Recipes: Red Bell Pepper and Cheese Torte - Jarlsberg-Bacon Spread - Roast Beef Pretzel Roll Sandwiches with Horseradish Sauce - PreMoo Cheese Spread - Ham, Green Olive and Cheddar Spread - Meatballs and Kielbasa in Sauce

A fun weekend of food and wine.  

Let me preface this post with, although we are not able to sell the cheese balls and cheese spreads that Nicole and I prepare, we are happy to grate the cheese for you.  Just ask.

Nicole had a terrific idea to set-up a sampling table of all the cheeses that were on special this week.

For two of the cheeses, she and I prepared two recipe favorites - PreMoo Cheese Spread and Ham, Green Olive and Cheddar Spread. I also had Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup recipe brochures on the table highlighting the favorite recipe Hibiscus, Warm Brie and Almond Crostini.   (Click on any of these recipes and you'll be taken to the recipe post.)

This sampling table received so much positive feedback we will be doing it again next weekend with different cheeses.

On to new recipes ...

Earth & Vine Provisions' recipes never fail me and are always customer favorites.  This next recipe is no exception.  I used everyone's favorite Red Bell Pepper & Ancho Chili Jam which always sells out.

Red Bell Pepper and Cheese Torte

4 c. white cheddar cheese, grated

½ large red onion, finely chopped

½ c. mayonnaise

7 oz. Earth & Vine 
     Red Bell Pepper & Ancho Chili Jam

Mix together cheese, onion and mayonnaise.  

Spray 6” spring form pan with non-stick spray.  Spread mixture in pan and pour Red Bell Pepper & Ancho Chili Jam over mixture.  Refrigerate overnight.  

Place spring form pan on a serving dish and remove spring form just before serving. Serve with baguette slices or crackers.  

Serves 8.

Delicious!  I don't think there was one person who tasted this and didn't have a "yummy" comment to make.

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This next recipe is from ... me.  My stress level wasn't as high with this as I caught my taste testers eating this behind my back.

Jarlsberg-Bacon Cheese Spread

7 c. (1 lb.) Jarlsberg Swiss cheese, 
     shredded

12 slices TFM Classic Uncured 
     Bacon, cooked and crumbled

¾ c. finely chopped red onion

1¾ c. mayonnaise

2 tsp. Victoria Taylor 
                                                  Smoky Paprika Chipotle Seasoning 

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl.  Mix until thoroughly incorporated.  Refrigerate overnight. When ready to serve, place in serving bowl.  Serve with Pretzel Crisps, TFM French Rounds, or your favorite TFM crackers.

So many, "oh, wow" comments from customers.  I was doing my mental happy dance.  But heck, what doesn't go with bacon? Preparing this a day in advance allows the flavors to blend.  The bacon flavor is more pronounced and the smoky chipotle flavor more distinct.  A definite game day snack.

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Roast Beef Pretzel Roll Sandwiches with Horseradish Sauce
12 slices rare roast beef
1 jar Robert Rothschild Farms 
     Horseradish Sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste 
4 pretzel rolls

Slice each pretzel roll in half (horizontally).  Spread horseradish sauce, to taste, on the the bottom half of each roll.  Top each with 3 slices of roast beef.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Place top half of roll on sandwich and serve.

Robert Rothschild Horseradish Sauce is creamy delicousness.  Use it on beef tenderloin, port, or sandwiches.

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Lastly, meatballs and Kielbasa in sauce ... Friday I used Stonewall Kitchen Vidalia Onion Fig Sauce.  Saturday was Stonewall Kitchen Baby Back Rib Sauce.

Meatballs/Kielbasa in Sauce 

1 pkg. Bove's meatballs, defrosted  
     or 1 pkg Kielbasa 

1 bottle of Stonewall Kitchen Sauce

In a medium bowl mix meatballs or kielbasa with half a bottle of sauce (or to taste).  Transfer to an oven proof dish and heat in a preheated 450^o oven for 20 minutes.  Serve.  You can also cook in a pot on the stove or a crock pot.

Recipes: Blue Cheese Mustard Cheese Ball - Buttery Ham Spread - Gruyere Spread - Meatballs and Kielbasa in Sauce

Whew! The stress from sampling food this weekend is over.  I'm always fretting that a recipe will not be successful.  There's not enough wine to get me through   I'm relieved to say all the recipes were enjoyed by customers.  The added joy-joy came from selling out of product and running out of recipes.  

Nicole, TFM Cheese Specialist, told me that since the last time I sampled out my Gruyere Cheese Spread, many customers were requesting it.  She asked that I prepare it again for sampling.  So this wasn't the same as the last time I sampled it out, I served it with Original Pretzel Crisps.  These made the cheese spread the perfect game day treat.  This recipe was standout and hands down favorite of the two days.

Gruyere Cheese Spread

½ lb. Gruyere cheese, shredded

½ c. mayonnaise

1 Tbl. Stonewall Kitchen Caramelized Onion Mustard

Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.  Transfer to a serving bowl. 

Serve with Pretzel Crisps or TFM Entertainment Crackers.

Honestly, no one can get enough of this!  You have not idea how many times I heard, "I just have to have one more."

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This next recipe is from Stonewall Kitchen.  

Blue Cheese Herb Mustard Cheese Ball

2 (8 oz.) pkg. TFM cream cheese, 
     room temperature

1/3 c. Stonewall Kitchen 
     Blue Cheese Herb Mustard

3 green onion, chopped

3 oz. Point Reyes Blue Cheese, 
     crumbled

1 clove garlic, minced (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 c. chopped pecans

Mix together until well combined the cream cheese, Stonewall Kitchen Blue Cheese Herb Mustard, green onion, blue cheese, garlic, salt and pepper.

Chill mixture one or more hours

Form the mixture into a ball and roll it into the chopped nuts.

Serve with TFM Entertainment Crackers or French Rounds.

A nice change from the cheese balls I've been preparing.  If you like blue cheese, you'll enjoy this.  Note:  I did not use garlic.

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In searching recipes I've gathered over the years, I came across this next recipe.  I first prepared it in 1998.  I changed it a tad by adding Stonewall Kitchen Caramelized Onion Mustard.  (Yes, I use this product a lot, but it's really delicious.)

Buttery Ham Spread

1 c. butter, softened

8 oz. TFM cream cheese, softened

16 oz. Mickleberry Ham, chopped

2 Tbl. Stonewall Kitchen Caramelized Onion Mustard

4 green onions, chopped

1 Tbl. fresh lemon juice

3/8 tsp. dried tarragon, crushed

Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish:  1/3 c. chopped Maille Cornichons

In a medium mixing bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until creamy.  Add remaining ingredients, except cornichons.  Spread onto a serving plate or bowl.  Garnish with cornichons.  

Serve with TFM Entertainment Crackers or French Rounds.

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Continuing with our meatballs and Kielbasa in sauce ... Friday I used Stonewall Kitchen Roasted Peach Whiskey Sauce.  Saturday was Stonewall Kitchen Bourbon Molasses Barbecue Sauce.

Meatballs/Kielbasa in Sauce 

1 pkg. Bove's meatballs, defrosted  
     or 1 pkg Kielbasa 

1 bottle of Stonewall Kitchen Sauce

In a medium bowl mix meatballs or kielbasa with half a bottle of sauce (or to taste).  Transfer to an oven proof dish and heat in a preheated 450^o oven for 20 minutes.  Serve.  You can also cook in a pot on the stove or a crock pot.

Tha'ts all for this weekend's recipes.  I am now going to make homemade ravioli.  After that chicken and kale with bacon for dinner.  Chef Matthew used kale yesterday and now I'm craving it.

Hope to see you next weekend.  I have some great recipes planned.  The stress for this will begin ... Thursday when I go in to TFM to prepare them.

Recipes: Turkey Tortilla Pinwheels with Chipotle Chilli Aioli - Roasted Garlic Onion Cheese Ball - Smoky Cheese Ball - Meatballs and Kielbasa in Sauce

I have the BEST customers.  Aside from being friendly, always stopping to say hello and chit-chat, sharing recipes with me, and telling me about wonderful wines to try, they bring me food to taste.  I have to thank Bruce for his delicious homemade Peach-Mango Salsa and Tom for his delicious pasta and homemade sauce.  I savored every bite.  THANK YOU for thinking of me and sharing.

Continuing with my Super Bowl party theme, here are this weekends recipes ...

Located in dairy section
next to the horseradish.

I was buying horseradish one day and next to it on the shelf was Fresh Market's Chipotle Chili Aioli.  I had to try it and bought a bottle.  It was spicy, creamy delicousness.  My husband was eating it out of the jar.  From there he was dipping tortilla chips in it.  I knew it was something I wanted my customers to sample so I had to come up with a game day treat.  I already have roast beef and pork sandwiches planned for later in the month so I needed another meat ... with the help of my taste testers, we decided on smoked turkey.  Customers enjoyed both the sauce and the pinwheels.

Turkey Tortilla Pinwheels with Chipotle Chili Aioli

1 pkg. burrito size flour tortillas

24 slices Smoked Turkey or Oven Roast Turkey

16 oz. Tillamook Cheddar cheese, shredded

1 head leafy lettuce

1 jar TFM Chipotle Chili Aioli

Lay tortilla on flat surface.  Spread with aioli to edges of tortilla.  Place a single layer of lettuce on ½ of the tortilla.  Top with shredded cheddar cheese.  Place 3 slices of turkey on lettuce and tortilla.  Roll up tortilla tightly.  Place frill picks at 1-inch intervals along the edge of the rolled up tortilla. 

Cut in between picks and place pinwheels on serving plate.  Repeat for remaining tortillas.

Yields:  64 pinwheels

I like to prepare pinwheels in advance of a party.  I roll up the tortilla, wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator.  Prior to serving I remove them from the refigerator (one at a time), cut and place on serving dish.

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In past tastings customers have been enjoying the cheese balls so this weekend I prepared two.  Sorry you cannot purchase the cheese balls already prepared, but they are EASY to make at home.  

This first cheese ball I sampled out on Saturday. 

Smoky Cheese Ball 

16 oz. cream cheese, softened

½ c. butter

4 c. shredded natural smoked Gouda

2½ Tbl. TFM Chipotle Chili Aioli

½ c. diced red onion

1½ c. chopped smoked almonds

Mix together the cream cheese, butter and aioli until thoroughly blended. 

Fold in onion and Gouda.

Form mixture into two balls, and roll in smoked almonds.

Yields:  2 cheese balls


Although my taste testers and customers enjoyed this, I personally think it needed more aioli.  When cleaning up after my tasting a little bit of cheese ball was left, some crackers, and a tad bit of aioli in the jar.  I put the cheese on the cracker and drizzled with aioli.  Mmmmm, that was perfect for me.  Sample the cheese mixture before rolling it in nuts.  You can leave it as is, add more aioli, or after preparing the cheese ball, drizzle it with aioli when you serve it.

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This next cheese ball I served on Friday and Saturday.  Although customers enjoyed both, this was the favorite.  I adapted it from a Stonewall Kitchen recipe.  I didn't want to use smoked almonds on both my cheese balls, but felt I needed the smoky almonds to balance the slight sweetness of the jam.

Roasted Garlic Onion Cheese Ball

1 jar Stonewall Kitchen Roasted Garlic Onion Jam

16 oz. cream cheese, softened

¾ tsp; coarse black pepper

4 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese

¾ c. chopped smoked almonds

Mix together the cream cheese, Stonewall Kitchen Roasted Garlic and Onion Jam and the pepper.

Fold in the Monterey Jack cheese.

Chill for one hour or more

Form mixture into a ball, and roll it into the pecans.

Serve with crackers or TFM French Rounds.

Yields:  2 cheese balls

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For the month of January I am sampling out Meatballs and Kielbasa in a sauce.  Every Friday and Saturday I'll be using a different sauce.  However, preparation is ... dare I say it ... EASY.  Friday I used Stonewall Kitchen Roasted Garlic Onion Jam.  Saturday was Stonewall Kitchen Maple Chipotle Grille Sauce.

Meatballs/Kielbasa in Sauce 

1 pkg. Bove's meatballs, defrosted  or 1 pkg Kielbasa 

1 jar of Stonewall Kitchen Roasted Garlic Onion Jam or 

     ¾ jar Stonewall Kitchen Maple Chipotle Grille Sauce

In a medium bowl mix meatballs or kielbasa with sauce/jam.  Transfer to an oven proof dish and heat in a preheated 450^o oven for 20 minutes.  Serve.  You can also cook in a pot on the stove or a crock pot.

Recipes: Corn and Black Bean Salad - Pizza Dip - Mamies Famous Cheese Wafers with Too Hot Mamas Sauce - Queso/Queso Gone Quiche

Before I get to this weekends recipes ...

Gift Bag

Coaster

Thank you Donna and Steve for the Thirstystone Sandstone Coasters with the wine motif.  I already have them on my end tables and use  them for my nightly glass (okay, glasses) of wine.  I also love the gift bag.  PERFECT!

Photo by Bruce

My resident TFM photographer (he always captures my happy side), Bruce, took my picture in my favorite apron.  I wear it every time I'm preparing food at the store.  What I think is funny, is when I wear the apron and a customer (non-regular) will come up to me for help and ask, "are you the wine lady?"  





On to the recipes ...

Pizza Dip and Mamies Wafers with Too Hot Mamas Sauce

There were two recipes that were runaway favorites and one recipe that just plain old ran away from me.

The first favorite was from Stonewall Kitchen.  Their recipes never seem to fail.  Even though this uses Spicy Corn Relish, it is not a spicy dish. 

Corn and Black Bean Salad
1 (16 oz.) jar Stonewall Kitchen 
     Spicy Corn Relish
1 (15 oz.) can TFM Black Beans, 
     drained
1 ripe avocado, peeled, cored and 
     cut into ¼-inch cubes 

¾ c. cherry tomatoes, diced 

¼ c. diced red onion 

8 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, cubed 

¼ c. chopped cilantro

Combine all ingredients and serve with tortilla chips.

Option - add 1 jalapeno, diced. 

Stonewall Kitchen Spicy Corn Relish is located in the section with the pickles.

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The next favorite is Pizza Dip.  I ran out of recipes and sold out of product.  

Pizza Dip
½ c. TFM sour cream
8 oz. TFM cream cheese, softened
1 c. pizza sauce
16 oz. fresh mozzarella, shredded
½ c. Reggiano-Paremsan or three cheese blend flakes 
     (asiago, reggiano, and domestic parmesan)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1½ tsp. oregano or Italian seasoning
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 (5 oz.) stick Delallo Italian pepperoni, diced
 ½ c. diced onion
 ½ c. sliced black olives

In the bowl of a food processor, fitted with the blade attachment, place sour cream, cream cheese, pizza sauce, mozzarella, parmesan, half of the pepperoni, garlic powder, oregano, and red pepper flakes.  Process until smooth (there may be a few small bits of pepperoni).  Stir in remaining pepperoni, onion, and olives.

Serve warm or cold, in a boule, with sliced baguette, or TFM French Rounds (Original, Garlic Toasted, or Garlic Parmesan).

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My next taste offering, not really a recipe, was Mamies Famous Cheese Wafers with Too Hot Mamas Habanero/Apple Sauce.  SPICY.  Almost adicitive.
  

Located in the freezer section.

Cut Mamies Cheese Wafers into rounds as instructed on the package.  Using your thumb, make a small indentation in the center of the wafer and fill with 4 to 5 dashes of Too Hot Mamas Sauce.  Bake according to package directions.  Serve.

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Last is the recipe that ran away from me. It all began when I was asked to sample out Tillamook Cheddar Cheese.  I went to Tillamook's website and found a recipe for Naturally Aged Queso.  I thought this was perfect. When I got to Fresh Market it all went down hill ...

... No Tillamook Monterey Jack cheese.
... No Tillamook Medium Cheddar cheese.
... No jalapenos in the store.
Damn, there's half my recipe.

Turns out TFM wanted me to sample Tillamook Vegetarian Cheddar; so I used it.  Since there were no jalapenos, in place of those and Monterey I used Pepper Jack cheese.  I'm thinking Plan B, no problem, all's good.  Well ...

... after all the ingredients were combined, and put in the oven, it didn't all melt together and something began to separate out.  Nothing I could do but serve it.  Then while I was serving it, I put another tray in the oven.  I forgot about it and although nothing separated out, it turned quiche-like.  Nothing I could but serve it and I topped it with salsa.

In the end, for both versions, the flavor was there and customers enjoyed it.

With that long tale finished, here's the recipe:

Queso/Queso Gone Quiche
8 oz. Pepper Jack cheese
4 oz. Tillamook Vegetarian Kosher 
     Medium Cheddar Cheese
 ¼ c. diced red onion
2 Tbl. chopped fresh cilantro
1 large Roma tomato, chopped

Preheat oven to 450^o.  

Mix all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl, then arrange in an oven proof dish.  

If you tasted this on Friday - Bake unitl the cheese is melted, about 10 to 15 minutes.  Serve with tortilla chips.

If you tasted this on Saturday - Bake until it is quiche like (remember I forgot about it and don't know how long I cooked it for).  Serve with TFM Mild Salsa.