Aunt Esther's Potato Salad Recipe

This flavorful potato salad is perfect for picnics, barbecue's, and outdoor parties. 

Ingredients

• 5 lbs. potatoes 

• 1 cucumber, diced 

• 1 medium onion, diced 

• 1/2 cup vinegar 

• 1/2 cup oil 

• 1 tsp. salt 

• 1/2 tsp. pepper 

• 1 cup mayonnaise 

• 1 cup sour cream 

• 2 tsp. Cherchies® Lem'n Dill Seasoning

Preparation

Peel and boil potatoes and drain well. Chop into large pieces. Mix 1/4 cup vinegar, oil salt and pepper and pour over potatoes.

Blend mayonnaise, sour cream, the remaining 1/4 cup vinegar and Cherchies® Lem'n Dill Seasoning. Pour over cucumber and onion. Add this mixture to potato mixture and toss well to serve.

Serves 20 to 25.

Enjoy!

Pepper Jam Cream Cheese Recipe

Prep Time: 5 Minutes  Difficulty: Easy

This is my favorite go-to appetizer recipe!    It's delicious, easy, elegant, and with only two ingredients (three if you count the crackers), entertaining doesn't get any simpler.

At any given time our pantry is stocked with at least one of our mouth-watering Hot Pepper Jams.  Aside from appetizers, Hot Pepper Jams can be used in a variety of recipes, such as glazes for meat, kabobs, candied bacon, meatballs, etc.  

So if you're looking for something quick, easy, and tasty, grab a jar of Cherchies® Hot Pepper Jam, (Cherry, Cranberry, or Strawberry), a block of cream cheese, your favorite crackers, and voila, instant entertaining.  We dare you to try just one bite!

Can't decide?  Try them all:)

Ingredients:  

• 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
• 1/2 jar Cherchies® Cherry Hot Pepper Jam, Cherchies® Cranberry Hot Pepper Jam, or Cherchies® Strawberry Hot Pepper Jam
• Crackers of choice

Preparation

Spread the cream cheese onto a plate.  Spoon the Hot Pepper Jam over top the cream cheese.  Or, be daring and dollop one third of the cream cheese with each of the Hot Pepper Jams and let your guests decide their favorite:)  

Serve with crackers.  Easy Peasy...done!  Enjoy!

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Tomato Basil Cups Recipe

Tomato Basil Cups Recipe

Cook Time: 30 minutes  Difficulty: Easy  Yield:  30 servings

I love easy-peasy recipes! A few years ago, a friend shared this recipe with me, and I had forgotten how addicting these mini morsels were: Swiss cheese, bacon, tomatoes, basil, oh my! I recently served these cuties for our family's birthday celebration, and the joy of seeing them being devoured was priceless! It was as if I hadn't fed my family in days—they disappeared so quickly!

The combination of flavors in this recipe is truly unique and worth a try! In addition to fresh juicy tomatoes from our garden, Cherchies® Basil Pizzazz is the star ingredient in this recipe. And while you can certainly use your favorite biscuit recipe, I chose refrigerated biscuits from the grocery store for ease. The unique blend of Swiss cheese, bacon, tomatoes, and basil will tantalize your taste buds.

You need to have this mouth-watering appetizer in your recipe cache, but grab a few for yourself—they will vanish before your eyes! Enjoy!

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

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Ingredients

• 1 package bacon, cooked and crumbled

• 2 tomatoes, finely chopped

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 6 oz. shredded swiss cheese

• 1 cup light mayonnaise

• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Cherchies® Basil Pizzazz

• 2 (16 oz. cans) reduced-fat refrigerated biscuits

• cooking spray

• mini muffin pans

Preparation

Cook bacon in oven at 400 degrees  until bacon is cooked.  Drain bacon on a paper towel lined plate and crumble when cooled.  Add crumbled bacon to a medium bowl and add the tomatoes, onions, swiss cheese mayonnaise, and Cherchies® Basil Pizzazz.  Mix together.

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Slightly grease mini muffin tins with cooking spray.  Cut each biscuit into fourths (in half and half again) and place in muffin tins.  Mold the dough to make little cups in the muffin tins.  Place enough tomato mixture into the tins to create a little mound of filling.

Sprinkle tomato cups with a little more Basil Pizzazz.  Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cups are golden brown.  Tangy, salty, savory Tomato Basil Cups, the perfect easy appetizer or snack!  Enjoy!

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Grilled Balsamic Champagne Vegetables Recipe

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Grilled Champagne Balsamic Vegetables Recipe

Cook Time: 20 minutes  Marinade Time: 2 hours Difficulty:  Easy  

It's summer and my garden is exploding with fresh vegetables!  With summer grilling season well under way, I wanted take advantage of summer's bounty and share our favorite grilled vegetable recipe, Grilled Champagne Balsamic Vegetables. These vegetables are delicious!!

I made this easy recipe for our July 4th picnic, and the vegetables were devoured!  In fact, they was so well received, I was asked to bring my "grilled veggies" to our next potluck.  Imagine that? Vegetables getting a "call back" (sorry, theater terms...another blog).

For this recipe, we used red and green peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, Portabella mushrooms, and vidalia onions, but feel free to substitute your favorite veggies (eggplant, yams, asparagus, etc.)

The secret to this recipe is marinating the vegetables in a tangy Champagne Mustard vinaigrette and grilling the vegetables to a perfect "tender crisp" consistency.   This recipe can also be used to roast the veggies in the oven, but if you prefer grill marks and flavor of grilled anything then you must grill these vegetables.  And, If you have any leftover veggies, chop them up and use them in omelets, quesadillas, or fried rice the next day!  Easy peasy!

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning (could substitute Cherchies® Garlic and Herb No-Salt Seasoning)
• 1 teaspoon (tsp) pepper
• 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) olive oil
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) White Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) Cherchies® Champagne Mustard
• 2 red peppers, seeds removed, sliced into 1 inch strips
• 2 green peppers, seeds removed, sliced into 1 inch strips
• 2 large zucchini, sliced into 1/2 inch slices
• 2 large yellow squash, sliced into 1/2 inch slices
• 1 package Baby Portabella Mushrooms 
• 1 vidalia onion, sliced in half

Preparation

Place cut vegetables on two baking sheets.  Season the vegetables with Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning (or Cherchies® Garlic & Herbs Seasoning) and pepper.  Mix the veggies by hand to ensure the veggies are evenly coated with the seasoning.  Set aside.

Prepare the vinaigrette by whisking the olive oil, the Balsamic Vinegar, and the Champagne Mustard in a small bowl.  Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables and once again use your hands to coat the vegetables evenly.    Cover with plastic wrap and marinate the vegetables for at least two hours in the refrigerator (I usually marinate overnight).  

When vegetables have marinated, turn the grill onto high to heat up, then to medium low once grill is warmed.  Place the vegetables on the grill and cook for 4-5 minutes until vegetables have grill marks, then carefully turn over to cook the other side and cook for another 4-5 minutes.   These may need to be grilled in batches depending on the size of the grill.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  Enjoy!

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