Cherchies Blog

Blue Cheese Wedge Salad Recipe

entrees, leftovers, lunch, saladsSheri SpalloneComment
Bleu Cheese Wedge Salad Recipe

Bleu Cheese Wedge Salad Recipe

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Serves 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Have you ever tried a recipe out of pure curiosity? The wedge salad, for example, an unassuming iceberg lettuce salad (that graced menus in the '50s and '60s), has made a resurgence on menus of fancy restaurants and steak houses EVERYWHERE. Why? I had to see what all the buzz was about for myself.

So why the popularity? One, it is easy to make. Ok, I get it. Honestly, the thought of eating a majestic cliff of iceberg lettuce instead of my preferred mixed greens or spinach seemed less than appealing, and you can imagine my hesitation.

Now, here is where the magic begins. Add to the iceberg mountain awaiting fresh juicy tomatoes, sweet tender shallots, crispy salty bacon (hello), clouds of tangy blue cheese, and drizzle it with a creamy homemade blue cheese dressing. Now, we're talking about a whole different taste sensation. The crispness of the salad melded together with the savory ingredients is a flavor party ready to explode in your mouth! Wow, was I surprised! I loved it!

If your curiosity is piqued and you have not tried this iconic salad, it is worth tantalizing your taste buds.  It makes for the perfect meal or hearty side dish. It is refreshing, colorful, and easy to make, the perfect blend of deliciousness. The homemade bleu cheese dressing (everything in moderation), made with Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning and Cherchies® Champagne Mustard, is the pièce de résistance of this dish. What are you waiting for?

Comment below and let us know if you made this majestic salad. We would love to hear from you!

Thanks for stopping by:) Comment below if you have tried this tasty salad. Return 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.

Salad Ingredients

  • Iceberg lettuce washed and cut into fourths

  • 8 slices of bacon, cooked and coarsely chopped

  • Tomatoes, coarsely chopped (could use halved cherry tomatoes)

  • 1 shallot, finely chopped

  • Blue Cheese, crumbled

  • Blue Cheese Dressing (below)

  • Dash of Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning

  • Dash of ground pepper

  • Chives, chopped (optional for garnish)

Blue Cheese Dressing (can be made ahead)

Preparation

Prepare the salad dressing by combining all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside. (This dressing can be made at least a day ahead, as the flavors tend to marry if made in advance).

Chop the cooked bacon, tomatoes, shallot, and chives (optional) for the salad and set aside.

Rinse the lettuce in cool water and remove any outer leaves as necessary. With a sharp knife, cut the lettuce in half, then half again to create four halves. Arrange on individual plates or a platter. (For a fun party idea, make mini wedges for guests, cut them into smaller halves, and arrange them on a platter).

Sprinkle a dash of Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning and ground pepper (to taste) on the lettuce wedges. Next, add the salad dressing, tomatoes, bacon, blue cheese, shallots, and chives (optional) for garnish.

Serve and enjoy!

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The Best Cowboy Caviar Recipe

appetizers, snacks, side dishes, leftovers, gluten freeSheri SpalloneComment
The Best Cowboy Caviar Dip Recipe

The Best Cowboy Caviar Dip Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Serves a crowd

Difficulty: Easy

Hello friends. How are you doing? We all are finally beginning to return to some sense of normalcy, and more of us are seeing family and friends, entertaining, and it feels nice. I have been wanting to post this delicious Cowboy Caviar dip recipe for some time, but it seemed unbefitting writing about entertaining and parties when most of us were hunkering down at home. Times are changing.

This tasty dip (featuring Cherchies® Chardonnay Lime & Cilantro) is extremely easy to make, and it will surely become your favorite go-to dip for summer entertaining, for game day, or just about any occasion. It is fabulous as a quick dip, but versatile enough to use as a topping for tacos, over grilled fish or chicken as a nice punch of freshness, and so much more! 

I first learned of Cowboy Caviar (or Texas Caviar) Recipe many years ago from The Rachel Ray Show (thank you, Rachael). The intriguing part about this dip is that it uses frozen corn, so by the time your guests arrive, this corn has been defrosted and the dip is chilled to perfection and ready to serve with your favorite chips. The Cherchies® Chardonnay Lime & Cilantro Seasoning Blend takes the flavors in this dish over the top. This recipe feeds a crowd, so depending on the size of your gathering, you can add more beans, tomatoes, and corn. Just adjust the vinegar and oil accordingly.

So the next time you are looking for a new, easy, flavorful dip recipe to serve your guests this summer, look no further and make this tasty black bean and corn dip. Your guests will love it and may even ask you for the recipe.

Thank you for visiting and please come back and visit. Please comment below if you made this recipe. We love hearing from you!  

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups frozen corn

  • 1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed

  • 1 15 oz. can petite diced tomatoes, drained and rinsed (can substitute fresh chopped tomatoes)

  • 1 small red onion, finely diced (can substitute diced green onions (white and green part)

  • 1/2 cup olive oil

  • 1/2 cup white vinegar (or a combination of white and red vinegar)

  • 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp.) Cherchies® Chardonnay Lime & Cilantro Seasoning (more to taste)

  • 1/2 teaspoon (tsp.) ground black pepper

  • 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp.) fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

Preparation

Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Can be made a day ahead and chilled in the refrigerator. (*This recipe is better if made the day before, as it allows the flavors to marry and intensify). If need in a hurry, leave on the counter an hour before guests arrive to defrost the corn).

Serve with your favorite tortilla chips and enjoy!

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Garlic Day- 20 Amazing Garlic Recipes

recipe round upSheri SpalloneComment
Recipe Roundup- Garlic Day- 20 Amazing Garlic Recipes

Recipe Roundup- Garlic Day- 20 Amazing Garlic Recipes

Originally posted April 2016. New pictures and updates.

According to Days of the Year (www.daysoftheyear.com), today is Garlic Day!  The origins of this obscure holiday might not be entirely clear, but its purpose is obvious: take to the kitchen and celebrate the many uses of garlic by cooking up a feast"- daysoftheyear.com

Not only does garlic add intense flavor to your favorite savory recipe, it also provides a wealth of health-promoting benefits, such as reducing the risk of heart disease, lowering cholesterol levels, fighting off viruses and infections, cleansing the body of toxic metals, and so much more.

Garlic has found its way in many cuisines around the world, and in honor of Garlic Day, we wanted to share of our favorite recipes.  "For one day only, put aside your concerns about bad breath and indulge in twenty-four hours of delicious, garlicky goodness – it is Garlic Day, a day to recognize this pungent little clove"- daysoftheyear.com.

Appetizers

Grilling

Thanks for visiting!  Enjoy:) Happy Garlic Day!

Garlic Day

 

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Mississippi Pot Roast Sandwich Recipe

lunch, entrees, Slow Cooker RecipesSheri SpalloneComment
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For all the slow cooker lovers out there, I am sure you would agree that you can never have enough slow cooker recipes.  This flavorful, tender, lip-smacking Mississippi Pot Roast sandwich is one of our family’s newest favorite recipes, and we are confident your family will love it too.

When I first learned about Mississippi Pot Roast online, I was intrigued by the unusual ingredients (beef roast, butter, ranch seasoning, brown gravy, and pepperoncini peppers), so I had to give it a whirl.  I tweaked the ingredients, using homemade ranch seasoning and gravy, and added Cherchies® Hot Banana Pepper Mustard to the mix.  Homemade is always better and healthier, in my opinion, because you can control the ingredients, so I try to make things from scratch whenever I have a chance.

Why is it called Mississippi Roast? “This recipe originated from a home cook who lives in Mississippi. The cook never referred to it as a Mississippi pot roast. She called it a roast. As the recipe became popular among her friends and family, it spread to other parts of the South and eventually reached the internet. The recipe was then coined as ‘Mississippi Roast’ and is still known by that name today”.- dinneratthezoo.com

Let’s face it, everyone needs to take a break from cooking, and slow cookers are the perfect way to create a delicious meal with a few ingredients.  Place the ingredients in your slow cooker, turn it on, walk away, and dinner is ready several hours later.  It is like having an extra kitchen helper, and we can all use a little help now and then.

If you are looking for a tasty new slow cooker recipe, consider adding this one to your meal rotation. The flavors in this dish are amazing!  This recipe is low carb, perfect for feeding crowds, and very versatile. Serve it au jus in some fresh bread with extra gravy for dipping, or over mashed potatoes, rice, cauliflower rice, polenta, whatever your heart desires.  You will not be disappointed.

Thanks for stopping by:) Comment below if you have tried this recipe. 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.

Homemade Ranch Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 3-5 lb. chuck roast (boneless or bone-in chuck roast or you could also use pork roast for an amazing pulled pork).

  • Homemade Ranch Seasoning (above)

  • 1 cup water, plus 1 Tablespoon Minor’s Beef Base (found on Amazon and select grocery stores- could substitute .87 oz. brown gravy packets).

  • 1/c cup (1 stick butter), sliced into pieces

  • 7-10 pepperoncini peppers (Could substitute jarred banana peppers)

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

  • 1/4 cup pepperoncini juice from the jar.

Preparation

In a small bowl, whisk together the ranch seasoning ingredients. Set aside.

To make the beef broth, add 1 Tablespoon Minor’s Beef broth to 1 cup of water. Stir until dissolved and set aside.

Turn a skillet on medium-high. Sear all sides of the roast. (When I am short of time, I skip this step).

Add the roast to a large slow cooker (crockpot, Instapot, etc.) Sprinkle the ranch seasoning over the roast. Top the meat with butter chunks, pepperoncini, and Cherchies® Hot Banana Pepper Mustard.

Carefully pour the pepperoncini juice and the beef broth over the roast. Cover. Cook for 4-5 hours on high or 7-8 hours on low, or until the meat easily shreds with two forks.

Note: To serve as sandwiches, grab fresh rolls, cheese (we used American), and pour extra juice into a small bowl to dip the sandwich into (similar to a French Dip Sandwich). You can easily serve this over mashed potatoes, creamy polenta, cauliflower rice, or rice.

Enjoy!

Mississippi Pot Roast Recipe

Mississippi Pot Roast Recipe

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