entrees

Tex-Mex French Bread Pizza Recipe

March 21, 2017entrees, leftovers, lunchSheri SpalloneComment

Cook Time: 10-15 minutes

Difficulty: Extremely Easy!

I know there are some leftover haters out there. It's okay...I confess, I used to be one of them! Growing up, I did not understand the concept of eating a meal twice in a row, so as you can imagine, our dog was well-fed...sorry Mom if you're reading this...now you know;) Also, when it came to leftovers and wasting food, another thing I did not understand, my mom would often refer to a money tree growing in the backyard...except I never saw one! Crazy parents! :)

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As a mom of three, I totally get the concept of leftovers, saving money, wasting less, and of course, the money tree. (I have been known to tease our teenage children occasionally...they look at me like I am crazy...crazy kids).

I see leftovers as a creative challenge to create new masterpieces, to save money, and to waste less. Amen! For this round of leftovers, I made Tex-Mex French Bread Pizzas, using leftover chicken, sweet and robust Cherchies® Black Bean & Corn Salsa, savory Cherchies® Chardonnay Lime & Cilantro Seasoning Blend, and of course French Bread and gooey cheese! Sounds dreamy, right? These pizzas hit all the flavor notes and were devoured in minutes!

If you have not added French Bread Pizzas to your recipe cache, you need to do so, and this Tex-Mex version will quickly become a family favorite! Your pizzas will disappear and so will your leftovers! The money tree? Not so much!

What is your favorite French Bread Pizza Recipe? We would love to hear from you! Thank you for stopping by:)

Ingredients

Leftover cooked chicken or turkey, diced (leftover ground meat or any meat for that matter would work)
1 baguette or Italian bread, sliced in half vertically
Spaghetti or pizza sauce
Cherchies® Black Bean & Corn Salsa
Cherchies® Chardonnay Lime & Cilantro Seasoning Blend
About 2 cups of shredded Mexican cheese (but who's measuring?)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice a baguette or Italian bread in half vertically. Place bread halves on a baking sheet. Spread each slice with a generous amount of spaghetti or pizza sauce (maybe 1 cup? It all depends on the size of the bread). Sprinkle the diced chicken or turkey over the bread halves.

Next, add the Cherchies® Black Bean & Corn Salsa over the chicken. Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of Cherchies® Chardonnay Lime & Cilantro Seasoning (or to taste). Of course, what pizza wouldn't be complete without the cheese? Add the cheese to you heart's delight...add some more...you decide, it's ok!

If you're wondering about the brown stuff in the first picture, it's taco meat. I also had leftover taco meat I added to one half of the pizza (a previous pizza night:) Plop the pizzas into the oven and bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until pizza is golden brown and the cheese is melty. Slice into individual portions and enjoy!

Yum

Tex-Mex Burger Recipe

January 24, 2017grilling, entrees, lunch, partiesSheri Spallone2 Comments

Burger lovers, be prepared to be blown away! This Tex-Mex burger recipe is a force to be reckoned with. It hits all the flavor notes: sweet, spicy, and smoky, all wrapped up in one lip-smacking package!

Sparked by a leftover jar of our delectable Black Bean and Corn Salsa, I created a burger recipe that would leave our taste buds in awe. And boy, did it deliver! This burger was a hit with our family, leaving us all craving more. Can you almost taste it?

Don't underestimate the power of freshly ground meat in this burger. It's a game-changer. A few years ago, our friends introduced us to the world of homemade ground meat, and it revolutionized our burgers. This step is crucial whether you ask your butcher to do it or grind it at home. We invested in a food grinder attachment for our mixer, but there are other options available if you don't have one.

Seriously consider adding this palate-tantalizing recipe to your favorites. You will not be disappointed, and your family will thank you! These would also make rockin' sliders for your Game Day menu, everything the same, except smaller.

For a complete meal, serve these burgers with our Cilantro Lime Corn on the Cob, Herbed Sweet Potato Fries, and Best Darn Coleslaw.

Thanks for stopping by! Comment below if you've tried this recipe. Come back again for more family-tested recipes, entertaining ideas, and cooking tips using all our favorite Cherchies® gourmet products.

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Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef (we used freshly ground sirloin and chuck roast with good marbling-ask the butcher to ground for you at the grocery store, or grind your own)
1 egg, beaten
2 Tablespoons (Tbsp.) Cherchies® Select Grilling Rub & Seasoning Blend (or Cherchies® Chardonnay Lime & Cilantro Seasoning Blend)
1 teaspoon (tsp) Worcestershire sauce
1/2 onion, sliced into 1/2 inch slices
Chardonnay Guacamole Recipe (or your favorite guacamole recipe)
4 slices of Monterey Jack cheese
4 rolls of your choice, sliced in half
Romaine lettuce
1/2 cup Cherchies® Black Bean & Corn Salsa
1/4 cup mayo, mixed with one chipotle pepper in adobo sauce. (These can usually be found in the ethnic section of your grocery store)

Preparation

Using a food processor, mix the mayonnaise with one chipotle pepper in adobo sauce. Set aside.

If grinding your own meat, cut the meat into 1-inch strips or pieces. Grind the meat with a meat grinder into a large bowl (you can certainly use store-bought ground meat). Add the egg, Cherchies® Grilling Rub & Seasoning Blend, and Worcestershire sauce to the meat. Mix until just incorporated (meat tends to toughen up the more it is handled). Divide the meat into 4 equal portions (more if you would like smaller burgers).

Lightly oil the grill with cooking spray or oil. Turn the grill onto high, then low after a few minutes. Make an indent in the center of the burgers. This allows the burger to cook evenly.

Grill burgers for about 4-6 minutes on each side, depending on your "pink preference". Add the cheese to the burgers the last couple of minutes of cooking. Lightly toast the rolls either for a few minutes on the grill or broil for a few minutes in the oven.

Now the fun part, building this beautiful tasty burger! Arrange the rolls on a tray or plate. Spread about 1 Tablespoon of the chipotle mayo mixture onto one roll half.

Next add the Chardonnay Guacamole to the other half to the other half, followed by a slice of onion.

Add the lettuce to the aioli half and the burger to the guacamole half, and dollop the burger with about 1 Tablespoon of Cherchies Black Bean & Corn Salsa. Place the lettuce half over the burger, pierce the burger with a large pick, and wait for it...

A juicy, mind-blowing, flavorful, Tex-Mex burger! Grab some napkins and enjoy!

Yum!

Yum

Southwest Stuffed Sweet Potato Recipe

December 1, 2016entrees, leftovers, lunch, side dishesSheri SpalloneComment

Cook Time: 15 Minutes

Difficulty: Easy

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. My favorite part about Thanksgiving and the holidays is spending precious moments with family and friends, but my second favorite? The leftovers!

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Leftovers are kind of my thing! For years, I have prided myself on transforming last night's dinner into tonight's masterpiece, a skill that most likely developed from having picky eaters at the dinner table and not wanting to waste food.

For this recipe, I used leftover Thanksgiving turkey and sweet potatoes, our NEW Cherchies® Black Bean & Corn Salsa, cheese, a sprinkle of this and a dollop of that and voila, a fabulous stuffed sweet potato emerged, bursting with sweet and tangy Southwestern goodness.

This recipe is the "bomb" (Sorry, dating myself), it's healthy, it's full of flavor, it's the perfect quick and easy meal, and It's a recipe you need to add to your favorites now! Serve these potatoes with our Homemade Applesauce and a salad for a complete meal!

What's your favorite use of Thanksgiving leftovers? We would love to hear from you!

Ingredients

4 medium sweet potatoes
Cherchies® Chardonnay Lime & Cilantro Seasoning Blend
1 cup Cherchies® Black Bean & Corn Salsa
2 cups leftover cooked turkey or chicken, chopped (optional)
1 cup of Shredded Mexican Cheese Blend (Cheddar and Monterey Jack)
Sour cream (optional)

Preparation

Chop the cooked turkey or chicken and set aside. Rinse, wash, and pat dry the sweet potatoes. Keeping the skin on, prick each potato several times with a fork. Wrap each potato in a paper towel and Microwave until potatoes are soft to the touch. You may certainly bake the potatoes in a 350 degree oven until the potatoes are soft to the touch (usually about a half hour), but I cheated and used the microwave:)

Once the potatoes are soft, it's time to assemble. With a sharp knife, cut a slit into each potato and gently pry open. Use a fork to loosen some of the sweet potato. Sprinkle each potato with about 1/4 teaspoon (tsp) of Cherchies® Chardonnay Lime & Cilantro Seasoning Blend.

Turn the oven onto Broil. Place 1/2 cup of the turkey or chicken in each potato and mix slightly. Next add 1/4 cup of Cherchies® Black Bean & Corn Salsa to the potato, then sprinkle 1/4 cup of cheese over the potato. Sprinkle an additional Cherchies® Chardonnay Lime & Cilantro Seasoning Blend over each potato.

Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and broil on high until the cheese has melted (about 10 minutes). And here you go, easy, cheesy, healthy, robust, Southwest Stuffed Sweet Potatoes! Enjoy!

Yum

Slow Cooker Peach BBQ Pork Recipe

October 20, 2016entrees, lunch, Slow Cooker RecipesSheri SpalloneComment

Cook Time: About 5 hours

Difficulty: Easy

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Updated 1/30/2024.

Do you have a slow cooker (crockpot, Instapot, etc.)? Is it in your closet? Slow cookers are one of the best kitchen inventions ever, and they have finally received the respect they deserve! You place the ingredients inside, turn it on, and walk away until your meal is finished hours later. It is like having an extra helper in the kitchen, and who doesn't like an additional helper for mealtime?

Of all the recipes I have made in my slow cooker (meatballs, soup, chili, pot roast, etc.), pulled pork is one of my family's favorites! Tangy, smoky, sweet, it makes me weak in the knees! Pulled pork is perfect for casual get-togethers, game day celebrations, outdoor barbeques, etc. This recipe has all that "lip-smacking flavor" in one punch but with a twist! The key ingredient? Cherchies® Vidalia Onion Peach Salsa!

This peachy BBQ pork recipe is delightfully balanced with tang, smokiness, sweetness, and heat. My family gave it a thumbs up, which was huge, considering I pulled a switcheroo on them. :) I deviated from their favorite Pulled Pork Recipe and didn't tell them. (It's my thing.) Luckily, it was a huge success and will also be with your family or guests.

So what are you waiting for? Life is short; use your slow cooker (crockpot, Instapot, etc.) more! Grab the ingredients, put them in your slow cooker, turn it on, walk away (don't look back), and allow your "kitchen helper" (slow cooker) to do the work for you! You will have a tender, juicy, mouth-watering, Peachy BBQ Pulled Pork in a few short hours. Delicious! Serve it on rolls with our Homemade Applesauce and Cherchies® Best Darn Coleslaw Recipe (or add to your sandwich) for a complete meal!

You deserve a break, I insist!

Thanks for stopping by:) Comment below if you have made this tasty recpie. Come back again for more family-tested recipes, entertaining ideas, and cooking tips using all our favorite Cherchies® gourmet products.

Ingredients

3-4 lbs. pork shoulder or pork butt
1 onion chopped
2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning (enough to coat both sides)
1 teaspoon (tsp) ground pepper
1 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce
1 cup Cherchies® Vidalia Onion Peach Salsa
1/2 cup chicken broth

Preparation

Chop the onion and add to the bottom of your slow cooker.

In a small bowl, mix together the Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning and the ground pepper and sprinkle on all sides of the pork. Place the pork on top of the onions (this is an old picture where I clearly had the onions on top;).

Pour the chicken broth into the slow cooker, then add the BBQ sauce and Cherchies® Vidalia Onion Peach Salsa on top of the pork. Turn it on and walk away! Cook for 5-6 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high. Pork is ready when it pulls apart easily with two forks. Enjoy!