Recipes: Spicy Southwest Spread with Sweet Pickles - Brie with Pickled Watermelon - Feta and Pickled Jalapeno - Spicy Southwest Spread with Pickled Jalapeno - Picoloini Tapenade - Calamata Picante Tapenade

Wow!  With all the customers heads nodding and "Mmmmmm" sounds, I can say this weekends food tasting was DELICIOUS! I sold a lot of Simply Pickled product and Spicy Southwest Spread.  Almost cleaned out the samplings from TFM's Delallo Salad Bar and left the table of TFM French Rounds looking bare.  (As I told Tom before I left yesterday, "I earned my keep.") One customer summed it up nicely, "Dangerously good."

Those of you who know me, know I have favorite products (Stonewall Kitchen, Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup, Dillapeno, and Earth & Vine Red Bell Pepper Ancho Chili Jam).  I have added a new one to my list - SIMPLY PICKLED (also packaged under PICKLED PINK).    When I tasted their Sweet Pickles, Pickled Watermelon and Pickled Jalapenos at the Fancy Food Show I knew I had to share with my customers.  So glad I did.

And before getting to the recipes ... thank you all for telling me how creative I am and how much you enjoy the food samples and recipe ideas.  However, it is not always all my doing.  My inspriation  comes from oh so  many sources.  This weekend Simply Pickled suggested what to sample their products with.  I again have Nicole to thank for her suggestion.  Lastly, I have Chef Geoffrey Zackarian  to thank.  Read on ...

If you love TFM's (The Fresh Market) Spicy Southwest Spread you can turn it into a special party bite by just topping with Simply Pickled Sweet Pickles.

Spicy Southwest Spread with Sweet Pickles
TFM Spicy Southwest Spread
1 jar Simply Pickled Sweet Pickles
TFM Original French Rounds

Spread Spicy Southwest Spread on a French Round.  Top with a sweet pickle slice (I cut the large pickles in half).  Place on serving dish.

This was a huge hit with customers. I cannot count how many times I heard, "I'll just have one more."  Easy, easy, easy to make.

*****

With just a tad bit of dicing, this recipe is unique and perfect for impressing your guests.

Brie with Pickled Watermelon
1 16 oz. Brie
1 jar Simply Pickled Pickled Watermelon, 
     drained and diced
TFM Original French Rounds

Place Brie on serving dish.  Top Brie with Pickled Watermelon.  Serve with French Rounds.

Customer favorite!  This was a fantastic flavor combination.  The PERFECT pairing.  

*****

If you enjoy spicy food, these next two recipes are for you.  

Feta and Pickled Jalapenos
Crumbled Feta cheese
1 jar Simply Pickled Jalapenos, 
     drained and chopped
TFM Original French Rounds

Place Feta in a serving bowl.  Add Pickled Jalapenos to taste.  Toss gently and serve with Original French Rounds.


Spicy Southwest Spread with Pickled Jalapenos

TFM Spicy Southwest Spread
1 jar Simply Pickled Jalapenos, drained and chopped
TFM Original French Rounds

Place Spicy Southwest Spread in a mixing bowl.  Add Pickled Jalapenos to taste.  Mix until thoroughly incorporated.  Transfer to a serving bowl.  Serve with Original French Rounds.

It was Nicole's idea to add Simply Pickled Jalapenos to Spicy Southwest Spread. It was a hit.  Of the two recipes, customers perferred Spicy Southwest Spread with Pickled Jalapenos.  It was less spicy than the Feta recipe (Spicy Southwest had cheese AND mayonnaise which toned down the heat of the Pickled Jalapenos.  The Feta recipe was all cheese and you tasted more of the heat from the jalapenos).  It was great to taste the creamy cheese and on the back end some heat would sneak in.  

*****

This last two recipes use Fresh Markets (Delallo) Salad Bar.  

While I was having my morning coffee Friday I watched The Kitchen (I record it).  In one segment, Geoffrey Zackarian was making an olive tapenade.  I was awake enough that a light bulb went off.  Nicole wanted me to sample out Picolini Antipasti; I was going to use that and make a tapenade.

Picolini Tapeanade
Delallo (Salad Bar) Picolini Antipasti, drained slightly
Instant Gourmet Rustico Italian seasoning, to taste
TFM Garlic Toasted French Rounds

Place first two ingredients in a food processor.  Pulse until coarsely  chopped.  Transfer to a serving dish.  Serve with Garlic Toasted French Rounds.

Customer favorite.  So much so, that I sold most of the Picolini Antipasti.  I  served with Garlic Toasted French Rounds for an additional hint/layer of flavor.

There wasn't enough Picolini Antipasti for me to prepare Picolini Tapenade for Saturday. "Plan B" was to choose another item from the salad bar.  Hence, the next recipe.

Calamata Picante Tapenade
Delallo (Salad Bar) Calamata Picante, drained slightly
     (2/3 olives to 1/3 cheese, with a little oil)
5 to 6 Delallo (Salad Bar) Red Peppadews, drained
TFM Garlic Toasted French Rounds

In the bowl of a food processor add Calamata Picante and half of the Peppadews.  Pulse until coarsely chopped. Taste and add more Peppadews as needed. Transfer to a serving dish.  Serve with Garlic Toasted French Rounds.

Another customer favorite.  I sold most of the Calamata Picante.  Again, serve with Garlic Toasted French Rounds for an additional hint/layer of flavor.