Cherchies Blog

Top 10 Favorite Cooking Shows

Sheri SpalloneComment

Cooking and all things entertaining, especially themed events are my passion and I love finding and creating new recipes that are easy and elegant to share with my family, friends, and you:)  (I must confess, I have been known to read cook books in my downtime. Silly, huh?).

So, it should be no surprise that when I'm cooking up something to share with you on our blog, I am usually watching a cooking show on TV.  Here's a list of my top 10 favorite shows (in no particular order).  What are your favorite shows?

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Cheesy Havarti Dill Pull-Apart Bread Recipe

appetizers, side dishesSheri Spallone2 Comments
havarti bread4.jpg

Cook Time:  20 minutes    Difficulty:  Easy

Oooey gooey cheesy bread is hard to resist.  Anything cheesy makes me weak in the knees.  But, imagine soft, crunchy artisan bread, melty Havarti cheese, drippy butter and Lemon dill spice...oh my!  I'm sorry to tempt you, but this recipe is so delicious, I just had to share it with you.

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I thought our kiddos were going to faint the other night when I served this bubbly cheesy creation at dinner.  They kept asking what was in the aluminum foil?  I simply answered, "Just bread". Little did they know...

The fact that they were having soup (not their favorite), mom emerged as the hero (I like being the hero) when this glorious creation was unwrapped.  Not only did our kiddos devour the cheesy bread, they used the bread to sop up the rest of the soup.  Yes!

So, enjoy some Cheesy Havarti Dill Pull Apart Bread (made with the best dill seasoning blend...Cherchies® Lem 'n Dill) tonight with your favorite soup and our Strawberry Spinach Salad for a complete meal, or serve it as an appetizer.  I guarantee, this melty cheesy recipe will disappear before your eyes, and who knows, maybe your children will eat their soup too;)

Ingredients

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  With a sharp serrated knife, cut even slits into the bread, being careful not to cut completely through.

In a small microwave safe bowl, melt the butter for 30 seconds in the microwave.  Add the poppy seeds, Cherchies® Lemon Dill Seasoning, and green onions to the melted butter.  Stir and set aside.  Slice the Havarti cheese into 1/2 inch slices, then into squares.

Carefull pry apart bread and begin to stuff the slits with the cheese.  Spoon the melted herb butter mixture over the stuffed bread, prying apart bread as you go to allow the yummy goodness to sink in.  My mouth is watering already.  Wrap in aluminum foil and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until cheese is gooey and bubbly.  Wait for it...

Mmmmm...it doesn't get much better than this;)  Enjoy!

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Double Decker Taco Recipe

entrees, lunchSheri SpalloneComment
Double Decker Tacos Recipe

Double Decker Tacos Recipe

Of all the meals in our family's recipe repertoire, tacos (any kind) seem to make their presence on the table weekly. They are the perfect easy meal anytime for any celebration, and they are just plain fun. Who doesn't like fun? But double the fun? I'm in!

These mouth-watering double-decker tacos are delicious, with a soft shell on the outside and a hard shell on the inside and all the tasty fixings nicely tucked inside, similar to Taco Bell's Gordita Crunch. Our children picked up on this idea a long time ago because, according to them, "the tacos don't break apart all over the place." I like the idea because of the crunch inside a soft, warm tortilla. It just adds a unique texture to tacos.

But, the secret to the outstanding flavor of these double-decker tacos is meat (or seafood) seasoned with our Cherchies® Select Grilling Rub & Seasoning Blend, an all-purpose seasoning blend perfect for grilling but versatile enough on ribs, in dips, chilis, pulled pork, casseroles, and especially tacos.  

So, the next time you're in the mood for tacos, "double wow" your family, friends, etc., grab a bottle of Cherchies® Select Grilling Rub and Seasoning Blend, and make these fun; flavorful double-decker tacos! You will not be disappointed. They are perfect for Taco Night, Cinco de Mayo, graduation parties, weddings, or any gathering where tacos are the star.  

Comment below and let us know how they turned out! Thank you for visiting! Come back and visit for new tasty recipes.

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Ingredients

  • 1 pound of ground meat (we used ground chicken for this picture)

  • 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning

  • 1/2 teaspoon (tsp) pepper

  • 1 small onion chopped

  • 1 cup beef broth (you can use chicken or vegetable broth)

  • 3 1/2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) Cherchies® Select Grilling Rub and Seasoning Blend (more or less to taste)

  • 1 teaspoon (tsp) cornstarch

  • hard taco shells (can use soft...or both...what?)

  • Salsa or Pico de gallo (we used store-bought fresh salsa)

  • 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) Chopped cilantro mixed with 1 cup chopped lettuce (more depending on if needed)

  • Shredded Cheddar Cheese

  • Chardonnay Guacamole Recipe (optional)

  • Lime n' Cha Sauce (below)

Lime n' Cha Sauce

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise

  • 1 teaspoon (tsp.) Sriracha Chili Sauce (or your favorite chili sauce)

  • Juice from 1/2 a lime

  • 1 Tablespoon

Preparation

In a large skillet, add oil, onions, Garlic Seasoning, pepper, and saute onions in oil until translucent.  

Add ground meat, cornstarch, Cherchies® Select Grilling Rub & Seasoning, and beef broth and cook until meat is cooked through and no longer pink.  Once meat is cooked through and sauce has thickened, it's time to build the tacos:)

To hard or soft tacos, add the seasoned meat and your favorite toppings.  For these tacos we layered meat, pico de gallo or salsa (my hubby prefers our Cherchies® Vidalia Onion Peach Salsa on top), lettuce, cheese, and Lime 'n Cha sauce (below) on top.

Now for double the fun...wait for it...spread a soft corn or flour tortilla with refried beans and wrap the taco!  

So you decide, fun or double the fun?  Ole:)

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Cooking Tip: How to Chop, Slice, and Mince an Onion

cooking tipsSheri SpalloneComment
Cooking Tip:  How To Chop, Slice, and Mince an Onion

Cooking Tip:  How To Chop, Slice, and Mince an Onion

When I first started cooking years ago, I never knew there was a right way to cut an onion...I just cut it.

Recently, as I was watching one of my favorite cooking shows, I learned I was doing it all wrong.

My hubby came into the kitchen recently while I was preparing dinner and said "that's a new way to cut an onion...did you learn it from your cooking shows?"  I looked at him and proudly said, "yes I did".   He said, "that would make a good cooking tip..." (he's so smart;)

I'm an experienced home chef and I'm terrified of knives, or at least I was (perhaps because I didn't know I was doing it wrong).  So, I thought I'd pass on some tips on how to chop, slice, and mince an onion, safely.

Chopping or Mincing- 

1.  Begin by cutting an onion in half, making sure to keep the base in tact.  Peel away the first or second layers depending on the onion.

2.  Cut off the top end of the onion, keeping the base in tact.  Cut vertical slits into the onion as close to the base (or root) as possible, but being careful not to cut through the onion completely.

3.  Turn the onion.  I can't stress this enough, MAKE SURE YOU CURL YOUR FINGERS when you are cutting.  Your knuckles should be the guide for the knife.  Our fingers are important;) Cut the desired size of onion you want.  For mincing, cut smaller pieces, using the same technique.

4.  As you near the end of the onion, turn the onion again to get the sides of the base (root) and turn over to chop more.  You should be left with only the base (root) with very little waste.

Slicing- For slicing half-circles, Follow step 1.  Curling your fingers (don't forget), make thin slices up to the base (root).  If slicing rings, cut off the top as mentioned in Step 1, but do not cut in half.  Slice whole onion into rings.

Slice away safely:)


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