snacks

Tomato Basil Cups Recipe

August 8, 2016appetizers, snacksSheri SpalloneComment

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.

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.

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!

Yum

Hot Pepper Cream Cheese Recipe

May 13, 2016appetizers, snacksSheri SpalloneComment

I'm sure many of you have heard of serving hot pepper jelly over cream cheese as an easy appetizer. How about sweet and spicy Pretty Hot Peppers over cream cheese? Easy, elegant, and only two ingredients (three if you count the crackers). Like it sweeter? Try our Pretty Peppers.

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My children hate peppers, I try to disguise them as best as possible when I'm cooking, but they LOVE LOVE LOVE Cherchies® Pretty Hot Peppers and/or Cherchies® Pretty Peppers, especially served this way as an appetizer. They're perfect in eggs, casseroles, salads, crab cakes, dips, and so much more. You need to try them too!

Can't decide? Try them both:)

Ingredients:

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
1/2 jar Cherchies® Pretty Peppers or spice things up with Cherchies® Pretty Hot Peppers
Crackers

Preparation

Spread cream cheese onto a plate. Spoon the Pretty Hot Peppers or Pretty Peppers over top the cream cheese. 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!

Serve with crackers. Easy Peasy...done!

Yum

Smoked Turkey Wrap with Chipotle Aioli Recipe

May 3, 2016snacks, lunchSheri SpalloneComment

Prep Time: 5- 10 Minutes Difficulty: Easy

For those of you out there with teens or tweens, you'll be able to relate. Our kiddos come home from school ravenous and practically empty the pantry and refrigerator in the blink of an eye. You would think we don't feed our kiddos! Ok, perhaps I'm embellishing a bit, but it's close...they're teens...they eat so much food! Oh my goodness!

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I try to have healthy choices for our kiddos when they come home from school, and this recipe is not only quick and easy, it's packed full of protein, vegetables and flavor. Also, it is an incredibly satisfying lunch or after school snack, perfect for hungry teens.

Ingredients

3 Tbsp. Terrapin Ridge Farms Chipotle Aioli (or could use Terrapin Ridge Farms Hatch Chile Bacon Ranch Dip or Cherchies® Hot Banana Pepper Mustard
1 green onion, finely chopped
6 ounces thinly sliced deli smoked turkey breast
2 romaine lettuce leaves, center rib removed
1/2 cup thinly sliced cucumber
4 thin slices tomato
2 slices swiss cheese (optional)
2 (6-in.) flour tortillas

Preparation

Spread each tortilla with Terrapin Ridge Farms Chipotle Aioli, Terrapin Ridge Farms Hatch Chile Bacon Bacon Ranch Dip, or Cherchies® Hot Banana Pepper Mustard, then top the tortilla with the chopped green onions, turkey...

Next, layer the cucumber, tomato and lettuce. I added sliced cheese at this point (just because). Roll up the wrap tightly and secure with a pick.

Slice the wrap in half. A delicious lunch or snack anytime. Enjoy!

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Applesauce Parfait Recipe

March 29, 2016breakfast, snacks, dessertsSheri SpalloneComment

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).

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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...