Cherchies Blog

lunch

Southwest Stuffed Sweet Potato Recipe

entrees, leftovers, lunch, side dishesSheri SpalloneComment

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  

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!

Yum

Fig Prosciutto Goat Cheese Crostini Recipe

lunch, snacks, appetizersSheri Spallone2 Comments
fig prosciutto long.jpg

Cook Time:  10 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Figs, take two!  It is fig season and my obsession continues.  This quick and easy mouth-watering recipe hits all the flavor notes, it comes together in minutes, and is perfect for any occasion.

Figs, yes, please! It is fig season, and this quick and easy mouth-watering recipe hits all the flavor notes; it comes together in minutes and is perfect for any occasion.

Thank you to my friends Nancy, who gave me this fabulous recipe idea, and Colleen, who gave me additional cheese pairing ideas! When I mentioned our new Fig Preserves, both responded, "Oh, I love figs!". Nancy shared a recipe she recently had for lunch, which included figs, goat cheese, and prosciutto over toasted crostini. I added a rosemary balsamic reduction to the mix, and OMG, talk about a party flavor in your mouth! 

This recipe would be perfect as a light lunch, afternoon snack, or an elegant party appetizer, assembled as pictured or artfully arranged on a cheese plate with meats, cheeses, mustards, fruits, etc. See "How To Create Create a Cheese Plate." The sweetness of the Fig Preserves, the tang of the goat cheese, the saltiness of the prosciutto, and the flavor burst from the balsamic reduction will send your taste buds into overload. This recipe is easy and elegant and a must for your recipe collection!  

Thanks for stopping by:) Comment below if you have used any of these hacks or if you have some to add. Come back again for more family-tested recipes, entertaining ideas, and cooking tips using all our favorite Cherchies® gourmet products.

Follow us on social media: Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Ingredients (per crostini)

  • Italian bread or baguette, sliced diagonally 

  • 1 large log of goat cheese (could substitute Blue Cheese for a more intense flavor.  Thank you, Colleen)

  • Cherchies® Fig Preserves

  • Slices of prosciutto (1/2 lb., depending on how many making)

  • 1 small clove of garlic, peeled

  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

  • 1 teaspoon (tsp) fresh Rosemary, finely chopped

Preparation  
In a small saucepan, simmer the balsamic vinegar and rosemary on low until they reduce to a syrup consistency (about 10 minutes). Set aside to cool briefly. Pour the reduction through a fine mesh strainer into a small bowl to remove the rosemary pieces.

Toast the bread.  Since I was making this for myself as a snack, I toasted two slices of bread in a toaster.  If this recipe is to be shared with a crowd, then place the bread slices on a tray and cook in a 350 degree oven until bread is lightly toasted.  Once the bread is lightly toasted, remove from the oven or toaster and gently rub the top of each slice with the clove of garlic.

Now it is time to assemble these delicious gourmet treats.  For a crowd, consider assembling right before your guests arrive.  Depending on the size of the toast, spread the toasts each with about 1 teaspoon (tsp) of goat cheese, then about 1 teaspoon (tsp) of Fig Preserves, and then loosely place one or two slices of prosciutto on top.  There's no need to measure.  

Right before serving, drizzle the crostini with the balsamic reduction or leave on a tray for guests to help themselves.  Easy peazy and absolutely tasty!  Enjoy!

Yum

Slow Cooker Peach BBQ Pork Recipe

entrees, lunchSheri SpalloneComment
peach+bbq+long.jpg

Cook Time:  About 5 hours

Difficulty:  Easy

Updated 1/30/2024.

Do you have a slow cooker (crockpot, Instapot, etc.)? Is it in your closet? Slow cookers are one of the best kitchen inventions ever, and they have finally received the respect they deserve! You place the ingredients inside, turn it on, and walk away until your meal is finished hours later. It is like having an extra helper in the kitchen, and who doesn't like an additional helper for mealtime?

Of all the recipes I have made in my slow cooker (meatballs, soup, chili, pot roast, etc.), pulled pork is one of my family's favorites! Tangy, smoky, sweet, it makes me weak in the knees! Pulled pork is perfect for casual get-togethers, game day celebrations, outdoor barbeques, etc. This recipe has all that "lip-smacking flavor" in one punch but with a twist! The key ingredient? Cherchies® Vidalia Onion Peach Salsa!

This peachy BBQ pork recipe is delightfully balanced with tang, smokiness, sweetness, and heat. My family gave it a thumbs up, which was huge, considering I pulled a switcheroo on them. :) I deviated from their favorite Pulled Pork Recipe and didn't tell them. (It's my thing.) Luckily, it was a huge success and will also be with your family or guests.

So what are you waiting for? Life is short; use your slow cooker (crockpot, Instapot, etc.) more! Grab the ingredients, put them in your slow cooker, turn it on, walk away (don't look back), and allow your "kitchen helper" (slow cooker) to do the work for you! You will have a tender, juicy, mouth-watering, Peachy BBQ Pulled Pork in a few short hours. Delicious! Serve it on rolls with our Homemade Applesauce and Cherchies® Best Darn Coleslaw Recipe (or add to your sandwich) for a complete meal!

You deserve a break, I insist!

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

Follow us on social media: Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Ingredients

Preparation

Chop the onion and add to the bottom of your slow cooker.  

In a small bowl, mix together the Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning and the ground pepper and sprinkle on all sides of the pork.  Place the pork on top of the onions (this is an old picture where I clearly had the onions on top;).

Pour the chicken broth into the slow cooker, then add the BBQ sauce and Cherchies® Vidalia Onion Peach Salsa on top of the pork.  Turn it on and walk away!  Cook for 5-6 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high.  Pork is ready when it pulls apart easily with two forks.  Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Peach BBQ Pork Recipe

 

 

Yum

Pumpkin and Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe

lunchSheri SpalloneComment

Pumpkin and Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: About 10 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 2

Updated 11/3/2022.

Happy National Sandwich Day. What better way to celebrate this national holiday than with a tasty grilled cheese sandwich that embraces the warm, comforting flavors of Fall? Introducing our Pumpkin and Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe.

You had me at bacon and cheese, but creamy pumpkin, salty bacon, and melty cheese? Sounds a little bizarre, but yet it is intriguing, right? Sometimes ingredients you would not expect end up being a perfect marriage, and this sandwich, packed with salty-sweet goodness, will blow your tastebuds away. It is the perfect grilled cheese sandwich to make on a crisp Fall day.

What makes this sandwich so unique? The pumpkin puree, mixed with Cherchies® Champagne Mustard, pushes this flavorful sandwich over the top in the sandwich world. Combine that with bacon, two types of cheese, and fresh bread, and you have a delicious grown-up grilled cheese sandwich with flavors that will tantalize your tastebuds. So, are you ready to try this tasty Fall-inspired grilled cheese sandwich? Life is short; you must try new flavor combinations and expand your palate. You will not be disappointed. Enjoy!

Comment below if you have made this easy, flavorful sandwich recipe. As always, thank you for visiting. Please come back for more easy-to-make recipes, entertaining ideas, and cooking tips.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree

  • pinch Kosher salt

  • 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp.) Cherchies® Champagne Mustard

  • 1 teaspoon (tsp) ground cinnamon

  • 1/8 teaspoon (tsp) nutmeg

  • 1/2 teaspoon (tsp) ground ginger

  • 1/8 teaspoon (tsp) allspice

  • 4 slices Italian, sourdough (our favorite) or any crusty bread

  • 2 slices cooked bacon (leftover holiday ham would also work)

  • 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

  • 1/2 cup grated Monterrey Jack cheese

  • 3 Tbsp butter, room temperature

Preparation
Combine the cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheese in a small bowl and set aside.

Mix the pumpkin puree, Cherchies® award-winning Champagne Mustard, salt, and spices in a small bowl.  Spread the mixture (about 1 Tablespoon each) evenly on two slices of bread.  Divide the cheese mixture and sprinkle over the mustard.

Break the bacon slices in half and place two halves over the cheese.  Assemble the sandwiches by placing the other slices of bread over the bacon.  Spread 1 Tbsp butter over the top of each of the sandwiches. Melt the remaining 1 Tbsp of butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Place the sandwiches (unbuttered side) in a skillet and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes or until the cheese begins to melt and the bread begins to toast.

Carefully flip sandwiches and cook on the second side for another 5 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted and the bread is toasted. The idea is to cook it slowly until the cheese is melted without burning the bread.   Remove from heat.   Slice in half and enjoy!


Yum