Champagne and Apple Endive Recipe

These little cuties are divine! This recipe is easy and elegant, plus it uses my favorite mustard in the world, Cherchies Champagne Mustard!!

The crispness of the endive, combined with the tart apples and robust Roquefort cheese, comes together as a flavor explosion in your mouth. 

I usually make these gems around the holidays, but they could also be the perfect snack or salad by the pool or for a girl's night (or day) out. When I made these recently, I invited my girlfriend to my house for lunch to help me style them for their "glamour shot." We styled, and we ate! (and had a glass of wine in the middle of the afternoon-shame on us!).

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Ingredients

• 6 heads of Belgian Endive

• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Cherchies® Champagne Mustard (or substitute our Cranberry Mustard)

• 1 1/2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) white wine vinegar

• 1/2 teaspoon (tsp) pepper

• 3/4 teaspoon (tsp) salt

• 6 Tablespoons of Olive oil

• 1 Granny Smith Apple, coarsely chopped

• 1 Honey Crisp Apple, coarsely chopped

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped

• 1/2 lemon

• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans (you could substitute walnuts)

• 1/4 pound Roquefort cheese (can substitute Blue Cheese)

Preparation

Turn the stove top on to low heat.  Using a medium-sized skillet, place the pecans in the skillet, and toast pecans for a few minutes (this will bring out the flavor of the pecans).  Turn off the heat, remove the skillet from the burner, and allow pecans to cool (you will need to chop the cooled pecans later).

Slice off the ends of the endive and cut the endive in half lengthwise, removing the endive core, and gently separating the leaves.  Place the separated leaves on a platter if serving as appetizers, or a few on each plate if serving as a salad.

I just love apples!  Apples and Roquefort cheese...sigh.  Sorry, I got distracted...Coarsely chop the apples, the cranberries, the pecans and place them into a medium bowl.  Squeeze the juice from the lemon half over the apples and cranberries to prevent the apples from browning (that wouldn't look pretty).  Stir the apple mixture to coat with lemon juice.

Meanwhile, in a separate small bowl, mix together the vinegar, Cherchies® Champagne Mustard, salt, pepper, and olive oil (make sure to use good olive oil).  Toss the apple mixture with some of the champagne vinaigrette.  

Now for the assembly...Spoon a generous portion of the apple mixture into each endive leaf and crumble the Roquefort cheese on top of the apples.  Add the pecans, and drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over the endive leaves.  Serve cold or at room temperature.  Voila, a classy elegant appetizer or salad.

Next time I make this recipe, I will try it with our Cherchies® Hot Banana Pepper Mustard for a sweet and spicy twist, or our Cherchies® Cranberry Mustard.  Enjoy!

Caprese Salad Recipe

Caprese Salad Recipe

When the sun is out, easy fresh recipes are IN. Summer lends itself to relaxing and easy-peasy recipes without fussing in the kitchen. This refreshingly delicious summer salad, featuring fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic, and Cherchies Basil Pizzazz Seasoning, allows you to embrace summer’s bounty while leaving you more time to enjoy the lazy days of summer.

Comment below and let us know if you made this recipe.

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Ingredients

• 1 pint of red grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

• 1 pint of yellow grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

• 1 large container of small mozzarella balls, sliced in half

• salt and pepper to taste

• 1/2 cup Cherchies Perfect Pesto Recipe

• 1/4 cup olive oil

Preparation

Slice tomatoes and mozarella cheese in half and put into a large bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add Cherchies Perfect Pesto and olive oil to bowl.  Combine all ingredients and refrigerate for at least an hour, to allow flavors to intensify.  Serve cold or at room temperature.  Enjoy!

Garlic Stuffed Flank Steak Recipe

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Garlic Stuffed Flank Steak Recipe

This dish has it all, it's quick, it's easy, and it's elegant.  I love that this dish can be made ahead, but it's the presentation that makes this entree special.  Your guests will think you spent hours preparing this meal.  Shhh, don't tell them!

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsb.) olive oil
• 1 1/2- 2 lbs. flank steak pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
• wooden skewers (soaked 30 minutes before grilling)
• 4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Cherchies®Garlic Seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon (tsp.) pepper
• 1 cup baby spinach, roughly chopped
• 1 large red pepper, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp.) Cherchies®Pepper Pizzazz Seasoning or Cherchies®Lem 'n Pepper Seasoning

Preparation

If cooking immediately, soak skewers 30 minutes before cooking meat.  

Prepare the cream cheese mixture and the meat.  Mix together the cream cheese, garlic seasoning, and pepper and set aside.  Pound the flank steak between two sheets of plastic until the meat is about 1/2 inch thick.  Generously season both sides of the flank steak with Pepper Pizzazz or Lem 'n Pepper Seasonings.

Spread the seasoned flank steak with the cream cheese mixture.

Add the chopped pepper and spinach. Carefully roll the meat with plastic wrap (Use the same plastic that you used to pound the meat).  If going to cook immediately, take the soaked skewers and pierce the steak roll with the skewers about 1 inch apart.  (If making ahead, wrap rolled meat in plastic and refrigerate, making sure to take meat out 30 minutes before cooking).

Turn griddle or pan on medium and drizzle with olive oil.  Slice the steak roll between the skewers and add the steak skewers to the griddle or pan.  Cook on each side for a few minutes or until done to your preferance (Pink, no pink...).  Your family or friends will think you are a culinary genius!  Enjoy!

Summer Meatball Sliders Recipe

Summer Meatball Sliders Recipe

For a last minute lunch, I whipped up these cuties for my daughter and her friend.  They were playing in the water and I asked them to give me a warning when they were hungry.  Immediately, they said, "Warning!"  Yikes, I needed something quick.  I came out with these 5 minutes later...mom saved the day, plus the little umbrellas were a hit, a perfect summer treat:)

Ingredients

• King Hawaiian rolls (or any slider rolls will do)
• Frozen Meatballs (I usually make my own meatballs (using our Garlic Seasoning) and freeze a bunch for later
• Your favorite spaghetti sauce
• Shredded Mozzarella cheese (optional)

Preparation

In a medium pan, heat meatballs in sauce until the meatballs are cooked.  When meatballs are cooked, place one meatball on each of the slider rolls.  (Optional, add mozzarella cheese on top of meatballs) Secure with your favorite pick.  Enjoy!