Recipes: Festive Pesto Pasta Salad - Chaumes with Roasted Garlic and Shallot Spread - Smoked Gouda Spread - Goat Cheese with Various Toppings - Fromage Fort 1, 2, 3 and 4

Fun. Fun. Fun.

Fun - playing with cheese this weekend.

Fun - playing with Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup.

Fun - chit-chatting with my customers.

The first recipe is from Fresh Markets recipe booklet that was at my tasting table over the holidays.

Festive Pesto Pasta Salad

17.6 oz. TFM Ditalini pasta, cooked, 
     drained and chilled

½ c. julienne sun dried tomatoes

1 pkg. LeGrand 4 Nuts and Cheese Pesto

6.5 oz. jar Delallo Marinated & Quartered 
                                      Artichoke Hearts, drained

3.8 oz. Mario sliced black olives, drained

6 (¼“ thick) slices Sopresatta, cubed

Combine all ingredients in a large serving bowl.  Serve.

My taste testers enjoyed this as did I, but I felt it was a tad on the dry side.  Friday I left the recipe as is, but Saturday, I opened another package of LeGrand Pesto and added more to the pasta salad.  It wasn't as dry for me and more enjoyable.  I used Ditalini pasta since that was the pasta I could cook the fastest at the store with the equipment I had.  You can use which ever pasta you prefer for salads.

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Continuing with our goal of sampling a cheese that customers may not be familiar with ... Nicole selected Chaumes.   I was not familiar with this cheese and went to their website for recipes.

Chaumes and Roasted Garlic and Shallot Spread
6 Tbsp. olive oil
6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
2 shallots, unpeeled
7 oz. Chaumes cheese, rind removed, cut into chunks
2 Tbsp. basil, chopped fine
salt and pepper to taste

Toss garlic cloves and shallots with 2 tablespoons of the oil, and bake wrapped in foil at 350°F. for 35-40 minutes or until soft. Let cool completely. Squeeze the garlic and shallots from their skins and reserve.

Place the cheese, remaining oil, garlic and shallots in the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth.

Stir in chopped basil and adjust seasoning with salt and fresh pepper. 

Makes 1 cup.

I enjoyed this as did  my taste testers.  I do not recall any customer comments - good, bad, or indifferent.

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TFM Smoked Gouda Spread

1 lb. shredded smoked Gouda

¼ c. mayonnaise

1 Tbl. minced red onion

1 Tbl. Tabasco

Mix all ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl.  Serve with your favorite crackers or Pretzel Crisps.

ALWAYS a crowd pleaser.

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I wanted to sample out Rondin goat cheese again as I had fun toppings I wanted to do this week.  Like I said last week - it's a blank canvas.

Topping 1:  
Stonewall Kitchen Roasted Garlic Onion Jam with Smoked Almonds
1 round of Rondin goat cheese
1 jar Stonewall Kitchen 
     Roasted Garlic Onion Jam
1/3 c. smoked almonds, 
     coarsely chopped

Place goat cheese on a serving plate.  Top with desired amount of jam.  Top jam with smoked almonds.  Serve with your favorite crackers or TFM Original French Rounds.

Customers loved, loved, loved this.  A clear winner and it doesn't get any easier than this.


Topping 2:  
Earth & Vine Roasted Bell Pepper and Ancho Chili Jam
1 round of Rondin goat cheese
1 jar Earth & Vine Roasted Bell Pepper and Ancho Chili Jam

Place goat cheese on a serving plate.  Top with desired amount of jam.  Serve with your favorite crackers or TFM Original French Rounds.

Okay I lied with topping #1.  It doesn't get any easier than this.  E&V's Roasted Bell Pepper and Ancho Chili Jam is always a hit when I sample it out.  Go to my recipe index and check out the other recipes I've prepared using this product.  They are all delicious.  This jam is very popular at the store and sells out frequently.  If you haven't tried it, you must.


Topping 3:  
Wild Hibiscus and Ginger
1 round of Rondin goat cheese
1/3 c. sliced almonds
2 Tbl. chopped crystallized ginger
2 Wild Hibiscus Flowers, chopped
2 Tbl. Wild Hibiscus Syrup
1 pkg. Stacy's Bake Shop 
     Banana Nut Crisps

Mix chopped ginger and Hibiscus flowers together.  Set aside.

Roll rim of goat cheese in almonds.  Place on a serving plate.  Top with ginger-hibiscus mixture.  Drizzle with hibiscus syrup.  Serve with Stacy's Banana Nut Crisps.

I have been playing with Wild Hibiscus Flowers and Syrup in my head for DAYS!  When I walked into the store Saturday morning it hit me - crystallized ginger and banana bread crisps.  I was excited and held my breath as my taste testers sampled ...  I held my breath again as my customers sampled ... FAVORITE!  I even had one person e-mail me, "I didn't get a chance to tell you how much I liked that goat cheese/banana thing. It was really tasty!"  Okay, they called it a "thing", but the point is they took the time to e-mail me they liked it.  Yeah, me!

Topping 4:  
Stonewall Kitchen Cherry Berry Jam
1 round of Rondin goat cheese
1 jar Stonewall Kitchen 
     Cherry Berry Jam

Place goat cheese on a serving plate.  Top with desired amount of jam.  Serve with your favorite crackers or TFM Original French Rounds.

This was just a quick sample I put together for Lorene at her table.  Another quick idea for customers to do in a pinch.  Also a way for customers to sample the jam - a perfect filling for Thumbprint cookies.

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And lastly, my words have come back to bite me - "I'm tired of cheese spreads and cheese balls."  I prepared FOUR cheese spreads this weekend.  BUT, in my defense these cheese spreads gave me the freedom to be creative and "play".  

In one of my food trade magazines I saw a recipe for Fromage Fort.  With recipe in hand, I Googled for more Fromage Fort recipes.  I found that Fromage Fort (French for "strong cheese") is made by using leftover pieces of various cheeses, adding wine, garlic, herbs, seasonings, etc.  Typically the cheeses used are Camembert, Brie, Swiss,  Parmigian-Reggiano, and goat milk cheeses.  Nicole is cutting cheese daily and scraps get thrown away.  I was going to turn those into tasty tidbits (if it killed me).  I was excited.  Nicole is now saving all her scraps for me and when I go in each weekend I'll prepare a Fromage Fort.  

This weekend I had so much to choose from I was like a "kid in the candy shop".  For Friday's sampling I cautiously and  optimistically  selected what I thought would be a nice combination of cheeses.  When I added wine to the cheese blend Nicole and I were not happy with the results.  Nixing the wine, I went with Extra Virgin Olive oil and flavored Extra Virgin Olive oil. 

Fromage Fort 1

10 oz. Old Dutch Masters Aged Gouda, 
     rind removed and grated

7 oz. Parrano, rind removed and grated

7 oz. Swiss Emmenthaller, 
     rind removed and grated

4 oz. Ricotta Salata, crumbled

6 Tbl. butter

5 Tbl. Lucini Roasted Garlic 
     Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Tbl. TFM Extra Virgin Olive Oil

¼ c. chopped chives

Place cheese, butter and oils, in the bowl of a food  processor and process until blended and smooth.  If you feel the mixture is too dry, add more of the olive oils.  Mix in chives.

After getting the seal of approval from all my taste testers, this went to the sample table for the final verdict from the customers.  SUCCESS!  This was the hit of the night.  

Having been successful with Fromage Fort 1, I was eager and ready  (but still cautiously optimistic) to plan Saturday's Fromage Fort.  However, I couldn't select cheese for just one more.  I grouped various cheeses together and Nicole and I tasted and played.   All were good, but met with various degrees of "I like this" from my trusty taste testers and customers.

Fromage Fort 2
9¾ oz. Manchego, rind removed and grated
7 oz. Parrano, rind removed and grated
7 oz. 3 Year Cheddar grated
4 ½ oz. Red Wax Gouda, rind removed and grated
6 Tbl. butter
¾ c. TFM Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 pkg. (3 oz.) California Smoked Sun Dried Tomatoes, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
¼ c. cilantro, chopped

Place cheese, butter and oil, in the bowl of a food processor and process until blended and smooth. If you feel the mixture is too dry, add more olive oil. Mix in tomatoes, jalapeno and cilantro. Refrigerate overnight to let the flavors blend.


Fromage Fort 3
5 oz. Comte Gruyere, rind removed and grated
7½ oz. Yellow Wax Gouda, rind removed and grated
5 oz. Belton Farms Oak Smoked Cheddar, grated
4 ½ oz. Ricotta Salata, grated
5 Tbl. butter
¾ c. TFM Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Tbl. Lucini Roasted Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ c. diced red onion

Place cheese, butter and oil in the bowl of a food processor and process until blended and smooth. If you feel the mixture is too dry, add more olive oil. Mix in onion. Refrigerate 5 hours to overnight to let flavors blend.
Fromage Fort 4
8½ oz. Old Dutch Masters Aged Gouda, 
     rind removed and grated
6½ oz. Comte Gruyere, rind removed and grated
7 oz. Boucherondin de Chevre, crumbled
5 Tbl. butter1 bottle (3.38 oz.) Il Molino 
     Extra Virgin Olive Oil with Rosemary

Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until blended and smooth. If you feel the mixture is too dry, add TFM Extra Virgin Olive Oil.


All three of Saturday's Fromage Forts were enjoyed by customers.  However, 2 and 4 were favored over 3.  

I also have to say that Lucini Roasted Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Il Molino Extra Virgin Olive Oil with Rosemary have tremendous flavor.  I so enjoyed using them.  Truth be told, I HAD to use Il Molino because I liked the bottle. (See we don't just buy wine because of the label.  It falls into play with other products as well.)  It would be a great gift for someone.

When all is said and done, Fromage Fort is a success.  If you have any scraps of cheese be creative and give it a try.

I can't wait to see what scraps Nicole has for me next weekend!

Recipes: Hibiscus Flowers with Mascarpone - Apricots with Basil Mascarpone and Marcona Almonds - Mushroom and Taleggio Crostini - Crostini with Avocado Puree and Beemster Extra Aged - Herb Cheese Crostini - Chutney Chicken Salad - Goat Cheese, Tarragon, and Pecans with Honey

What a fun and delicious Valentine's Day sampling!

The sample table looked appetizing.  When I first put the food out, customers didn't want to taste.  They just stood and looked at it.   However, that moment did not last long and food quickly disappeared.

 I may be dating myself, but, do you remember Snuffles from Quick Draw McGraw?

Snuffles would wrap himself in hugs, jump into the air, and gently float back down every time he had a treat.  (I so related to that character when I was a kid.  In fact, I still do.)  Well, that was the reaction to Friday's tidbits.  "This looks amazing." "This is delicious."  "This is amazing."  "Wow!"  These were just a few of the comments customers made.  All my food samples were perfect pairings with my sparkling wine and Champagnes.

Chef Fred presenting -
Apricots with Basil Mascarpone and Marcona Almonds (front left),
Wild Hibiscus Flower stuffed with Mascarpone (rear), and
Mushroom and Taleggio Crostini (front right).

Before I get to the first AMAZING recipe (Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup stuffed with Mascarpone) I want to thank Wild Hibiscus for sending me product, allowing me to let customers sample a whole flower.  The stuffed flower was intriguing, inviting, fantastic!

Wild Hibiscus Flowers with Mascarpone

­­­ild Hibiscus Flower with  Mascarponeal)

1 jar Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup

4 oz. Mascarpone

Drain flowers and reserve syrup for another use.  Fill each flower with 1 teaspoon Mascarpone. Place on serving dish.  Serve.

Yields:  11 flowers

These made a lovely presentation and tasted delicious.   Bite size bits of heaven.  Quick and easy to prepare.  I used a piping bag to fill each flower.  If you do not have a piping bag, use a baggie to pipe.   Something different to serve at your next party that everyone will be talking about.

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This next recipe came from Betty (she's responsible for coffee and candy at the store).  Betty told me a customer was telling her about an appetizer she made that everyone always raved about.  She said it had apricots, Mascarpone, Marcona almonds, and some herb.  I took it from there, and prepared ...

Apricots with Basil Mascarpone and Marcona Almonds

8 oz. Mascarpone, room temperature

¼ c. chopped fresh basil

40 dried apricots

40 Marcona almonds

Honey

Mix together Mascarpone and basil.  Spread ¼ to ½  teaspoon Mascarpone mixture on each apricot.  Top with an almond.  Place on a serving dish.  When all apricots are on the serving dish, drizzle with honey.  Serve.

Another easy recipe to prepare.  Delicious!  I did pipe the mascarpone onto each apricot.

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Nicole and I are trying to sample out various cheeses that one may not typically purchase, or are not sure of (ie. last weeks - Myzithra cheese).  This weekend we decided on Taleggio, and I created this last hit recipe of my Valentine tasting ....

Mushroom and Taleggio Crostini

8 oz. sliced baby bella mushrooms

2 shallots, sliced thin

­­­­­­8 oz. Taleggio

Salt and black pepper, to taste

c tsp. dried Italian seasoning

1 pkg. TFM Garlic Parmesan French Rounds

1 Tbl. butter

If baby bella mushrooms are sliced thick, slice them in half horizontally.

Preheat a medium skillet.  Add butter.  When hot add mushrooms, shallot, and oregano.  Cook until mushrooms are lightly browned and liquid is gone from pan.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat oven to 400^o.

On a foil lined baking sheet lay out French Rounds.  Top each with mushrooms.  Add a slice of cheese to each.  Place in preheated oven and bake just until cheese is melted, approximately 3 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Yields:  30 crostini

Not as quick to prepare as the two recipes above, but worth the effort of slicing and sautéing.  I served this at room temperature since I do not have the luxury of keeping things hot at my table. If these were fantastic at room temperature, imagine them warm.   Thank you to the Bakery team for putting these in the oven and melting the cheese for me.  

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I now move on to Saturday's sampling and begin with the rave recipe from this day.  Nicole and I decided on Beemster Extra Aged cheese and I found the following recipe on Beemster's website.

The avocado puree was a mixture of
 light and dark vibrant green.

Crostini With Avocado Purée and Beemster Extra Aged

2 ripe avocados

1 lemon

1 shallot

½ bunch (2/3 c.) flat-leaf parsley

Sea salt and coarse black pepper, to taste

Beemster Extra Aged, shaved

5 oz. baby arugula

1 pkg. TFM Original French Rounds

Halve the avocados, remove the stones and spoon the flesh into a bowl. Squeeze the lemon and pour the juice into the bowl with the avocado. Use a fork to mash the avocado into a coarse purée. Finely chop the shallot and the parsley leaves and stir into the avocado purée. Season with salt and pepper. 

Arrange a few leaves of arugula on top of each French Round, place the Beemster Extra Aged shavings on top of the arugula, then a spoonful of avocado purée, then some more cheese shavings. Serve.

Yields:  20 rounds.

Time was not on my side Saturday and I had to cut corners with this recipe.  On the TFM French Rounds I placed the shaved Beemster cheese and then  topped it with the avocado puree.  If I had to do this again (and I might) I would layer the arugula, Beemster, and avocado puree on the French round and leave it at that.   I will also say that the avocado was not a puree.  I mashed it and left it small chunks of avocado. 

To shave the Beemster, cut the wide back rind off.  Leave the top rind on so you have something to hold while shaving.  I also used a potato peeler to get nice thin slices. 

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I didn't want to get crazy with the new and different cheese aspect, but I love Farmer Cheese and had to use that in a recipe for sampling.  I prefer Farmer Cheese over Ricotta.  I use it all the time in my homemade ravioli.  Ricotta is too liquid for me and Framer Cheese more dense (yet soft).  Not to mention it has fewer calories.  

Herb Cheese Crostini

1 lb. Farmers Cheese

zest of 1 lemon

2 Tbl. lemon juice

1/3 c. chopped fresh basil

6 Tbl. olive oil*

1 clove garlic, minced (optional)

Roasted Garlic Sea Salt

Assorted raw vegetables

TFM French Rounds

In a medium mixing bowl combine cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, basil, and olive oil.  Place in serving bowl.  Garnish with Roasted Garlic Sea Salt.  Serve with vegetables for dipping or TFM French Rounds.

*Add more olive oil to make a veggie dip. 

I did omit the garlic for my sampling.   

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I'm back to Stonewall Kitchen products.  Yes, they do give me product support, as does Wild Hibiscus, Robert Rothschild, Earth & Vine, and Tamari.  But putting that aside, if I did not like a product, AND my customers did not like it, I would NOT sample it out.  I'm a fan of TFM's Rotisserie Chicken Salad, but same old, same old ... I needed to change it up.  The original recipe is from Stonewall Kitchen's website and I modified it by using Fresh Markets rotisserie chicken salad.  I wanted quick, easy and delicious.  This was definitely it.

Chutney Chicken Salad

1 lb. TFM Rotisserie chicken salad

¼ c. chopped pecans

¼ c. golden raisins

¼ c. dried cranberries

¾ tsp. Coleman’s dry mustard

1 c. Stonewall Kitchen Apple Cranberry Chutney

5 oz. baby spinach

4 oz. Tillamook Kosher Cheddar cheese, sliced

Combine all ingredients, except arugula and cheddar, in a medium mixing bowl.  Mix until thoroughly incorporated.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

On your favorite bread, or wrap, place cheddar cheese and baby spinach.  Top with chicken salad.  Serve.

I served this on white house rolls.  Aren't those so soft and delicious?   

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The last customer favorite, but not least, was the following "recipe" (I put that in quotes as there are no measurements.  A little of this and a little of that.) .  Marshall (deli manager) had a new goat cheese in stock and I was excited.  Plain goat cheese is the perfect blank canvas.  We have a few fruit and nut goat cheeses in stock so I had to go a different route with fresh herbs.  I can't take credit for this, Jenna (previous cheese specialist) prepared this a couple years ago.  So delicious!

Goat Cheese with Tarragon, Pecans and  Honey
1 pkg. La Bonne Vie Rondin goat cheese
1 clam shell fresh tarragon, chopped
1/2 c. pecans, chopped
honey

Mix the desired amount/combination of tarragon and pecans.

Place goat cheese on serving plate.  Top with tarragon-pecan mixture. Making sure to press into the sided of the goat cheese.  Drizzle with honey.  Serve.

Oh, so, yummy!  For additional toppings on plain goat cheese, use Stonewall Kitchen's Roasted Garlic Onion Jam, or Dalmatia Fig Jam.  For a sweeter note, I had Lorene sampling it out with Stonewall Kitchen's Wild Maine Blueberry Jam.

THE END!

See you next weekend.  I'm going to the store tomorrow to plan the sampling menu.

Recipes: Lemon Couscous - Chicken Enchilada Dip - Seafood Bacon Spread

CHEERS Pat and those of you reading this post.  It's another glass of motivation for me.  I'm enjoying Cupcake Zinfandel from Lodi with the candy bar Raspberries in Dark Chocolate.  This combination had me in my happy place during my tasting Saturday.  The new song Happy by Pharrell Williams just kept running through my head.  Sheez and did I need that wine-chocolate combination and happy song.  How many (newbie) customers felt the need to try and lift my slow cooker lid or pick up my open bottles.  Health Department and ABC say that's a no-no. Aghhh!

Recipes ...

First a truth.  I am tired of cheese spreads and cheese balls.  Honestly.  October.  November.  December. January.  I needed a change so I turned to browsing Fresh Markets isles and cheese case.  Myzithra peaked my interest.  The consistency, color and shape of the cheese (before Nicole cuts it).  Also, it's not a cheese you'd slice and eat; too salty.  So, I turned to the internet, my cousin Nadene (who married into a Greek family - boy can they party!) and my personal chef recipes.  I decided on my personal chef recipe, Lemon Couscous, and I'd give it a Greek flare.  WINNER!  Customers loved this.  Some even told me they were preparing it for dinner that night.  A perfect pairing to Cupcake Sauvignon Blanc that I was pouring.

Lemon Couscous

1 can (14½ oz.) chicken broth            

1 box (10 oz.) couscous*                    

Zest of 1 lemon                                   

juice of 1 lemon                                    

1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil                     

 2 oz. fresh baby spinach

¼ c. toasted pine nuts

 ½ c. sliced Kalamata olives

½ c. diced red onion

¼ lb. Myzithra cheese, shredded

In a small saucepan heat broth to boiling.

Place the couscous in a bowl along with oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice.  Stir in the boiling chicken broth.  Cover and set aside.  Once the stock has been completely absorbed (approximately 5 minutes), add baby spinach.  Mix thoroughly.   Add pine nuts, olives, and cheese.  Mix thoroughly.  

*NOT pearl couscous.  If you use pearl couscous, cook according to package directions.

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We are revisiting last weekends Chicken Enchilada ... DIP.  Yes, I made it a dip and not a soup.  When I had my wine tasting at Fresh Market Parham last Tuesday, I spoke with the person who prepared this.  They also had a soupy dish on Friday.  Saturday they thickened it up by adding 1 block of cream cheese and ½ a pound of Pepper Jack cheese.  I took a different route.  I added 1 pound rotisserie chicken (I needed precooked chicken since I would not be able to cook raw chicken this time around) and ½ a pound of Pepper Jack cheese.  It had nicer consistency and retained that  great flavor.  However, a word of caution - you need to use a thicker tortilla chip for dipping.  A thin chip will break in a heart beat.  Here's the updated recipe:

Chicken Enchilada Dip
4 lbs. boneless chicken thighs
1 can Hatch Red Enchilada Sauce
16 oz. TFM cream cheese
1½ lbs. shredded Pepper Jack Cheese

tortilla chips

Remove any excess fat from chicken thighs and place thighs in bottom of the slow cooker.

Pour enchilada sauce over chicken.  Cook on LOW for 6 hours.

Remove chicken from slow cooker.

Add cubed, softened cream cheese and Pepper Jack cheese to slow cooker.  Stir.  Continue cooking on LOW while you shred the chicken.

Stir shredded chicken back into slow cooker.  Cook for 30 to 60 minutes on HIGH.  Stir and serve.

There were just a couple customers who commented that this was too spicy for them.  My suggestion - substitute Monterey Jack for some or all of the Pepper Jack.

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Lastly ...  

Seafood-Bacon Spread

1 lb. TFM Seafood Salad

¾ c. mayonnaise

6 oz. shredded Baby Swiss cheese

2/3 c. grated Parmesan-Reggiano

2 tsp. dried tarragon

9 slices Smithfield Fully Cooked Bacon, cooked and crumbled    

Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.  Serve with your favorite TFM crackers or TFM French Rounds.

Yields: 6 to 8 servings

Yes, I said I was tired of spreads and cheese balls ... but in my defense Baby Swiss was on special and Nicole was sampling it out.  This recipe was also a success and customers enjoyed. 

That's it for this post.  Now it's on to next weekends food sampling for me.  I am pouring Champagne and sparkling wines (not sure about still wines) on Friday for Valentines day.  I've planned quick, easy appetizers to pair with these wines.  Come join the celebration.

Looking forward to seeing you next weekend.

Recipes: Ham and Bacon Spread - Rotisserie Pork with Smoky Barbecue Aioli - PreMoo Cheese Spread - Seafood Cheese Spread - Blue Cheese Guacamole - Chicken Enchilada Dip

For starters, I SOLD OUT of the Stock Up Saturday wine - Coppola Rosso/Bianco.  A couple of customers came in early because I posted I'd probably sell out and I'm glad you did. By 3:15 my tasting was over.  Food and wine - gone.  You know I always say, "you come late to the party ..."

Heads up! Next weekend I also have the Stock Up Saturday wine.  I'm looking forward to it!  It's a new one.

This weekends food sampling sort of put me off balance.  I am an organizer and list maker.  When I went into the store on Wednesday and found out that TFM Corporate had required samplings for a Super Bowl Fest and I was to coordinate it for the store ... I had more papers and recipes in my pile than I knew what to do with. Corporate s samplings were a must and I had to scrap some of my samplings (meatballs and kielbasa for one) because it was too much to do.  Before posting today I had to sort it all out.  Talk about NOT motivated.  BUT, while I was texting my friend Pat she said it sounded like I needed some wine.  So, here I am with a glass of Conn Creek, Rutherford, Cabernet 2008 sipping away.  With every sip, there's more motivation.  Thanks Pat!

The first three recipes are customer favorites and repeats from 2013.  PreMoo Cheese Spread, Rotisserie Pork with Smoky Barbecue Aioli on White House Rolls, and Seafood Cheese Ball. (Click on these and you will go to the recipe post.)  For the Seafood Cheese Ball I cut corners and made it a spread by mixing Robert Rothschild Peach Coconut Mango Habanero Seafood Sauce into the seafood mixture.  And Ooops!  Forgot the smoked almonds.  

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Ham and Bacon Spread

8 oz. Greek Cream Cheese & Greek Yogurt, softened

¾ c. diced red  onion

¼ c. mayonnaise

8 oz. shredded Adams Reserve Cheddar cheese

6 oz. TFM Classic Uncured bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 lb. Mickleberry ham, chopped    

Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.

Serve with Pretzel Crisps or your favorite TFM crackers.

Yields: 10 to 12 servings

Taste testers and customers enjoyed this.  Kristen (front end) and I think it might be lacking something.  I served this with Pretzel Crisps and it was  nice change from crackers.  I used Greek Cream Cheese & Greek Yogurt because it's less sweet than regular cream cheese.  Who knows, maybe that's what was lacking for Kristen and I.

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This next recipe I adapted from a Fine Cooking e-mail I received.  It was for Blue Cheese-Smoked Almond Guacamole.  

Blue Cheese Guacamole

1 container TFM Home Style or Spicy Guacamole

 ¼ c. chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

4 oz. St. Pete’s Blue Cheese, crumbled

Place all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.  Stir until thoroughly incorporated.  Serve with tortilla chips.

 Kristen was at the sampling table with this.  She said some customers enjoyed it.  Other customers asked, "why'd she put blue cheese in guacamole?"  So here's my thought process ... I thought it sounded interesting and different.  Nicole had St. Pete's Blue Cheese that was new into the store.  Customers like easy, so thought I'd use TFM's Home Style Guacamole (in produce). And,  I didn't see what smoked almonds brought to the party so I omitted them.  It was worth a shot.  For me it was enjoyable, but in the end, I'm a traditional guacamole girl.  FYI -  the next day, the blue cheese was overpowering.  

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Excuse me while I get another glass of motivation ...  I need it for this last recipe.

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Lastly, is TFM Corporate's recipe.  I have to tell you it threw me for a loop when I read it and re-read it.  No where did it say to shred the chicken.  Aghhhh!  The preparation instructions below are my re-write.

Chicken Enchilada Dip
3 lbs. boneless chicken thighs
1 can Hatch Red Enchilada Sauce
16 oz. TFM cream cheese
1 lb. shredded Pepper Jack Cheese
tortilla chips

Remove any excess fat from chicken thighs and place thighs in bottom of the slow cooker.

Pour Enchilada Sauce over chicken.  Cook on LOW for 6 hours.

Remove chicken from slow cooker. 

Add cubed , softened, cream cheese and Pepper Jack cheese to slow cooker.  Stir.  Continue cooking on LOW while you shred the chicken.

Stir shredded chicken back into the slow cooker.  Cook for 30 to 60 minutes on HIGH.  Stir and serve.

Although tasty,  Kristen told me many customers questioned why it wasn't thick.  The hotter it got, the looser the consistency.  We were only able to sample this out on Friday.  I have a lot left and it's frozen until next weekend.  I'll sample it out again, but if it gets too loose, I'll turn it into a soup.  Check back next Sunday for the continuing saga.

On another note with this recipe ... a few customers asked me if they could use breasts instead of thighs.  Thighs are recommended as breasts tend to be too dry.  But ultimately the choice is yours.  Also, an option for reducing the cooking time, is use rotisserie chicken.  Just mix all the ingredients with shredded rotisserie chicken and heat before serving.