Cherchies Blog

snacks

Hot Pepper Cream Cheese Recipe

appetizers, snacksSheri SpalloneComment

Pretty Hot Pepper Cream Cheese Recipe

I'm sure many of you have heard of serving hot pepper jelly over cream cheese as an easy appetizer.  How about sweet and spicy Pretty Hot Peppers over cream cheese?  Easy, elegant, and only two ingredients (three if you count the crackers).  Like it sweeter?  Try our Pretty Peppers.

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My children hate peppers, I try to disguise them as best as possible when I'm cooking, but they LOVE LOVE LOVE Cherchies® Pretty Hot Peppers and/or Cherchies® Pretty Peppers, especially served this way as an appetizer. They're perfect in eggs, casseroles, salads, crab cakes, dips, and so much more.  You need to try them too!  

Can't decide?  Try them both:)

Ingredients:  

Preparation

Spread cream cheese onto a plate.  Spoon the Pretty Hot Peppers or Pretty Peppers over top the cream cheese.  Or, be daring and dollop one half of the cream cheese with Pretty Peppers and the other half with Pretty Hot Peppers and let your guests decide:)  Enjoy!

Serve with crackers.  Easy Peasy...done! 

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Smoked Turkey Wrap with Chipotle Aioli Recipe

snacks, lunchSheri SpalloneComment

Smoked Turkey Wrap with Chipotle Aioli Recipe

Prep Time:  5- 10 Minutes  Difficulty:  Easy

For those of you out there with teens or tweens, you'll be able to relate.   Our kiddos come home from school ravenous and practically empty the pantry and refrigerator in the blink of an eye.  You would think we don't feed our kiddos!  Ok, perhaps I'm embellishing a bit, but it's close...they're teens...they eat so much food!  Oh my goodness!  

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I try to have healthy choices for our kiddos when they come home from school, and this recipe is not only quick and easy, it's packed full of protein, vegetables and flavor.  Also, it is an incredibly satisfying lunch or after school snack, perfect for hungry teens.

Ingredients

Preparation

Spread each tortilla with Terrapin Ridge Farms Chipotle Aioli, Terrapin Ridge Farms Hatch Chile Bacon Bacon Ranch Dip, or Cherchies® Hot Banana Pepper Mustard, then top the tortilla with the chopped green onions, turkey...

Next, layer the cucumber, tomato and lettuce.  I added sliced cheese at this point (just because). Roll up the wrap tightly and secure with a pick.

Slice the wrap in half.   A delicious lunch or snack anytime.  Enjoy!

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Applesauce Parfait Recipe

breakfast, snacks, dessertsSheri SpalloneComment

Applesauce Parfait Recipe

Cook Time:  30 minutes 

Difficulty:  Easy

Parfaits are fun, easy, and an ideal start to any day.  Recently, I had a plethora of apples that had to be used, so I went apple crazy and got creative (I hate wasting food).

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I started by making a huge batch of chunky applesauce (my family's favorite), then I moved onto tarts (apple, cherry-apple, and strawberry-apple), and still had enough applesauce to create parfaits for my kiddos when they came home from school.  

My suggestion, make the applesauce and the granola ahead, say for dinner the night before, and use the leftover applesauce in the morning or afternoon for a quick and easy parfait. Easy peasy and delicious!

Ingredients

  • Leftover Homemade applesauce (You certainly can use store bought chunky applesauce, but homemade is so much better)
  • *Granola (recipe for homemade granola below)
  • Vanilla Greek Yogurt

Granola Recipe

  • 3 cup quick cooking oats
  • 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Cinnamon
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
  • 2 teaspoon (tsp) oil (we used coconut oil)
  • 1/2 cup honey

Mix everything together in a medium bowl.  Follow cooking directions above.

Preparation

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.  Line a baking or jelly roll pan with parchment paper and spread the granola* mixture onto the baking sheet.  Cook granola* at 250 degrees for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. When granola is finished cooking, remove from oven and gently stir the granola.  Set aside to cool.  When granola is completely cooled (about 15 minutes), either place it into a re-sealable container for later, or use immediately and assemble the parfaits.  I usually make a batch while I'm cooking dinner, so it's ready for our kiddos the next morning.  It's really easy!

Now it's time to assemble the parfaits.  I happened to have these cute dessert glasses I purchased several years ago, but simple mason jars or any glass would be just as perfect.

I like crunch in every layer, so my suggestion would be to spoon some granola (there's really no need to measure) into the bottom of the glass.  Next, add the greek yogurt, then the applesauce...

And repeat:)

Voila!  Apple Cinnamon Parfaits!  Your tastebuds will thank you!  Enjoy!

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Homemade Toaster Strudel Recipe

breakfast, desserts, snacksSheri Spallone2 Comments

Homemade Toaster Strudel Recipe

Cook Time:  30 minutes  Difficulty:  Easy

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I love aha moments, don't you? Take, for example, toaster strudels. Who would have thought these delectable treats could be homemade? I was shocked! I usually provide healthier homemade breakfast and snack options for our children instead of their store-bought, processed cousins. Still, occasionally, I have been known to buy packaged toaster strudels so our children wouldn't feel deprived. I would hate to be blamed later in life for ruining their lives because they never had Pillsbury toaster strudels. I couldn't live with myself;)

My aha moment came one morning while I was enjoying my coffee in peace and researching uses for leftover cherry butter (cherries cooked down to a butter-like consistency).  If you have been following our blog, you'll know that I hate to waste food and love transforming leftovers into new culinary masterpieces. I also love making things homemade (or semi-homemade).

Making homemade toaster strudels had never occurred to me until I stumbled upon a picture on the internet of homemade toaster strudels made from preserves and phyllo dough. Aha!!! Except, I didn't have preserves or phyllo dough. Bummer! However, I did have Cherchies Cherry Butter and a can of Refrigerated Crescent Roll Dough in our refrigerator! Could it be true? Well, it was worth a shot. 

Luckily, my tasty homemade (or semi-homemade) experiment was a success. These delicious, flaky pastries, oozing with fruity goodness, won our children's approval; they preferred my homemade version over the store-bought one. Whew! What a relief. Now I cannot be blamed for my children missing out on toaster strudels.

This recipe is perfect with any of our Butter Spreads or mouth-watering preserves (Add 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch to the preserves to thicken the mixture).

Follow along for the full directions. Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by:) Comment below if you have 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

Preparation 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and dust the parchment paper with a tiny bit of flour (1 Tbsp?).  Roll out the packaged crescent dough on the parchment paper, and press the seams of the two crescent rolls together.  With a pizza cutter or knife, cut four even vertical sections of the dough.

Next, cut the dough in the other direction as pictured below.

Spoon 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) of Cherchies® Cherry, Strawberry, or Apple Butter Spread onto the pastry, leaving about 1/2 inch border.  In a small bowl, beat egg.

Using your finger (you could use a pastry brush, but why?  It's fun to play with your food), dip your finger into the egg and coat the perimeter of the pastry with the egg.  Continue this process for the rest of the pastries.

Take the other half of the pastry and gently place it over the filling half.  Use a fork to seal the edges of the pastry.

Brush egg onto sealed pastries. and prick each pastry a couple of times with a fork.  This will allow some of the steam to escape during cooking.  Bake for about 25 minutes or until pastries are golden brown. While toaster strudels are baking, make the icing.

Using a small bowl, mix together the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla.  Fill icing into a small re-closable plastic bag and snip off the corner of the bag.  This will become your disposable icing bag.  Remove pastries from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.  Drizzle the pastries with the icing.  

Sweet, fruity, delicious, homemade toaster strudels!  Perfecto!  Enjoy!

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