This is a great Appetizer that I threw
together not long ago. We had been
traveling in our RV, and had stopped at a campground in Virginia, near where we
grew up, to visit friends and family. We invited a few old friends down to sit around a campfire, and have
Dinner with us.
I made this recipe from ingredients we
had in the RV, including the Charizo, that I use often in my Red Beans and Rice
recipe. It has little spicy and sweet surprises
with each bite, and is very popular with our guests, when we serve it.
INGREDIENTS:
2 8-oz. pkgs. Cream Cheese
1-1/2 each
Charizo Sausages
3 tbs. Pineapple,
drained and minced
3
tbs. Craisins (or raisins),
finely chopped
1 large Jalapeno, de-seeded and finely chopped
1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper powder
2 tbs. Cholula Hot Sauce
4 tbs. Walnuts, finely chopped
DIRECTIONS
1- Chill the Cream Cheese.
2- Peel and fry the
Charizo sausage, cutting it into smaller and smaller pieces until the meat has
the consistency of a fine Hot Dog Chili.
3- Remove from the heat,
and drain all grease away.
4- Drain the Pineapple,
and press firmly in a paper towel to remove as much of the liquid as possible,
then mince the Pineapple finely.
5- Mince the Cranberry
Raisins, and Jalapeno Peppers finely.
6- Spread the Cream
Cheese in a mixing bowl, and add all of the minced ingredients, to the cheese
7- Then add the Cayenne
Pepper and Cholula Hot Sauce and mix everything together until it is well
blended.
8- Place plastic wrap or
wax paper into a shaped bowl, and sprinkle the Walnuts on the bottom and sides.
9- Press the cheese
mixture into the bowl, cover, and chill in the fridge until needed.
10- Serve on a platter
surrounded with the cracker or toasted breads of your choice.
11-
STORAGE:
This one can be made up to several days ahead
of time if stored in a sealed container in the fridge.
