Recipes: Zesty Apricot Pepper Cheese Ball - Pecan Dip - Red Bell Pepper & Ancho Chili Cheese Ball - Chutney Cheese Spread

If you were not at the wine tasting yesterday, then you missed all the fun.  The Rex-Goliath event was non-stop, with customers enjoying the wine and having their pictures taken with the 47-pound rooster for personalized wine labels.  It was exciting to watch everyone having their pictures taken. My labels were traditional poses, but many customers were so creative their labels were terrific and unique.   My wonderful Fresh Market customers made this such a successful event that another one will be scheduled in December.  As soon as I am given the date I will post it.  You don't want to miss out, and the personalized wines make great gifts!  Because the wines were not on special, they qualified for 10% off a wine purchase of 6 bottles or more.  A fun, unique gift at a VERY reasonable price.  (My wine lable pictures were e-mailed to me, but I did not receive them ... yet?  When they show up in my e-mail, I'll update this post with them.)

Recipes for this weekend follow.  All were easy to prepare, delicious, and enjoyed.  Sold out of a lot of product and ran out of recipe cards. That is the true indication of how much the recipes were enjoyed.  Many customers said they would be prepearing the recipes for parties.  I can't believe the holiday season is upon us.

This first recipe was on a Fresh Market recipe card.  As with most recipes, I made a few tweeks.  Customers enjoyed this cheese ball the best.

Zesty Apricot Pepper Cheese Ball

16 oz. TFM Cream Cheese, softened

1 jar TFM Apricot Jam, split

1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 Tbl. diced shallot

1 Tbl. finely diced jalapeno, seeded

1½ c. shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese

In a medium bowl add cream cheese, ½ cup jam, pepper flakes, shallot, and jalapeno.  Cream together, making sure to blend well.  Chill for 2 hours or overnight. 

Form mixture into a ball and roll in shredded cheese to coat.  Pour remaining jam over the top of the cheese ball.

Serve with TFM Original Entertainment crackers.

Tip:  When ready to top the cheese ball with jam - place remaining jam in a small bowl.  Add a little warm water and mix.  Then put on cheese ball.

I used Adams Reserve Extra Sharp Cheddar cheese.  The one change (okay, so I already made changes - this would be one more) I would make to this recipe is to top the cheese ball with more than ½ cup of jam. (Which I did do on Saturday.)  To do this, you need to purchase two jars of jam.  

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I made just a couple changes to this recipe that I found in Fresh Markets 25th Anniversary The Fresh Market & Friends Cookbook.  (As an aside - I have two of Fresh Markets cookbooks and the recipes I have prepared have all be delicious.)  Customers found this to be one of their favorites as well.

Pecan Dip

1½ c. fancy pieces pecans                                

16 oz. Mascarpone cheese, softened                 

8 oz. cream cheese, softened                            

¾ c. diced red onion                                         

1 Tbl. Worcestershire sauce                              

¼ tsp. Tabasco    

½ tsp. salt     

¼ tsp. black pepper   

½ c. mayonnaise

1 tsp. diced garlic

Preheat oven to 400^o. Spread pecans on foil lined* baking sheet.  Toast for 5 minutes.  Cool.  Chop.  Set aside.

In medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix until well blended.

Serve with TFM Original Entertainment crackers.

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Because Saturday would be busy with the Rex-Goliath event, I needed party ideas where customers could help themselves and I did not have serve.  I turned to a product I love - Earth & Vine's Red Bell Pepper & Ancho Chile Jam.  (I wish Fresh Market carried more of their products because they look and sound delicious.)  I got this recipe from a Fresh Market fund raiser tasting I poured at in Williamsburg, VA.  Yup, made a few changes.

Red Bell Pepper & Ancho Chili Cheese Ball

12 oz. TFM Cream Cheese

1½ tsp. Instant Gourmet Grande 
     Southwest seasoning

¼ c. + 2 Tbl. chopped fresh cilantro

1 (8 oz.) pkg.TFM Mexican Blend 
     shredded cheese, divided

1 Tbl. finely diced jalapeno, seeded

1 jar Earth & Vine Red Bell Pepper & Ancho Chili Jam

In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, seasoning, cilantro, 1 cup cheese, and jalapeno.  Mix until well blended.  Refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.

When ready to serve, remove cheese mixture from refrigerator and form into a ball.  Roll in remaining cheese.  Place on serving dish.  Pour jam over cheese ball.

Serve with TFM Original Entertainment crackers.

Customers enjoyed this recipe.  Earth & Vine's Red Bell Pepper & Ancho Chili Jam was a hit.  Everyone expects it to be very spicy, but it has a nice bit of heat with a little sweet.  

I'm not sure if Fresh Market is sold out of Instant Gourmet's Grande Southwest seasoning, or if they are no longer stocking it.  In either instance, use your favorite Southwest seasoning, or taco seasoning.  I just recommend you add a a little at a time and taste as you go until you get the flavor you enjoy. 

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Stonewall Kitchen has so many products that I enjoy and many that I want to try.  The following recipe is from their website.

Chutney Cheese Spread

1 jar Stonewall Kitchen 
     Mango Chutney

1 8 oz. pkg. TFM cream cheese, 
     softened

½ c. chopped green onions

½ c. chopped peanuts

½ c. TFM coconut chips

Spread cream cheese on a serving plate, forming a circle about 7 to 8 inches in diameter.

Empty entire jar of chutney on top of the cream cheese and spread evenly.

Garnish with onions, peanuts, then coconut.

Serve with TFM Original Entertainment crackers.  

I used salted peanuts.