Last evening I served a N’awlins style dinner to our dear friends Margo and Jim, Phyliss and Tim, and of course Mr. C. and yours truly. I made homemade Muffaletta Sandwiches (recipe soon to be posted), Classis Southern Macaroni Salad (recipe also soon to be revealed, and Tim’s (different Tim) potato chips. And for dessert – a Triple Bourbon Chocolate Brownie Ice Cream Cake. Well, the brownie part was so hard it made the dessert very difficult to eat. Tasty enough, but suffice it to say, this dessert is now an official “work in progress”.

As I was putting the salad together, I decided I really needed a southern style appetizer to serve while people decided what adult beverage they would enjoy before dinner. And I decided on some sort of cheese spread.

I knew Jim and Margo were bringing an appetizer, but I wanted to make something too. So, I went online to find an easy cheese spread recipe. And I found one. I’m not even going to bother you with the owner of the “lifted” recipe I started with, because of the 5 original ingredients, I deleted one, changed the amounts on two of them, and added 4 ingredients of my own. So, I feel justified in not giving anyone else the credit.

But I will give credit to Jim for coming up with a sensational baked crab and shrimp appetizer with a creamy sour cream sauce. And when he writes down all the changes he made to the original recipe, I will publish that recipe too. It was freaking amazing!

Bottom line. We had a great time together eating, drinking, and planning.

After dinner we reviewed the spread sheets, Phyllis had prepared with two proposed itineraries for our next trailer trip together in the fall of 2025. And yes, anymore, you must plan trailer trips months in advance! But back to this cheese spread.

If you would like an easy to prepare but very tasty cheese spread, this is the recipe for you. And unlike many cheese-spread recipes, this can be made and served the same day. How great is that?

Well, that’s it for today. After posting this recipe I am going to sit down in our courtyard and read more of my book. I am currently reading The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. A dystopian (relating to or denoting an imagined state or society where there is great suffering or injustice) story if I ever read one. Beautifully written, but scary as hell! I’m only halfway through the book, but I just can’t imagine a happy ending. Almost like if a certain former president (not mentioning any name here) gets into office again. (In my humble opinion.)

Anyway, have a wonderful rest of your summer. And do make this spread. It’s terrific.

And if you haven’t read this book, do so. It’s an amazing read.

And as always, peace and love to all.

1 c. cubed sharp cheddar cheese

2 T. dry white wine

¼ c. whole milk

3 T. unsalted butter, softened

tiny clove of garlic

tiny pinch kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1/8 tsp. paprika, plus more for garnish

Place cheese, wine, milk, butter, garlic, salt, pepper, and paprika in a small food processor and blend until ultra smooth. Transfer to a nice serving dish and sprinkle lightly with paprika.

Cover and store in refrigerator but serve at room temperature with crackers or Crostini. (Check this site for how to make crostini.)  

I know, there are already two cheddar pimento spread recipes on this site. But in my defense, I relish variety in every morsel I put in my mouth. So, even if the differences between Southern Pimento Cheese Spread, Cheese and Pimento Spread, and this recipe are not that great, I still live for the adventure of creating new flavor sensations that hopefully provide my own and other gourmand’s taste buds with yet another positive experience. (Long sentence. But I am reading Fallen into the Pit, written by Ellis Peters in 1951, whom I firmly believe should be posthumously awarded the title – “Queen of long sentences” and am therefore only emulating her style of writing.) But enough about sentence structure and back to this recipe.

Over the years I have been asked innumerable times why I never became a professional cook or chef. Or (God forbid) open my own restaurant or catering business. And the answer has remained the same over 6 decades. 1) I never wanted to work that hard. 2) I never wanted to be away from my family and friends as much as a professional career in food would have demanded. 3) I would have been making the same damn dishes night after night after night! Which would have been tantamount to reading the same 40 books over and over again. Yikes! I would have gone stark raving mad. And probably would have ended up using a meat clever on some poor unsuspecting diner who didn’t like my eggplant preparation! Believe me, I’m crazy enough as it is! So, the food industry would not have been a good choice for me.

So, for me the solution to staving off culinary boredom has always been to prepare all kinds of different edibles in almost every imaginable food category. Be it desserts, appetizers, GF dishes, main dishes, or any other type of sustenance you care to envision.

And since my retirement, I have had the time to pass my food recipe passion onto all of you. As well as inflicting you with my very personal feelings about the world. And the state of our country.

So, thanks for sticking around. I appreciate your diligence.

And as always, peace and love to you and yours.

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, room temp.

½ c. mayonnaise

pinch kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp. granulated garlic  

½ tsp. granulated onion  

hot sauce to taste (I use Frank’s RedHot sauce)

½ tsp. paprika, plus more to sprinkle on top

6 oz. diced pimentos, undrained

3 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese

Mix the cream cheese and mayo together in a mixing bowl. Stir in the salt, pepper, granulated garlic, granulated onion, a drop or two of hot sauce (you can add more later if desired), and paprika until well blended. Stir in the pimento and cheddar cheese just until combined. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Place in a pretty bowl, cover, and refrigerate until about a half hour before you plan to serve the spread with your favorite buttery crackers.

Before serving, give the spread a final stir and garnish it with a bit of paprika. (Stirring loosens the spread up a bit and makes it easier to spread.)  

Please note: If you like a smoother consistency, pulse some or all of the mixture, except the diced pimento, in your food processor. I like to blend about half of the mixture, then combine before adding the pimento. Just a personal preference.  

OK, these mini tarts are a bit of a pain in the patootie to make. But well worth the effort. But, and isn’t there always a “but”, the tarts could be a lot more onerous to prepare if it weren’t for this crust recipe. Allow me to elucidate.

Most mini tart recipes require you to prepare a dough, roll it out, cut out all the crusts with a round cookie cutter, and then gently pat them into the tart pans. Without breaking the crusts! (Good luck with that!) Believe me, I’ve been there and done that, and it ain’t – no – fun!

But with this recipe, you make the dough, portion it out with a small ice cream scoop, plop the balls into the pan, and then shape the crusts with your fingers. Ta da. Applause please!!

Plus, and this is important – YOU CAN MAKE THE CRUSTS AHEAD OF TIME AND FREEZE THEM UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO BAKE THEM OFF. And this easy to make tart crust recipe can be used not only for savory tarts like this one, but also for your favorite sweet tarts as well. So, I deem this a sweetheart sweet tart crust recipe. Clever, right?!

Having now touted the virtues of the crust part of this recipe ad nauseum, let me tell you about the filling. It’s YUM! And easy to prepare.

So, if you are hosting a party, be it an outdoor picnic, a fancy New Year’s Eve cocktail party, or anything in between, these savory tarts are a perfect addition to any appetizer table. And while I’m at it, I strongly believe an appetizer or appetizers, are always a perfect way to start a gathering where food is being served.

People come hungry and thirsty to get-togethers when they know food is involved. And most of us, if we are being honest with ourselves, fervently hope that the food will be more exciting than a simple and healthy dinner at home. Healthy meals at home are a necessity. We all need to look after our own and our family’s health. But meals out should be special.

So, when planning your menu for guests, don’t try to make everything a healthy option. Some healthy options – yes. But I can tell you from years of feeding people, that a bare salad is never going to be as popular as a salad drizzled with a yummy dressing and containing ingredients such as bacon, cheese, or glazed nuts. People going to a friend’s home for a meal, or a restaurant usually give themselves permission to “cheat” a little on what they put in their mouth or imbibe. It may not be the right or healthy thing to do. But I feel, subliminally, we all, especially cooks, want that little bit of pampering that comes from someone else doing the cooking. I know I sure do. I love to eat other people’s food. And I love it when appetizers are provided to go along with my martini or whatever the before meal beverage happens to be.

And since I dismissed healthy eating when dining out in my comments above, I’d like to offer a good reason to always offer your guests an appetizer or two from a health perspective. Especially if an adult beverage is being offered.

It is always a good idea to eat a little something before and while you are drinking alcohol. If your stomach is empty when you start drinking, the alcohol will enter your bloodstream faster. Thus, you may feel the effects of your drinks quickly, making it harder to manage your drinking.

So, there you are. My thoughts on staying reasonably healthy, but still having a life!

And as always, peace and love to all.    

For the Mini Tart Crust:

8 oz. (1 lg. pkg.) low-fat (Neufchatel) cream cheese, room temp.

1½ c. (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp. (yes, 3 sticks!)

¼ tsp. kosher salt

3¼ c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

Blend room temperature cream cheese and room temperature butter together. Add the salt and flour and mix well.

Chill for about 30 minutes.

Using a small (#60) chrome handle ice cream scoop, plop balls of dough into ungreased mini tart pans. Then using your fingers, press the balls evenly onto the bottom and up the sides. (Don’t make the sides higher than the pan.)

Use immediately or freeze until needed. If frozen, bring to room temperature before adding the filling.

For the Tart Filling:  

3 T. extra virgin olive oil

½ c. finely diced white onion

4½ c. finely chopped cremini mushrooms

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 T. unsalted butter

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

2 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme

2¼ c. finely grated Gruyere cheese 

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion and cook over low heat until very soft and beginning to brown. And the mushrooms, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms release their liquid and the pan is dry.

Add the butter and garlic to the pan. Cook for about a minute or until the garlic becomes fragrant. Add thyme, cook for a minute, and remove from heat.

Sprinkle the cheese over the crusts and then evenly spread the mushroom mixture overall. Don’t overfill.

Bake the tarts in a pre-heated 325-degree oven for about 25 minutes or until the crusts are a lovely light golden brown.

Remove from the oven and place pans on a rack. Easiest to remove tarts from pans using a small offset spatula when they have been allowed to cool slightly.  

Serve warm or at room temperature.

So, as many of you know, I’m getting lazier and lazier. And when I don’t have to chop up all kinds of ingredients, I become one happier cook. Not that I don’t ever chop ingredients, because of course I do. But darn, if I don’t have to, I feel like I’ve won the lottery. But not at the expense of the overall quality of whatever it is I’m preparing. So, if chopping is required, I chop. But with this recipe, the hardest task I must perform is picking the right size mixing bowl.   

This is truly the best veggie dip I have ever made. But IT MUST BE MADE AHEAD. The flavors truly need time to become acquainted. To learn to live together. To join together for the highly sought after quality of being more than the sum of its parts. Because these ingredients are not considered – special. They are the every day, work horse, base ingredients for many fabulous dishes. And this dip shows them off in all their glorious and delicious usefulness.

So, next time you want a simple dip for veggies or chips, give this recipe a try.     

Well, that’s it for today. We are home after spending several nights out this past week. Mr. C. has been busy gigging. I’ve been going with him. So, we are both exceedingly glad for a bit of a reprieve.

Life is such a balancing act. If I stay home too much, I sometimes feel that I’m wasting my life. If I go out too much, then I yearn just to stay home. But then I realize how lucky I am to have such a privileged dilemma. I don’t have to worry where my next meal is coming from, where I am going to lay my head for the night, where I can find drinking water, take a shower, or medical help if required etc. etc. I have it made.

My hope for you is that you also have the necessities of life. And that you appreciate and are happy with what you have.

Peace and love to all.

1 c. sour cream (Mexican is best)

1 c. mayonnaise

½ tsp. vegetable base (I use Better Than Bouillon Veggie base)

1-3 squirts hot sauce (I use Frank’s RedHot sauce)

1½ tsp. dried parsley flakes

1½ tsp. dried minced onion

½ tsp. granulated garlic

¼ tsp. dried dill weed

pinch seasoned salt, or to taste  

freshly ground black pepper

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate overnight. Serve with a fine assortment of crudité and/or chips. (And yes, you can even make this 2 or 3 days ahead!)

Charcuterie refers to cured or smoked meats, i.e. prosciutto, sopressata, Genoa salami, etc. Technically, a traditional charcuterie is simply a plate of thinly sliced cured meat offerings.

But the term Charcuterie Board has evolved over time to include not only thin slices of salami etc., but also multiple spreads for crostini and crackers, various types of cheeses, dried and fresh fruits and vegetables, olives, nuts, and condiments such as chutney, mustard, flavored honey, and sweet and savory jams and jellies. Just about any food item that is easily served as finger food or eaten spread on a cracker or crostini. And therefore, the possibilities are endless.

The charcuterie board you see pictured above was assembled by our dear friends Phyllis and Tim for the 70^th birthday celebration of our mutual friends Margo and Jim. And not only was it a work of art, everything on “the board” was super delicious.

So, after receiving permission from Phyllis to use a picture of her handywork, I decided to share with you some suggestions for spreads and specialty items posted on this site that would be perfect next time you were inspired to serve a charcuterie board at one of your gatherings.

You know I love to share wonderful memories with you. And I hope this Charcuterie Board will stick in my memory for years to come. Along with a mental video of Phyllis putting this amazing appetizer spread together. It was so much fun to watch!

May you too have close friends and family with whom you build happy memories. And sharing delicious food is one of the best ways I know to make those great memories happen. So, cheers to my dear family and friends who make life just a bit better for everyone who is lucky enough to break bread with you. (You know who you are.) (And you also know that I love you to the moon and back!)  

And as always, peace and love to all.

SPREADS AND PÂTÉS

Kalamata Olive Spread

Cream Cheese and Chutney Spread

Blue Cheese, Cream Cheese, and Date Spread

Southern Pimento Cheese Spread

Neufchâtel Cheese and Olive Spread

Viennese Liptauer

Smoked Salmon Spread

Roasted Red Pepper Cheese Spread

Cheddar and Port Wine Spread

Sun Dried Tomato and Fresh Basil Spread

French Chicken Liver Pâté

Mushroom Pâté

Tapenade

Homemade Ricotta Cheese

CROSTINI AND CRACKERS

Cheddar Pecan Crackers

Pecorino Romano Shortbread Crackers with Thyme

Parmesan Crackers

Crostini (Made with Chewy Sourdough Baguettes, Thin Sourdough Baguettes, Soft French Baguettes, or Classic Italian Baguettes. (All recipes for these breads found on this site too.)

MARINATED CHEESE

Marinated Goat Cheese

Marinated Feta Cheese Cubes

Marinated Bocconcini (small fresh mozzarella balls)

Marinated Mozzarella and Roasted Red Peppers

FANCY NUTS

Rosemary Roasted Cashews

Sweet and Spicy Glazed Pecans

Honey Roasted Nuts

JAMS AND JELLIES

Fig and Orange Jam

Bacon Jam

Caramelized Onion and Port Wine Jam

OLIVES

Savory Marinated Olives (recipe soon to be published)