15 Epic Ways to Embrace Fig Preserves

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15 Epic Ways To Embrace Fig Preserves

Happy New Year friends!  I hope your holiday season was joyous and filled with wonderful memories.  Before Christmas, you may recall my excitement over our new Fig Preserves with Cinnamon!  Do you know what was even more exciting? Your amazing feedback!  Thank you so much!

As a result of your feedback, you inspired me to research more recipes using Fig Preserves, so I carved out some time between Christmas and New Year's and got cracking, looking at old cookbooks (remember those) and the internet. You would not believe the versatility of this tasty condiment!  I was shocked.

So friends...here is a list of figalicious ideas inspired by you to to inspire you!  I have already made a few of these and can't wait to make more to share with you in the near future.  What are your favorite uses for Fig Preserves?  Do you have a favorite recipe?  We'd love to hear from you!

Thanks for stopping by!

15 Ways to Enjoy Fig Preserves

1. Prepare into Fig Bars.

2. Bake with brie and Garlic & Herb Seasoning in phyllo cups for an easy tasty appetizer.

3. Spread on crostini with goat cheese, prosciutto and balsamic vinegar for a tasty appetizer or lunch.

4. Combine with rosemary and balsamic vinegar and use as a glaze for chicken, pork, or kebabs.

5. Swirl into a cheesecake batter for a fig cheesecake.

6. Spread it on toast, English muffins, or biscuits instead of jelly.

7. Mix with softened cream cheese as a crepe filling.

8. Mix with various spirits for a refreshing Fig Cocktail

9. Mix with oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to make a vinaigrette.

10. Use it in your favorite cake mix to create a delightful fig cake.

11. Spread on melted baked brie fresh from the oven.

12. Use it in grilled ham & cheese sandwiches.

13. Swirl it into ice cream.

14. Use in lieu of syrup for a topping for pancakes.

15. Homemade "Fig Newtons".

Figtastic!

Recipe Roundup- 30 Easy Mouth-Watering New Year's Recipes

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30 Easy Mouth-Watering New Year's Recipes

2016 is quickly coming to a close, are you ready to ring in the new year?   Do you have any plans for New Year's Eve?   Are you going to a party, having a party, or spending a quiet evening with your significant other(s)?

However you are celebrating this year, consider Cherchies® your New Year's Eve party planner. We have included 30 of our favorite easy mouth-watering recipe ideas to make your evening stress-free, easy and elegant!

Here's to a healthy, safe, and prosperous 2017. Happy New Year friends!  Thank you for your loyalty to us since 1978!  

Appetizers - Perhaps you like to nibble and mingle throughout the evening.  These quick and easy appetizers ideas are perfect for an appetizer party.  Depending on your crowd, choose from a few or several:)

• Fig Prosciutto Goat Cheese Crostini Recipe- The burst of flavors will send your taste buds into overload!

• Shrimp Ceviche Shooters- Small bites with huge flavor!

• Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts Recipe- Crunchy, salty, and sweet, all wrapped up in a bacon bundle. Serve with Cherchies® Cranberry Mustard

• Sausage Bites with Cranberry Mustard- Sweet, savory and easy.

• Fig and Herbed Brie Cups Recipe- These savory fig cuties hit all the flavor notes in one tasty bite

• Lemon Dill Dip Recipe- Perfect for vegetables, crackers, or a dip for shrimp- featuring our signature spice, Lem 'n Dill Seasoning Blend

• Marinated Cheese Recipe- A "Pretty" presentation.

• Mexican Martino Cheesecake Recipe- The perfect appetizer for a large crowd.

• Honey 'n Lime Grilled Shrimp Recipe- Sweet and tangy. Remove from skewers or allow guests to help themselves.

• Cheesy Hot Pepper Jam Thumbprints Recipe- Cheese and fruit with a kick

• A cheese plate (see How to Create an Easy Cheese Plate blog)

• Festive Deviled Eggs Recipe - A timeless recipe perfect for any occasion.

• Garlic Krispies Recipe- A surprising crunch. Save some for yourself...they won't last long.

Small Plates- Looking for heartier bites during the evening rather than a full meal?  Then you'll want to try these delicious recipes.

• Sliders- Who doesn't love sliders? Try our Pulled Pork or create your own meatball sliders using mini rolls (King's Hawaiian is always fun). Add a festive pick and you're ready to go.

• Ham and Mustard Biscuits- Toast in the New Year with Champagne...mustard that is!

• Pretty Peppers Flatbread Pizza Recipe- Cut into squares for an easy peasy appetizer.

• Easy Quesadillas Recipe- Serve with our Chardonnay Guacamole and sour cream. No fuss!

• Sassy Grilled Chicken Skewers- Anything on a stick looks festive! Don't want to skewer? Cut into bite sized pieces and serve with toothpicks.

• Melt in your Mouth Ribs- Slow cooked and easy. Guests can help themselves.

• Champagne Chicken Lettuce Wraps Recipe- Serve chicken mixture in a pretty bowl with the lettuce leaves off to the side.

• Lemon Dill Lox Recipe- Instead of regular sized bagels, use mini bagels!

• Egg Salad Stuffed Shells- Arrange on a bed of lettuce on a platter.

Easy Elegant Meals - Perhaps a quiet evening with your significant other(s) is more your speed to celebrate the New Year's festivities.  Here are a few quick and easy recipe ideas.

• Seared Citrus Cilantro Scallops Recipe- Compliment these tasty morsels with our Dilly Potatoes Recipe and a green salad.

• Champagne Chicken Cordon Bleu Recipe- Easy and Elegant!- Serve with our Strawberry Spinach Salad and our Savory Wedge Bread Recipe.

• Truffle Glazed Bone-In Ribeye Recipe- Pair it with our Grilled Shrimp Salad for a new twist on surf and turf!

• Blackberry Champagne Salmon Recipe- Pair with our Cranberry Spinach Salad, our for a delightful meal.

• Seafood Casserole Recipe- Our Cranberry Spinach Salad would compliment this dish quite well!

• Casual evening Taco Bar- Try our Double Decker Tacos or Peachy Fish Tacos and serve with Chardonnay Guacamole, Oh Sooo Simple Salsa, and all your favorite taco fixin's!

• Garlic Stuffed Flank Steak Recipe- Perfect served with our Herbed Sweet Potato Fries.

• Salmon Niçoise With Champagne Herb Vinaigrette Recipe- Oooh La La- A complete tasty meal in one dish!

Happy New Year!

Black Bean and Corn Breakfast Burrito Recipe

Black Bean & Corn Breakfast Burrito Recipe

We always love it when customers give us recipe ideas using our gourmet products. Thank you, Emily, from El Paso, TX, for sharing this Tasty breakfast burrito idea, featuring Cherchies® Black Bean & Corn Salsa, (a robust, tangy salsa with the perfect blend of black beans, corn, and savory seasonings). 

In honor of Emily, we created this flavorful Southwest, quick and easy breakfast burrito recipe, featuring leftover chicken and potatoes, Cherchies® Black Bean & Corn Salsa, cheese, and Cherchies® Select Grilling Rub & Seasoning Blend. This recipe is versatile for using whatever leftovers you have in your refrigerator. 

This breakfast burrito recipe is for a single serving, but you could easily make these burritos in masses and freeze them for a quick on-the-go breakfast or dinner (yes, breakfast for dinner). 

So, purchase a jar of our tasty Black Bean & Corn Salsa today, and make these easy, flavorful burritos in minutes! You will not be disappointed.

Comment below if you have tried this recipe. We would love to hear from you and as always, thank you for stopping by!  

Ingredients (per breakfast burrito)

• 1 10 inch flour tortilla

• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) of Olive oil

• 2 eggs

• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Half & Half

• 1/2 teaspoon (tsp) Cherchies® Select Grilling Rub & Seasoning Blend

• 1/4 cup Shredded Mexican Cheese Blend (Monterey Jack and Cheddar)

• 1/4 cup Cherchies Black Bean & Corn Salsa

• 1 small cooked potato, chopped

• 1/4 cup rotisserie or leftover chicken, chopped (optional)

Preparation

Dice the cooked potato.  Here we used a leftover baked potato.  If you don't have leftover potatoes, simply wash and pat dry a small potato and prick the potato a couple of times with a fork.  Wrap the potato in a paper towel and cook in the microwave for a few minutes until the potato is soft to the touch.

In a small bowl, mix the eggs, half & half, and Cherchies® Select Grilling Rub & Seasoning Blend.  Turn on the stove to low heat.  Place a skillet on the stove or cooktop and add the olive oil.  Allow the skillet to heat for a few minutes and add the eggs and potato.  Cook the eggs and potato, stirring occasionally until the eggs are cooked.  (For extra protein, we had leftover chicken and added it to the egg/potato mixture, but this is completely optional).  

Assemble the burrito.  On a tortilla, spread the Cherchies® Black Bean & Corn Salsa down the middle of the tortilla.  Next, add the egg mixture over the salsa, followed by the cheese.

Fold up all sides of the tortilla, beginning with the ends closest to the egg filling.  

Slice the burrito in half and Enjoy!

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Black Bean & Corn Breakfast Burrito Recipe

Southwest Stuffed Sweet Potato Recipe

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Southwest Stuffed Sweet Potato Recipe

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!

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!