Cherchies Blog

snacks

Applesauce Parfait Recipe

breakfast, snacks, dessertsSheri SpalloneComment

Applesauce Parfait Recipe

Cook Time:  30 minutes 

Difficulty:  Easy

Parfaits are fun, easy, and an ideal start to any day.  Recently, I had a plethora of apples that had to be used, so I went apple crazy and got creative (I hate wasting food).

I started by making a huge batch of chunky applesauce (my family's favorite), then I moved onto tarts (apple, cherry-apple, and strawberry-apple), and still had enough applesauce to create parfaits for my kiddos when they came home from school.  

My suggestion, make the applesauce and the granola ahead, say for dinner the night before, and use the leftover applesauce in the morning or afternoon for a quick and easy parfait. Easy peasy and delicious!

Ingredients

  • Leftover Homemade applesauce (You certainly can use store bought chunky applesauce, but homemade is so much better)
  • *Granola (recipe for homemade granola below)
  • Vanilla Greek Yogurt

Granola Recipe

  • 3 cup quick cooking oats
  • 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Cinnamon
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
  • 2 teaspoon (tsp) oil (we used coconut oil)
  • 1/2 cup honey

Mix everything together in a medium bowl.  Follow cooking directions above.

Preparation

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.  Line a baking or jelly roll pan with parchment paper and spread the granola* mixture onto the baking sheet.  Cook granola* at 250 degrees for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. When granola is finished cooking, remove from oven and gently stir the granola.  Set aside to cool.  When granola is completely cooled (about 15 minutes), either place it into a re-sealable container for later, or use immediately and assemble the parfaits.  I usually make a batch while I'm cooking dinner, so it's ready for our kiddos the next morning.  It's really easy!

Now it's time to assemble the parfaits.  I happened to have these cute dessert glasses I purchased several years ago, but simple mason jars or any glass would be just as perfect.

I like crunch in every layer, so my suggestion would be to spoon some granola (there's really no need to measure) into the bottom of the glass.  Next, add the greek yogurt, then the applesauce...

And repeat:)

Voila!  Apple Cinnamon Parfaits!  Your tastebuds will thank you!  Enjoy!

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Homemade Toaster Strudel Recipe

breakfast, desserts, snacksSheri Spallone2 Comments

Homemade Toaster Strudel Recipe

Cook Time:  30 minutes  Difficulty:  Easy

I love aha moments, don't you? Take, for example, toaster strudels. Who would have thought these delectable treats could be homemade? I was shocked! I usually provide healthier homemade breakfast and snack options for our children instead of their store-bought, processed cousins. Still, occasionally I have been known to buy the packaged toaster strudels so our children would not feel deprived. I would hate to be blamed later in life for ruining their lives because they never had Pillsbury toaster strudels. I couldn't live with myself;)

My aha moment came one morning while I was enjoying my coffee in peace and researching uses for leftover cherry butter (cherries cooked down to a butter-like consistency).  If you have been following our blog, you'll know I hate to waste food, and I love transforming leftovers into new culinary masterpieces. I also love making things homemade (or semi-homemade).

Making homemade toaster strudels had never occurred to me until I stumbled upon a picture on the internet, homemade toaster strudels made from preserves and phyllo dough. Aha!!! Except, I didn't have preserves or phyllo dough. Bummer! However, I did have Cherchies Cherry Butter and a can of Refrigerated Crescent Roll Dough in our refrigerator! Could it be true? Well, it was worth a shot. 

Luckily my tasty homemade (or semi-homemade) experiment was a success. These delicious flaky pastries, oozing with fruity goodness, won our children's approval; they preferred my version over the store-bought version. Whew! What a relief. Now I won't be blamed for my children's deprivation of never having toaster strudels, let alone homemade toaster strudels.

This recipe is perfect with any of our Butter Spreads or mouth-watering preserves (Add 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch to the preserves to thicken the mixture).

Follow along for the full directions. Enjoy!

 Ingredients

Preparation 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and dust the parchment paper with a tiny bit of flour (1 Tbsp?).  Roll out the packaged crescent dough on the parchment paper, and press the seams of the two crescent rolls together.  With a pizza cutter or knife, cut four even vertical sections of the dough.

Next, cut the dough in the other direction as pictured below.

Spoon 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) of Cherchies® Cherry, Strawberry, or Apple Butter Spread onto the pastry, leaving about 1/2 inch border.  In a small bowl, beat egg.

Using your finger (you could use a pastry brush, but why?  It's fun to play with your food), dip your finger into the egg and coat the perimeter of the pastry with the egg.  Continue this process for the rest of the pastries.

Take the other half of the pastry and gently place it over the filling half.  Use a fork to seal the edges of the pastry.

Brush egg onto sealed pastries. and prick each pastry a couple of times with a fork.  This will allow some of the steam to escape during cooking.  Bake for about 25 minutes or until pastries are golden brown. While toaster strudels are baking, make the icing.

Using a small bowl, mix together the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla.  Fill icing into a small re-closable plastic bag and snip off the corner of the bag.  This will become your disposable icing bag.  Remove pastries from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.  Drizzle the pastries with the icing.  

Sweet, fruity, delicious, homemade toaster strudels!  Perfecto!  Enjoy!

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Pretty Cream Cheese Recipe

appetizers, snacksSheri SpalloneComment
Pretty Cream Cheese Recipe

Pretty Cream Cheese Recipe

Many of you have heard of serving hot pepper jelly over cream cheese as an easy appetizer.  But what about sweet tangy Pretty Peppers over cream cheese?  With only two ingredients (three if you count the crackers), entertaining is easy and elegant.

Our children hate peppers, and when I am cooking, I try my best to disguise them, but they LOVE LOVE LOVE Cherchies® Pretty Peppers, served this way as an appetizer. Go figure!

Not only are these tasty ruby peppers a fabulous appetizer, they are also perfect in eggs, casseroles, salads, dips, and so much more.   (Check out our recipes for our Pretty Peppers).

So, what are you waiting for? You need to try this easy appetizer recipe today.

Comment below and share your favorite Pretty or Pretty Hot Pepper recipe.

As always, thank you for visiting!

Ingredients:  

Preparation

Spread cream cheese onto a plate.  In honor of Valentine's Day, I shaped the cream cheese into a heart and spooned the Pretty Peppers over the top.  

Serve with crackers.  Easy Peasy...done! 

Or try it with our new spicier Pretty Hot Peppers, or be daring and dollop one half of the cream cheese with Pretty Peppers and the other half with Pretty Hot Peppers and let your guests decide:)  Enjoy!

Yum

Muffuletta Cream Cheese Roll-Up Recipe

appetizers, snacksSheri SpalloneComment
muffuletta revise (1 of 1).jpg

Prep Time:  5 minutes  Difficulty: Easy

This easy, tasty appetizer is an ode to my recent trip to New Orleans and my take on my new favorite sandwich, "The Muffuletta." This recipe is perfect as an appetizer for Mardi Gras, Gameday, or anytime you crave salty olives and salami (could be omitted for a vegetarian option), sweet roasted peppers, Provolone cheese, pepperoncini, and creamy cream cheese. Am I making your mouth water?

My hubby, I, and a few friends traveled to New Orleans (aka NOLA) for the first time and had the most sinfully delicious sandwich, "The Muffuletta," from The Central Grocery in The French Quarter. This enormous sandwich is made with homemade bread stuffed with layers of ham, salami, cheese, and a tasty olive salad. Seriously insane (everything in moderation, right?).

These tasty bite-sized morsels imitate the intense flavors of The Muffuletta without all the calories. For my version, instead of the traditional olive salad (found in most delis), I opted for green and black olives and provolone cheese from the olive bar at my local grocery store (you could make your own), salami, and added our sweet Pretty Peppers, and spicy Hot Banana Pepper Mustard. Oh my! Talk about a flavor party in your mouth! You have to try these flavorful morsels! They are a nod to New Orlean's "Muffuletta," but in appetizer-sized proportions, perfect for celebrating Mardi Gras, gameday, or any occasion. 

Comment below if you have tried this tasty appetizer.

For more easy and delicious appetizer recipes, check out our blog (blog.cherchies.com). Thank you for visiting:) We hope you come back!

Ingredients

  • 1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese. softened

  • 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Cherchies® Hot Banana Pepper Mustard

  • 1/4 cup pitted green olives, chopped

  • 1/4 cup pitted black olives, chopped

  • 1/4 cup cubed Provolone, chopped

  • 1/4 cup salami, chopped

  • 1/2 jar Cherchies® Pretty Peppers, drained

  • 1/4 cup pepperoncini (seeds removed), chopped

  • 3 8" tortillas

Preparation

Mix the cream cheese and the Hot Banana Pepper Mustard together in a medium bowl.  Chop the olives, provolone, salami, and pepperoncini into small pieces (In the first picture the salami had not been chopped fine enough).  Mix in the olives, Provolone, salami, Pretty Peppers, and pepperoncini.

Generously spread cream cheese mixture over tortillas.  Roll up tortillas and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (you could slice immediately, but the roll-ups are easier to slice if chilled).  

Once roll-ups are chilled, slice into 1/2" slices.  Enjoy!

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