Sharp Cheddar and Scallion Spread With Hot Pepper Jam
"I saw a picture of something like this in a magazine, but there wasn't a recipe. So I came up with my own version. You can use whatever brand of pepper jam/jelly you like or take the extra step and make it my way. I made it for several parties this year and it was a hit."
photo by andylynn
- Ready In:
- 1hr
- Ingredients:
- 11
- Serves:
-
20
ingredients
- 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- 1⁄2 cup real mayonnaise
- 6 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 medium size red bell pepper
- 1⁄4 cup white vinegar
- 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar
- 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 (10 1/2 ounce) jar red pepper jelly (not hot)
- 1⁄2 cup chopped pecans
directions
- In a med size bowl, with an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese and the mayonnaise until smooth and well blended. With a rubber spatula, stir in the scallions and the cheddar cheese. Line a 9" pie plate with plastic wrap leaving enough wrap hang over the edges of the plate to cover the cheese. Fill the pie plate with the cheese mixture and cover with the plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for several hours (or overnight is best) to chill.
- Meanwhile, seed red bell pepper and chop coarsley. In a mini food chopper or a food processor, pulse the pepper to grind (do not puree it, you still want some texture). Place the pepper in a small saucepan and add white vinegar, sugar, salt, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a full boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt. Then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed. It should become somewhat jam-like. Remove from the heat and cool for 5 minutes. Then stir in the jar of red pepper jelly. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate until completely cool and ready to use.
- After the cheese has chilled enough to become firm, remove from the plastic wrap and cover the bottom and halfway up the sides of the cheese with the chopped pecans to resemble a cheesecake crust.
- To serve, place the cheese on a serving plate and top with the red pepper jam. Serve with assorted crackers.
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
I live in a small village at the foot of the Laurel Mountains with my husband, 16yr old son, and our kitty, Henrietta.
I have been cooking since about the age of 8 when I surprised my mom with scrambled eggs and toast on Mother's Day I guess I fell in love with food and cooking because my mom loves to cook also. (She should, she had to cook for her family of 9 children, me being the baby.) She was always making something different and "Homemade" was what everything was. I was a homemade bread (not Wonder Bread) kid.
My knowledge of cooking comes from 18 years of cooking in restaurants and from my passion for reading cookbooks. I find there is so much more to get out of a cookbook than just a recipe. And now I can add the web and Recipezaar to my resources.
