Cherchies Blog

Champagne Asparagus Roll-Ups Recipe

appetizers, snacksSheri SpalloneComment
Champagne Asparagus Roll-Ups Recipe

Champagne Asparagus Roll-Ups Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10-15 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

We love it when friends from across the country send us recipes using our gourmet products.  This quick and easy asparagus recipe comes to us from Sharon Brookover, in Chester Springs, PA, and it features our award-winning Champagne Mustard.  This appetizer comes together in minutes and can be made early in the day and baked at the last minute. 

Grace your Spring brunches or gatherings with these tasty, buttery, asparagus, ham and cheese roll-ups. Make sure to grab a plate for yourself, because these delicious morsels will disappear in minutes!

Try this recipe with all three of our mustards and comment below on your favorite combination!

Thank you for visiting! Come back again!

Ingredients

  • 6 asparagus spears, blanched in boiling water for 3 minutes

  • 6 slices soft white bread

  • 6 Teaspoons (tsp) softened butter ( 1 tsp. per slice of bread)

  • 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) softened butter

  • 6 slices ham, thinly sliced, cut in half

  • 6 slices Swiss cheese, cut in half

  • 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) Cherchies® Champagne Mustard (using 1 teaspoon (tsp) per slice of bread).  (or, try this recipe with our Hot Banana Pepper Mustard or Cranberry Mustard)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  

In a medium skillet, add enough water to cover the asparagus.  Blanch asparagus for 2-3 minutes in boiling water, drain, cool, and set aside.

Remove crust from bread with a sharp serrated knife and roll out until very flat and thin.

Spread each slice of bread with 1 teaspoon (tsp) butter and 1 teaspoon (tsp) of Cherchies® Champagne Mustard. 

Cut each slice in half. Place a thin slice of ham on six slices of bread and six slices of Swiss cheese for the other six slices of bread.

**Note, the original recipe called for this method. I personally prefer to add both the ham and cheese. (Unless, your guests are vegetarians or have a dairy intolerance, then consider doing it this way).

Cut the cooled asparagus in half.  Top the ham or cheese slices with one half of each asparagus.

Roll up and brush with melted butter.  Place seam side down on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.  

Bake at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Can either serve whole or cut roll-ups in half to serve a crowd.  

Enjoy!

asparagus+rolls.jpg




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Chicken Cordon Bleu Soup Recipe

entrees, leftovers, lunchSheri SpalloneComment
Chicken Cordon Bleu Soup Recipe

Chicken Cordon Bleu Soup Recipe

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Prep Time 10 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

I cannot be the only one who takes leftovers and creates new masterpieces to stretch a buck, right? Take soup, for example. It is the perfect means for re-purposing leftovers and a dish to be enjoyed year-round. Do you eat soup year-round? We do! Today, we have taken leftovers to a new level, combined the flavors of the classic dish Chicken Cordon Bleu (chicken, ham, and Swiss cheese), added Cherchies® award-winning Champagne Mustard, and created this delicious soup your family will love.

If you have been following our blog (thank you, we love you, or if you just found our blog, welcome, we love you, too!), you will recall (or be introduced to) my passion for creating culinary masterpieces using leftovers. With a family of five, I do my best to waste as little as possible, and leftovers are the way to go. This delicious soup recipe came together out of necessity last Christmas when I tried to make sense of leftover ham, vegetables from the crudité platter, Swiss cheese, and leftover chicken (which always seems to be a staple in our home). It dawned on me, Chicken Cordon Bleu Soup! Something different, and different is good:)

This rich, creamy soup tastes like its iconic cousin with generous chunks of ham, chicken, Swiss Cheese, hearty vegetables, Cherchies® Champagne Mustard, and Cherchies® Basil Pizzazz Seasoning. The flavors combine beautifully to create a delicious meal your family will repeatedly request.  

What are you waiting for? Grab your leftovers and make a batch of this flavorful soup today. If there are any leftovers, portion them off into plastic freezer bags and freeze them to be enjoyed year-round.

Bon Appétit! 

Comment below and tell us how you liked this deconstructed Chicken Cordon Bleu.  

Thanks for stopping by:) Comment below if you have made 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 medium onion, diced

  • 4 Tablespoons (Tbsp) butter

  • 3-4 carrots, peeled and diced

  • 3 stalks celery, chopped

  • 1/3 cup white wine

  • 2 cups chicken broth

  • 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Minors chicken base

  • 6 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

  • 1 teaspoon (tsp) Thyme

  • 1 teaspoon (tsp) Rosemary

  • 1 teaspoon (tsp) Cherchies® Basil Pizzazz

  • 1 heaping  Tablespoon (Tbsp) Cherchies® Champagne Mustard

  • 1 cup grated Swiss cheese

  • 2 large chicken breasts, cooked and diced

  • 1 cup diced ham (leftover holiday ham is perfect, or chop up a ham slice)

  • 2 Tablespoon (Tbsp) all-purpose flour

  • 1 Tablespoon chopped parsley (optional garnish)


Preparation
Chop onions, carrots,and celery and set aside.

Wash and chop potatoes. In a Dutch oven, add enough water to cover the potatoes and cook potatoes on medium-high, until almost fork tender. Drain potatoes and set aside when they are finished cooking. 

While potatoes are cooking, add onions, carrots, and celery to a large skillet and cook in butter on low until tender.  Add the cooked onions, carrots, and celery to the potatoes in the Dutch oven. 

Add the chicken broth, wine, Thyme, Rosemary, Cherchies® Basil Pizzazz, Cherchies® Champagne Mustard, chicken, and ham to the pot and simmer for 15 minutes.  Add the Swiss cheese.   

To thicken the soup, remove 1 cup of soup from pan and combine it with the flour in a food processor or blender (that can handle heat).  Puree until smooth.  Add the pureed soup back to the Dutch oven and stir.  Add the Swiss cheese.   Allow soup to cook for 5 minutes. 

Garnish with chopped parsley (optional).  Serve with a green salad and our Best Darn Garlic Bread for a complete meal.

Bon Appetit!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Soup Recipe

Chicken Cordon Bleu Soup Recipe

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Crockpot Coq Au Vin Recipe

entrees, lunchSheri SpalloneComment
Crockpot Coq Au Vin Recipe

Crockpot Coq Au Vin Recipe

Cook Time: 4+ hours
Prep Time:  30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Serves: 4-6

Oooh, La La!  Today, I am sharing one of my favorite slow cooker “Frenchy” dishes, Coq Au Vin, which translates to chicken with wine. Every time I make this rich stew, I seriously want to lick the bowl clean it is that good. This flavorful stew with its wine-infused broth and layers of tender chicken, salty bacon, vegetables, and savory herbs, will soon become a family favorite.

Although there are several steps in the beginning to this delicious meal, have no fear, it is well worth the effort, as those steps impart the intense layers of flavor, characteristic of this dish. And because this dish is slow cooked to perfection, you prepare the ingredients and walk away until dinner it is cooked hours later, which makes it an ideal meal for busy families, guests, or anytime you need a break in the kitchen.

So what are you waiting on? You need to make this deliciously hearty stew tonight. You will not be disappointed! Make sure to grab some crusty bread to sop up the glorious juices of this amazing dish.

Comment below and let us know how you liked it!

Bon Appetit! (Frenchy for Enjoy Your Meal)

Ingredients (This recipe is adapted from Williams- Sonoma)

  • 1 bottle (750ml) Pinot Noir

  • 5 fresh parsley sprigs, plus 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) chopped parsley for garnish (you can use either flat-leaf or curly)

  • 3 fresh thyme sprigs

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 1/2 leek (cut lengthwise- cut top dark greens and bottom off and rinse under cold water to remove dirt)

  • 3 1/4lb. chicken parts (breasts, thighs, and legs)- Many grocery stores have value packs

  • 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp.) Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning

  • 2 teaspoons (tsp) ground pepper

  • 1 lb. button mushrooms (we tested with Baby Bella Mushrooms)

  • 3/4 lb. shallots halved

  • 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) unsalted butter

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) tomato paste

  • 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Cherchies® Champagne Mustard

  • 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) all-purpose flour

  •  1 3/4 cups chicken broth

  • 3/4 lb. carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces

  • salt and pepper to taste

  • kitchen twine


Preparation  
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, boil the wine until reduced by half, about 15 minutes.  

Peel and chop the vegetables as directed above. Place the parsley sprigs, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf against the cut side of the halved leek and tie with kitchen twine.  (The fancy word is bouquet-garni which means a bundle of herbs).  (You may notice the picture is missing a leek. I asked hubby to pick one up when he came home, but he brought home fennel instead;) Set the vegetables and herbs aside.

In a large skillet on medium heat, add the bacon and cook until crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain off the grease. 

Remove all but 2 (Tablespoons) Tbsp. of the grease from the pan. Season the chicken with Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning and pepper.  Increase the heat to medium-high, and working in batches, brown the chicken, turning once (4 to 5 minutes on each side). Remove and transfer to a slow cooker. Top with carrot pieces.

To the same skillet, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Remove vegetables from pan and transfer to slow cooker. Spoon over chicken.

Again, using the same skillet, melt the butter in the skillet.  Add the garlic, tomato paste, Cherchies®Champagne Mustard and flour, and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Whisk in the reduced wine and the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Add the bacon, and bouquet garni to the slow-cooker.  Set the cooker on the high setting, cover and cook until the chicken is fork-tender, about 4-5 hours.

When the chicken is tender, discard the bouquet garni and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.  Garnish with the chopped parsley and serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6. Serve with crusty bread to sop up the juices and Cherry Apple Tart Recipe for a complete meal.

coq au vin.jpg

Enjoy!

Yum

20 Sweet & Savory Compound Butter Recipes

glaze marinade & sauce, grillingSheri Spallone4 Comments
20 Sweet & Savory Compound Butter Recipes

20 Sweet & Savory Compound Butter Recipes

So what is “churning” in our kitchen today? Compound butter! If you have never made compound butter, then you are missing out! Compound butter is a cinch to make, and it adds a rich finish to pretty much everything, meats, seafood, bread, vegetables, pancakes, waffles, and so much more. We wanted to share 20 of our favorite compound butter combinations below (using, you guessed it, Cherchies® products) and directions on how to make them.

So what exactly is compound butter? It is softened butter infused with sweet or savory ingredients. The possibilities are endless for what can go into butter-herbs, cheese, fruit, mustard, spices, jams, fruit, bacon, etc. Talk about a blank canvas!

Sweet compound butter pairs well with scones, rolls, pancakes, waffles, biscuits, croissants, etc., whereas savory compound butter is better with meats, seafood, bread, vegetables, popcorn, and pasta. And sometimes, the sweet and savory are paired together to create something unusually delicious, such as Blackberry Preserves, Champagne Mustard, and butter.

Compound butter is perfect for holidays and parties or anytime you feel fancy, but it also makes an ideal gift for the food-lover in your life. Wrap it up or spread the love into a pretty bowl or container, and voila, an instant homemade gift!

So what are you waiting for? Mix up your favorite Cherchies® products today and make tasty compound butter. You will not be disappointed! Comment below and let us know your favorite combinations or if you have a new mix to share. Have fun!

Enjoy!

Sweet Compound butters- Use on scones, rolls, pancakes, waffles, French Toast, biscuits, corn bread, croissants, and toasted bagels.

  • Fig, cinnamon, and honey butter- Combine 1/2 c. (8 Tablespoons) unsalted softened butter with 1/4 cup Cherchies® Fig Preserves with Cinnamon, and 1 Tablespoon honey.

  • Strawberry honey butter- Combine 1/2 c. (8 Tablespoons) unsalted softened butter with 1/4 cup Cherchies® Strawberry Butter Spread, and 1 Tablespoon honey.

  • Cranberry Butter with Champagne- Combine 1/2 c. (8 Tablespoons) unsalted softened butter with 1/4 cup Cherchies® Cranberry Preserves with Champagne, and 1 teaspoon (tsp) orange zest.

  • Blackberry Bourbon Butter- Combine 1/2 c. (8 Tablespoons) unsalted softened butter, 1/4 cup Cherchies® Blackberry Seedless Preserves, 2 teaspoons (tsp) honey, and 2 teaspoons (tsp) Bourbon (optional).

  • Cherry Vanilla Butter- Combine 1/2 c. (8 Tablespoons) unsalted softened butter, 1/4 cup Cherchies® Cherry Butter Spread, and 1 teaspoon (tsp) vanilla.

  • Apple Cinnamon Honey Butter- Combine 1/2 c. butter (8 Tablespoons) unsalted softened butter with 1/4 cup Cherchies® Apple Butter Spread, and 1 Tablespoon honey.

  • Strawberry Lemon Butter- Combine 1/2 c. (8 Tablespoons) unsalted softened butter, 1/4 cup Cherchies® Strawberry Butter Spread, and 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp.) lemon zest.

  • Blackberry Lemon Butter- Combine 1/2 c. (8 Tablespoons) unsalted softened butter, 1/4 cup Cherchies® Blackberry Preserves, and 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp.) lemon zest.

Savory Compound Butters- Add to meats, seafood, breads, vegetables, popcorn, and pasta.

Here is how it is done

Soften Butter

It all starts with this key ingredient...butter! Make sure to use unsalted butter so you can control the salt, unless directed otherwise. Allow the butter to come to room temperature. I usually leave the butter out on my counter for a couple of hours, but some sources suggest cutting the butter into chunks and setting aside.

Mix

Once the butter is softened, combine the desired ingredients in a bowl with a whisk, rubber spatula, or a hand mixer. I will often soften several sticks of butter and divide them into ramekins so I can make several flavors.

Chill
Once the butter is in your desired container, chill the butter in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. The butter should be nice and firm when it is ready. Experiment and have fun!

  • Cylinder/log- Turn the mixture out onto a long sheet of plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or parchment paper. Use the wrap/foil to roll the butter into a cylinder. Twist the ends, gradually applying more pressure as you twist in order to make the cylinder taut. Once the butter has chilled, slice the butter into discs or “coins” as some like to say.

  • Bowl- For a more rustic presentation, spread the butter into a pretty bowl or container. Presented this way would make perfect gifts.

  • Shape it- Spread the butter on a baking sheet and once it is chilled, use cookie cutters to create festive shapes OR spread the butter into plastic candy molds before chilling.

Up the coolness factor at your next family gathering or party and make these tasty compound butters today.

Yum