Spicy Cherry Chicken Recipe

February 17, 2016glaze marinade & sauce, entrees, grillingSheri Spallone2 Comments

Cook Time: 20 minutes Difficulty: Easy

Move over BBQ chicken, and say hello to Spicy Cherry Chicken, featuring Cherchies® Cherry Hot Pepper Jam and a few pantry items! This easy sweet, spicy chicken recipe is baked in the oven but can also be grilled (unless it is sub-zero outside, where grilling is no fun!).

Grilling is my hubby's thing. Our family usually grills year round, but at 19 degrees, as it was here the other day in Pennsylvania, with a wind-chill factor of something crazy, it was even too much for my die-hard grilling hubby. Of course, my craving for BBQ chicken occurred on the coldest day of the year, so we baked the chicken instead and stayed nice and toasty inside;).

One problem, we were out of our favorite bottled BBQ sauce;( So, what's a gal to do? Improvise! One missing ingredient was not worth braving the Tundra to the grocery store, so I improvised with what I had in the pantry, ketchup, Cherchies® Cherry Hot Pepper Jam, and liquid smoke! Holy Smoke (pun intended), it worked!

The chicken legs were juicy, tangy, and delicious; I may never return to store-bought BBQ sauce again, friends! Homemade is so much better, even baked! So stock up on Cherchies® Hot Pepper Jams (Cherry, Cranberry, or Strawberry), and the next time you crave a sweet and spicy BBQ chicken (even if it is sub-zero outside), you will have all the ingredients for this Spicy Cherry Chicken Recipe, ready at a moment's notice.

Comment below if you have made this recipe. Thank you for visiting! Join us again for more family-tested recipes, entertaining ideas, and cooking tips using all our favorite Cherchies® gourmet products.

Ingredients

1 package of chicken legs or chicken breasts
1 Tablespoon Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning Blend
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup Cherchies® Cherry Hot Pepper Jam (could also substitute Cherchies® Strawberry Hot Pepper Jam, or Cherchies® Cranberry Hot Pepper Jam)
1/2 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon (tsp) liquid smoke
1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) olive oil

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, mix together the Cherry Hot Pepper Jam, ketchup, and the liquid smoke. Place chicken on a baking sheet and drizzle the chicken with olive oil. Sprinkle the chicken with Garlic Seasoning and pepper. Brush half of the ketchup mixture over the chicken, reserving the other half for later in the baking process.

Bake chicken for 15 minutes. Remove chicken briefly from the oven and brush on the remaining sauce and finish cooking for another 15 minutes or until thermometer reads 165 degrees. Once chicken is removed from oven, allow it to sit for 10 minutes.

Serve the Spicy Cherry Chicken with our Herbed Mashed Potatoes and Strawberry Spinach Salad for a complete meal. Enjoy!

Yum

Pretty Pepper Recipes

February 16, 2016Sheri SpalloneComment

Looking for the perfect condiment to use in salads, sandwiches, casseroles, eggs, or just served over cream cheese as an easy appetizer? Look no further, sweet, tart, tangy, Cherchies® Pretty Peppers is the answer!

Our children HATE peppers (I try to disguise them when I'm cooking), but they LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Cherchies® Pretty Peppers over cream cheese.

Company coming over unexpectedly? Grab a block of cream cheese, and spread Pretty Peppers over top. Easy Peasy!

Here are the recipes featured in the video:

For more recipes using Cherchies® Pretty Peppers, check out our blog.

Enjoy!

Yum

Homemade Cherry Applesauce Recipe

February 14, 2016side dishesSheri SpalloneComment

Cooking Time: About 30 minutes Difficulty: Easy

Homemade applesauce needs no introduction, but what about cherry or strawberry applesauce? (What?) Variety is the spice of life, right?

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We have a one-bite rule in our family (I am notorious for trying new things on our kiddos), but I never mention the word "new"...EVER...they get very suspicious. Recently, I made a "new" version of their beloved applesauce and waited for their reactions.

Apple butter (apples cooked down to a butter consistency) is my secret ingredient in my applesauce. This time, I made my kiddo's favorite chunky applesauce (Granny Smith and Gala apples, pictured) and substituted cherry butter for the apple butter. Then I watched and waited with bated breath as their faces contorted as they took their first bite. It was quite funny.

Needless to say, the "new version" was such a hit, the next night I tried Strawberry Applesauce. Success! So, it's time to "spice up" your applesauce recipe and introduce Cherchies® Cherry Butter or Cherchies® Strawberry Butter". Who knows, maybe your family will love it too!

Here's how it's made.

Ingredients

6 Apples, peeled and roughly chopped (I'd suggest a variety of apples...Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Gala...whatever makes you happy)
The juice of half a lemon
1/2 jar Cherchies® Cherry Butter (may also substitute Cherchies® Apple Butter Spread or Cherchies® Strawberry Butter Spread
1/2 teaspoon (tsp) Cinnamon

Preparation

Roughly chop the apples and place them in a large bowl with the lemon juice. Mix the apples and the lemon juice until apples are coated. Add the apples to a skillet or pan and turn heat to low. Add the Cherry Butter Spread (Yea baby!) and cinnamon.

Cook apples on low, stirring occasionally, until apples are tender, about 30 minutes. There is usually enough liquid from the cherry butter and the juice from the apples, but you may need to add a little water as the applesauce cooks. You can certainly mash the apples as you go, but as I mentioned, my kiddos prefer the chunks;)

Enjoy!

Yum

Pretty Cream Cheese Recipe

February 13, 2016appetizers, snacksSheri SpalloneComment

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!

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Ingredients:

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
1/2 jar Cherchies® Pretty Peppers
Crackers

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!