Roasted Red Pepper and Cheddar Spread

With the holidays rapidly approaching, and numerous events to attend, I wanted to share one of my easy, go-to party recipes. It's dead simple and it's delicious on crackers, sandwiches, burgers, you name it! This is really my version of pimento cheese, but I like using roasted red peppers for a slightly different kick.

Roasted Red Pepper and Cheddar Spread

Ingredients:

1 Pound of Cheddar, Grated (You can do this very easily with the food processor)

3/4 Pound of Cream Cheese

7 Ounces of Roasted Red Peppers, Drained

2 Tablespoons of Hot Sauce

2/3 Teaspoon Paprika

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

Preparation:

In a food processor, combine all of the ingredients and blend until smooth. You can add more hot sauce if you like a little more heat. Scoop out of the processor and serve!

Home-made Pesto Butter

I saw a post recently, on designsponge.com, about homemade butter, and it set me thinking. I haven't made butter since I was a child at camp, in those small jars which they told you to shake until your arm wants to fall off. After reading the post, it made me long for the amazingly fresh tasting butter, so I thought I would give it an adult try, but with a twist. I would normally make the pesto to go into the butter, but my basil is not quite big enough to harvest yet, so jarred pesto did the trick this time. This butter is great on baked potatoes, steak, toast, and all kinds of other things you want to make extra delicious!

Home-made Pesto Butter

Ingredients:

1-1/2 Cups of Organic Heavy Whipping Cream
1 Tablespoon of Pesto
1/2 Teaspoon of Chili Flakes

Preparation:

Let the heavy cream come to room temperature. The butter will not clump properly unless the cream comes to a temperature around 72 degrees. Pour the cream into an electric mixer and mix on medium until the butter separates from the liquid. This will take somewhere around 7 minutes. Pour the mixture into a fine mesh strainer and allow the liquid to drain away from the solids. You can use the milk as you would buttermilk! Place the solids onto a cooking board and massage out the excess liquid by folding the butter in on itself several times with a rubber spatula. Move the butter to a mixing bowl and add your pesto and chili flakes. Mix until combined. Next you can place the butter into a dish, or you can put onto a sheet of parchment paper and roll into a log. Refrigerate or freeze until you are ready to serve. It will keep for a week or two in the fridge, but for a long while in the freezer!

Black-Eyed Pea Hummus

Recently, I was able to make it over to Empire State South. It was a fantastic experience; truly one of the best meals I've had in a long time. While there, I tried some of their boiled peanut hummus. It was great! Like Mediterranean peanut butter. After thinking about the boiled peanut hummus, I realized that maybe Black-Eyed Peas would be another yummy, southern-take on hummus. I spread some on a toasted slice of bread with some watermelon radishes and carrots from our co-op for a delicious and healthy southern lunch!

Black-Eyed Pea Hummus

Ingredients:

1 Cup of Hydrated Black-Eyed Peas
1 Cup of Hydrated Chickpeas
5 Cloves of Garlic
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
2 Tablespoons of Tahini Paste
2 Teaspoons of Ground Cumin
1 Teaspoon of Hot Sauce
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Cooking:

If you'd like to use dried peas, place them in a bowl, submerge until there is an inch of water on top of the peas, add 1 tablespoon of baking soda, and soak overnight. To begin cooking, place the strained peas in a pot with water covering them by an inch or two. Add the cloves of garlic, no need to peel. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 40 minutes. Strain out the liquid, but reserve 3 tablespoons. Place the peas into your food processor, add the other ingredients, including the reserved cooking liquid, and puree to your desired texture. Salt and pepper to your liking and enjoy!

Local North Ga Smoked Trout Spread

On our last visit to the farmer's market, my husband picked up some North Georgia Smoked Trout, of which he cannot seem to get enough. Feeling inspired to do something a little different, I experimented and came up with this spread. I was so tickled with the results. It's creamy, tangy and delicious, but best of all, super easy!
It's great on onion flatbread, or crackers, or even little toast points. I had some the next day on toast with a fresh tomato sliced on top, it was so good!

Ingredients:

1 Fillet of North Georgia Smoked Trout
1 Package of Cream Cheese
1 Tablespoon of Greek Yogurt
1 Tablespoon of Buttermilk
2 Chopped Green Onions
1/2 Teaspoon of Lemon Zest
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Preparation:

Remove the skin from your fillet and toss into the food processor with all the other ingredients except Salt and Pepper. Puree until a smooth, spread consistency, then add salt and pepper to your liking.