh, grilled cheese sandwiches are the perfect comfort food. How can you go wrong with bread, butter, and cheese? Life doesn't get much better than gooey, melty, cheesy sandwiches, especially on a cold, snowy weekend. How about gooey, melty, cheesy sandwiches with salty ham, tangy Champagne Mustard, sweet Blackberry Preserves, and brie cheese? Yes, please!

Our family spent most of the weekend digging out and snow-blowing almost 30" of snow, courtesy of The Jonas Blizzard. It was "all hands on deck," except for Mom, as I volunteered for lunch duty. It's a shame we only had enough shovels for our teenagers. :) Lunch duty is essential.

To reward my hard-working blizzard bunnies, I made their meal of choice: grilled ham and cheese sandwiches, but with a twist. It's always a gamble to introduce a new dish to my family, but my family is used to it. Still, our family has a "one bite rule" (they have to try it, but they don't have to like it), so I seized the moment and added Cherchies® Champagne Mustard and Cherchies® Blackberry Preserves to their grilled ham and cheese sandwiches...and waited...

"Mom, these are so good!" Music to my ears! (Whew!)

Are you a grilled cheese sandwich fan looking for a new recipe to tantalize your tastebuds? Then try this recipe, featuring a salty-sweet combination of ham, brie cheese, Cherchies® Blackberry Preserves, and Cherchies® Champagne Mustard. You will not be disappointed.

What are your favorite Cherchies® grilled cheese combinations? Comment below. And if you send us your recipe, we'll post it on our blog:) That would be fun, as would an entire blog post on grilled cheese recipes. Yum!

Thanks for stopping by. :) Come back again for more family-tested recipes, entertaining ideas, and cooking tips using our favorite Cherchies® gourmet products.

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Ingredients (per sandwich)

Bread (we used multi-grain bread)
1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Cherchies® Champagne Mustard
1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Cherchies® Blackberry Preserves
2 slices of ham (we used ham off the bone)
Brie cheese
2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) softened butter (1 Tablespoon per side)

Preparation

Butter the outside of each slice of bread. Add Cherchies® Champagne Mustard to one slice of bread and Cherchies® Blackberry Preserves to the other. Add brie cheese and ham. Grill open-faced for a couple of minutes to crisp up each slice of bread. Then combine halves to allow the cheese to melt.

Enjoy this melty, cheesy comforting sandwich! Your taste buds will sing!

Yum

Double Decker Taco Recipe

January 19, 2016entrees, lunchSheri SpalloneComment

Of all the meals in our family's recipe repertoire, tacos (any kind) seem to make their presence on the table weekly. They are the perfect easy meal anytime for any celebration, and they are just plain fun. Who doesn't like fun? But double the fun? I'm in!

These mouth-watering double-decker tacos are delicious, with a soft shell on the outside and a hard shell on the inside and all the tasty fixings nicely tucked inside, similar to Taco Bell's Gordita Crunch. Our children picked up on this idea a long time ago because, according to them, "the tacos don't break apart all over the place." I like the idea because of the crunch inside a soft, warm tortilla. It just adds a unique texture to tacos.

But, the secret to the outstanding flavor of these double-decker tacos is meat (or seafood) seasoned with our Cherchies® Select Grilling Rub & Seasoning Blend, an all-purpose seasoning blend perfect for grilling but versatile enough on ribs, in dips, chilis, pulled pork, casseroles, and especially tacos.

So, the next time you're in the mood for tacos, "double wow" your family, friends, etc., grab a bottle of Cherchies® Select Grilling Rub and Seasoning Blend, and make these fun; flavorful double-decker tacos! You will not be disappointed. They are perfect for Taco Night, Cinco de Mayo, graduation parties, weddings, or any gathering where tacos are the star.

Comment below and let us know how they turned out! Thank you for visiting! Come back and visit for new tasty recipes.

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Ingredients

1 pound of ground meat (we used ground chicken for this picture)
1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon (tsp) pepper
1 small onion chopped
1 cup beef broth (you can use chicken or vegetable broth)
3 1/2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) Cherchies® Select Grilling Rub and Seasoning Blend (more or less to taste)
1 teaspoon (tsp) cornstarch
hard taco shells (can use soft...or both...what?)
Salsa or Pico de gallo (we used store-bought fresh salsa)
2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) Chopped cilantro mixed with 1 cup chopped lettuce (more depending on if needed)
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Chardonnay Guacamole Recipe (optional)
Lime n' Cha Sauce (below)

Lime n' Cha Sauce

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon (tsp.) Sriracha Chili Sauce (or your favorite chili sauce)
Juice from 1/2 a lime
1 Tablespoon

Preparation

In a large skillet, add oil, onions, Garlic Seasoning, pepper, and saute onions in oil until translucent.

Add ground meat, cornstarch, Cherchies® Select Grilling Rub & Seasoning, and beef broth and cook until meat is cooked through and no longer pink. Once meat is cooked through and sauce has thickened, it's time to build the tacos:)

To hard or soft tacos, add the seasoned meat and your favorite toppings. For these tacos we layered meat, pico de gallo or salsa (my hubby prefers our Cherchies® Vidalia Onion Peach Salsa on top), lettuce, cheese, and Lime 'n Cha sauce (below) on top.

Now for double the fun...wait for it...spread a soft corn or flour tortilla with refried beans and wrap the taco!

So you decide, fun or double the fun? Ole:)

Yum

Black and White Bean Chili Recipe

January 13, 2016entrees, lunchSheri SpalloneComment

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Originally posted in 2016.

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After an unseasonably warm December here in Pennsylvania (70 degrees on Christmas Eve), it is finally Winter (downright freezing!!). That means comfort food and chili (made with one of our favorite seasoning blends, Cherchies® Select Grilling Rub and Seasoning Blend) are at the top of our family's list.

Everyone has their favorite chili recipe, but this easy, tasty recipe steals the show because it features our all-purpose seasoning blend, Cherchies® Select Grilling Rub and Seasoning Blend, and items commonly found in your pantry. If you have never tried our grilling rub, you are missing out. It is perfect for grilling, as the label indicates, and it is versatile enough for roasting meats and flavoring dips, casseroles, Mexican dishes, ribs, pulled pork, and chili! The possibilities are endless with this fabulous multi-purpose seasoning.

This recipe feeds a crowd, but you can always half it (unless you have hungry teens like us, who always want second and third helpings. It is amazing how much young adults can eat). If you are short on time and need extra help in the kitchen, you can also make this recipe in your slow cooker by adding all the ingredients to your slow cooker, turning it on, and walking away for a few hours. It's that simple. You would need to stir occasionally, but the rest is a breeze.

Whether it's cold weather comfort, game day celebrations, casual get-togethers, or whenever the mood strikes, this chili recipe will not disappoint. So, why not make the best chili tonight? Grab some Cherchies® Select Grilling Rub and Seasoning Blend, a few ingredients from your pantry, and let's get cooking.

Ingredients

*1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) bacon fat or olive oil (*If have leftover bacon grease)
3 lbs. ground meat (turkey, chicken, or beef is fine)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup beef broth (we use 1 cup of water with 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Minor's Beef base)
3 Tablespoons (Tbsp) Cherchies® Select Grilling Rub and Seasoning Blend (more to taste- ground poultry may need more)
1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon (tsp) ground pepper
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cans (15 oz.) black beans, drained
2 cans (15 oz.) white beans, drained
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
Shredded sharp cheddar cheese (optional garnish)
Sour cream (or non-fat greek yogurt as an optional garnish)
Sliced green onions (optional garnish)
Hot sauce (optional garnish)

Preparation

Chop onions and saute in a large dutch oven in olive oil or bacon fat until onions are soft and translucent.(you could cook onions with one strip of a strip of bacon. I happened to have reserved bacon drippings in the refrigerator and used that) Add Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning and Pepper.

Add meat, Cherchies® Select Grilling Rub and Seasoning, liquid smoke, tomato paste, beef broth and cook until meat is cooked and no longer pink.

Add the beans and the entire can of tomatoes to the pot. Stir and simmer until beans are soft.

Serve with your favorite chili toppings...cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, green onions, etc., you decide! Enjoy!

Yum

Peachy Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe

January 6, 2016entrees, gluten free, leftoversSheri Spallone2 Comments

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

As a busy mom of three, weeknights are often hectic with homework, after-school activities, etc., and dinnertime can be challenging. I love when a recipe comes together, sometimes out of necessity. It all started with a jar of Cherchies® Vidalia Onion Peach Salsa!

I'm not a fan of wasting food; I'm known for turning yesterday's leftovers (my children are leftover snobs, maybe it's the word "leftovers") into tonight's masterpiece.

I had many peppers (not exactly my children's favorite vegetable) leftover from New Year's and wanted to create something quick, easy, and delicious. I figured if I disguised the peppers in a tasty sauce (my family loves our peach salsa), they'd eat them. It worked (they even ate the peppers!) I added chicken to the peach salsa sauce, served it over rice, and presto, dinner was ready in 30 minutes.

So grab a jar of Cherchies® Vidalia Onion Peach Salsa, a deliciously spiced and perfectly balanced sweet and savory condiment, and turn dinner into a flavor-packed, quick, and easy dish. Your family may even eat their peppers and ask for seconds (gasp! Mine did).

Comment below if you made this delicious recipe. Thank you for visiting. Please come back again.

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Ingredients

1 package of chicken breasts, chopped into 1 inch chunks
1 red, yellow, and green pepper, roughly chopped (I had some orange peppers leftover, so I added them)
1 small onion, roughly chopped
1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning (Could substitute Cherchies® No-Salt Garlic and Herbs Seasoning)
1/2 teaspoon (tsp) pepper
2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) Olive oil (Could use coconut oil)
1 Tablespoon butter
1 jar of Cherchies® Vidalia Onion Peach Salsa
1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) soy sauce
1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) cornstarch
several drops of hot sauce (to taste)
2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) Orange juice
1/2 teaspoon (tsp) chicken bouillon (we used Minor's Chicken base -Gluten free)
2 cups cooked rice (optional- I snuck in brown rice 2:1 for my family...they didn't even flinch)

Preparation

Roughly chop the peppers and onion. Set aside.

Dice chicken into 1 inch chunks. Place chicken chunks into a large bowl and season chicken with Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning and pepper, mixing to ensure all the chicken is coated. Wash the bowl.

Turn stove onto medium, add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet, and cook the chicken until almost cooked through (20 minutes or less depending on size of chicken chunks). Turn off stove and return chicken to bowl. Set aside.

In same skillet, turn stove back onto medium and add onions and peppers. Cook until peppers and onions are soft and onions are translucent. Add butter to pan.

Add salsa, soy sauce, hot sauce, bouillon, and orange juice. Stir to combine. Return chicken to pan with vegetables. Sprinkle on cornstarch. Stir and cook for a couple more minutes. Mixture will thicken.