The Best Cowboy Caviar Recipe

The Best Cowboy Caviar Dip Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Serves a crowd

Difficulty: Easy

Hello friends. How are you doing? We all are finally beginning to return to some sense of normalcy, and more of us are seeing family and friends, entertaining, and it feels nice. I have been wanting to post this delicious Cowboy Caviar dip recipe for some time, but it seemed unbefitting writing about entertaining and parties when most of us were hunkering down at home. Times are changing.

This tasty dip (featuring Cherchies® Chardonnay Lime & Cilantro) is extremely easy to make, and it will surely become your favorite go-to dip for summer entertaining, for game day, or just about any occasion. It is fabulous as a quick dip, but versatile enough to use as a topping for tacos, over grilled fish or chicken as a nice punch of freshness, and so much more! 

I first learned of Cowboy Caviar (or Texas Caviar) Recipe many years ago from The Rachel Ray Show (thank you, Rachael). The intriguing part about this dip is that it uses frozen corn, so by the time your guests arrive, this corn has been defrosted and the dip is chilled to perfection and ready to serve with your favorite chips. The Cherchies® Chardonnay Lime & Cilantro Seasoning Blend takes the flavors in this dish over the top. This recipe feeds a crowd, so depending on the size of your gathering, you can add more beans, tomatoes, and corn. Just adjust the vinegar and oil accordingly.

So the next time you are looking for a new, easy, flavorful dip recipe to serve your guests this summer, look no further and make this tasty black bean and corn dip. Your guests will love it and may even ask you for the recipe.

Thank you for visiting and please come back and visit. Please comment below if you made this recipe. We love hearing from you!  

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn

• 1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed

• 1 15 oz. can petite diced tomatoes, drained and rinsed (can substitute fresh chopped tomatoes)

• 1 small red onion, finely diced (can substitute diced green onions (white and green part)

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 1/2 cup white vinegar (or a combination of white and red vinegar)

• 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp.) Cherchies® Chardonnay Lime & Cilantro Seasoning (more to taste)

• 1/2 teaspoon (tsp.) ground black pepper

• 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp.) fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

Preparation

Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Can be made a day ahead and chilled in the refrigerator. (*This recipe is better if made the day before, as it allows the flavors to marry and intensify). If need in a hurry, leave on the counter an hour before guests arrive to defrost the corn).

Serve with your favorite tortilla chips and enjoy!

Blackberry Champagne Salmon Recipe

Blackberry Champagne Salmon Recipe

Originally posted in 2016 but with updated pictures! Our #1 requested recipe!

This salmon recipe is probably the most delicious salmon recipe I have ever made, salmon with a blackberry champagne mustard glaze. Awesome! 

I failed to mention this recipe is extremely easy. Just my speed, "easy and elegant".  The best part, my family LOVED it.  They didn't even need the "one bite rule" enforced.  

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup Cherchies® Blackberry Preserves

• 1/4 cup Cherchies® Champagne Mustard

• Fresh Salmon (adjust glaze according to amount of salmon)

• 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning

• 1 teaspoon (tsp) pepper

• 4 Tablespoons (Tbsp) butter

• parchment paper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking pan with parchment paper.  Sprinkle salmon with Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning and pepper.  Divide the butter into Tablespoon (Tbsp) portions and place on salmon a few inches apart.  

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together Cherchies® Champagne Mustard and Cherchies® Blackberry Preserves until blended.  Slather the mixture over the salmon.  Bake the salmon in the oven for 20 minutes, or until salmon is cooked through (breaks apart easily with a fork).

Serve with your favorite salad.  Enjoy!

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Blackberry Champagne Salmon Recipe

Cajun Shrimp and Cheesy Grits Recipe

Cajun Shrimp and Cheesy Grits Recipe

Prep time: 15 MINUTES

Cook time: 20 MINUTES

Difficulty: Easy 

Yields: 4 servings

Sometimes you have to put on your big girl pants and try something new that intimidates you, including cooking. For me, that was shrimp and grits. This recipe came out of necessity from craving this dish in the middle of a pandemic, when ingredients were scarce.  

Throughout this pandemic, aside from family movie night and family game night, one night a week was dedicated to family take out night, where we patronized our local businesses and restaurants. The kiddos enjoyed ordering whatever floated their fancy, and Mom and Dad enjoyed NOT cooking for once (We have been cooking a lot with two college students and a high school student at home).  

When it was my turn to pick from the rotation, I wanted to tantalize my taste buds with my favorite comfort food, shrimp and grits, from our favorite local restaurant, except they were “out” of this smokey, cheesy, comforting dish. Imagine my dismay. WHAT?? In their defense, we were in the middle of a pandemic after all, and ingredients were limited. Regardless, it was terrible timing to have a craving, and begrudgingly I ordered something else. I NEEDED to learn how to make this classic dish asap!

Making homemade shrimp and grits had never crossed my mind because it seemed fussy. It was much easier to order from our favorite restaurant and allow the chefs to create their culinary masterpiece, but curiosity, determination, and necessity got the best of me. I put my “big girl pants on” and delved into my favorite cookbooks and online recipes to research shrimp and grits, and as it turns out, it was not as daunting as I had envisioned. I could do this. Our Louisiana inspired version features plump, succulent shrimp, savory Italian sausage, Cherchies® Cajun Seasoning, all piled on top of dreamy clouds of cheesy grits, seasoned with Cherchies Garlic Seasoning. I am proud to report that this easy cheesy recipe is divine and a close second to our favorite restaurant, and a recipe you will want to add to your cache. Not only can dinner be ready in 30 minutes, but you can have flavorful shrimp and grits whenever the craving hits.

Thank you for visiting! Come back again for more recipes, cooking tips, and easy entertaining ideas. Comment below if you have made this recipe. We love hearing from our friends!

Stay safe and well!

This recipe is adapted from https://www.bobsredmill.com/ and https://www.maebells.com/shrimp-and-creamy-cheesy-grits/.

Ingredients

• 1 pound Italian sweet sausage, cooked and sliced

• 1/2-3/4 pound frozen deveined and shelled shrimp (Can use fresh)

• 4 cups chicken broth*

• 1/2 cup yellow corn grits (We tested with Bob’s Mill Organic Corn Grits)

• 1/2 teaspoon (tsp.) Cherchies Garlic Seasoning

• Pepper to taste

• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

• 4 Tablespoons (Tbsp) Olive oil, removing 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) for coating

• 4 teaspoons (tsp.) Cherchies Cajun Seasoning (add more if want spicier)

• 1/2 teaspoon (tsp.) smoked paprika

• 1 cup water

• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp.) Corn starch

• 2 green onion stalks, chopped

• 2 slices bacon, cooked and chopped (optional)

*Note- some recipes I have researched call for substituting milk for the broth. I have not tried milk, but this recipe is flexible to use whatever liquid you like.

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Once oven is preheated, place the sausage in a shallow baking pan and cook sausage until it reaches a temperature of 160 degrees. Remove from oven, allow to cool, and slice the sausage into 1/2 inch pieces. Set aside.

In a medium to large sauce pan bring the chicken broth to a boil, add grits slowly and reduce the heat to low. Cover and let the grits simmer for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent them from sticking and burning.

When the grits have absorbed the liquid, add the cream cheese, shredded cheese and Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning and pepper to taste. Stir the mixture well, cover and remove from heat.

Place the shrimp and sliced sausage in a large mixing bowl, add 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Oilve oil, Cherchies Cajun Seasoning, smoked paprika and toss until shrimp is coated.

In a small bowl, combine the water and corn starch and mix until smooth (This is called a slurry).

Heat the remaining 3 Tablespoons (Tbsp) of olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the shrimp and sausage, stirring occasionally, until shrimp is pink and tender (about five minutes total). Add the cornstarch/water mixture (aka slurry) to the pan in the last minutes of cooking to allow the slurry to thicken. (**I did not use enough cornstarch when I first photographed the shrimp mixture, so I had to sprinkle more in. DO NOT add the cornstarch directly to the mixture, as it will clump and you will get white lumps in your dish. Take the extra time to make the slurry separately to make the dish correctly).

To assemble the shrimp and grits add a heaping serving of grits to bowls or plates, top with shrimp and sausage mixture, chopped green onions, and chopped bacon (optional).

**When I first made this recipe, I chopped up chives from my garden instead of the green onions.

Enjoy!

Cajun Shrimp and Cheesy Grits Recipe

Peachy Chicken And Vegetable Kabobs Recipe

Peachy Chicken & Vegetable Kabobs Recipe

How was your weekend? Our summer kickoffs may have changed this year, but hopefully, everyone enjoyed themselves with family and stayed safe at home. The weather was finally beautiful here in Pennsylvania, so we all opted to go outside, enjoy the weather, and have a backyard family bbq, just the five of us. First on the menu was Peachy Chicken & Vegetable Kabobs.

Keeping holiday gatherings normal right now is an understatement, and with limited ingredients and limited trips to the grocery, it changes how we cook. Kabobs lend themselves to whatever protein and vegetables you have on hand, and for this holiday weekend, I made one of our family’s favorites, with a peachy twist. I added Cherchies Vidalia Onion Peach Salsa to the mix and hoped for the best. Probably not the best time to experiment, but challenging my family’s palate is something I often do:). Luckily my experiment worked, and my family devoured the kabobs.

If you are looking to tantalize your taste buds with a new sweet and spicy grilling recipe, look no further. The Vidalia Onion Peach Salsa mixed with soy sauce, garlic, hot sauce, and seasonings, elevate these kabobs from good to exceptional.

So, are you ready to tantalize your taste buds?

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Comment below and let us know if you tried this recipe and if you made any substitutions. Or, you can comment on Instagram #cherchies_gourmet.

Stay safe, stay well, and enjoy time with your family.

Ingredients

• 2-3 Chicken breasts, cut into cubes (more for a crowd)

• 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp.) Cherchies Garlic Seasoning (Can substitute Cherchies Garlic'n Herbs No Salt Seasoning)

• 1 teaspoon (tsp) pepper

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 cup soy sauce

• 1/2 cup Cherchies® Vidalia Onion Peach Salsa

• 1/4 cup hot sauce

• 1/2 Pineapple cut into 1 inch chunks (scales removed and cored).

• 1 red pepper, washed, seeded, and cut into 1 inch pieces

• 1 yellow pepper, washed, seeded, and cut into 1 inch pieces

• 1 small container Baby Bella Mushrooms, washed with stems removed and cut in half

• 1 medium onion, diced into 1 inch pieces

• Cooking spray

• Skewers (soaked 30 minutes prior to cooking)

• Additional 1/2 cup Cherchies® Vidalia Onion Peach Salsa for dipping (optional)

Preparation

In a small bowl, mix the garlic, soy sauce, Cherchies® Vidalia Onion Peach Salsa, and hot sauce. Cut the chicken into 1 inch pieces and place into a medium bowl. Season the chicken with Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning and pepper. Mix. Add 2/3 of the marinade to the chicken. Mix thoroughly. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate several hours.

Wash and chop the vegetables and pineapple, and place in a shallow pan. Add the rest of the marinade and mix until completely covered. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours.

30 minutes prior to grilling, soak the skewers in a shallow casserole dish.

*Remove the marinated chicken and vegetables from the refrigerator. Save the marinade from the vegetables to use for basting the kabobs later. (If you want to use the marinade from the meat, make sure to boil the marinade until it reaches a temperature of at least 165 degrees. This way, any harmful bacteria will be removed). See FDA Guidelines.

Thread the chicken on separate skewers from the vegetables. (I find this works better with the different cook times of the chicken and vegetables). Next, alternate the peppers, onions, mushrooms, pineapple on different skewers in any arrangement you prefer.

Spray the grill with cooking spray, light the grill, and turn grill onto high for a few minutes. We use a gas grill, but you can easily grill these on a charcoal grill.

When you are ready to cook the skewers, turn the grill down to low.  Place chicken on grill and cook for a few minutes on each side.

After the chicken has cooked for a few minutes, add the vegetable/pineapple skewers to the grill, and cook for a few minutes on each side. I love adding pineapple to the vegetables because it adds so much flavor. If you've never had grilled pineapple, you're in for a real treat!  All the sugars in the pineapple come to life, for flavors that will make your taste buds tingle.

Baste the skewers with the leftover vegetable marinade as the kabobs cook.  *(See above guidelines for marinade safety). The chicken should no longer be pink on the inside and the vegetables should be tender crisp with grill marks.

Remove the kabobs from the grill and set aside on a platter for about five minutes. This allows the meat to rest and absorb all the juices.   Add Cherchies® Vidalia Onion Peach Salsa for dipping.

Serve with Aunt Ester’s Potato Salad and dinner is served! Enjoy.

Peachy Chicken & Vegetable Kabobs Recipe