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Apple & Cheddar Recipes, Apple Compote, Blacksburg VA Gift Baskets, Caramelized Apples, Charlottesville VA Gift Baskets, Cheese & Nut Quesadillas, Cheese Appetizer Recipe, Chocolate Gift Baskets, cocktail nibbles, Cocktail Snacks, Corporate Gift Baskets, Easy Appetizers, Fried Apples, Gift Ideas, Gourmet Gift Baskets, Grafton Village cheese, Maple Syrup Recipes, New Year's Appetizers, Nut & Cheese Appetizer, NYC Gift Baskets, Quesadilla Appetizers, Richmond VA Gift Baskets, Roanoke VA Gift Baskets, Smoked Cheddar Appetizer, Smoked Cheddar Recipes, Valentine gift baskets, Virginia Recipes, Wine & Cheese
Sometimes in the gift basket business I tend to overstock items that I love. Such is the case with Grafton Village Maple-Smoked Cheddar. When an item reaches its expiration date, I can’t sell it… even though it still tastes great. That means I have to eat it myself. Yea! This recipe evolved when I found that my cheddar had reached its expiration date and the sack of apples I had bought to make a pie (and didn’t) were getting a bit old. Pair these hearty nibbles with a nice Cabernet Sauvignon at your next get-together. Your guests will love you for it.
SMOKED CHEDDAR QUESADILLAS WITH WARM MAPLE-APPLE COMPOTE
Long name. Short prep time. Substitute pecans for the walnuts, if you wish. Almost any apple will work for this. I prefer Granny Smith or Gala. This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to serve more.
For the Compote:
Peel and core 4 apples and slice into thin wedges. Melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large sauté pan. Add the apples, ¼ cup pure maple syrup, ½ teaspoon cinnamon (or more, to taste), juice of ½ lemon and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Sauté for 30 to 40 minutes, or until apples are very soft and liquid is slightly thickened. Serve warm with Smoked Cheddar Quesadillas.
For the Quesadillas:
Sprinkle one side of an 8-inch flour tortilla with 1/3 cup shredded smoked cheddar; top with 2 tablespoons chopped, toasted walnuts. Fold tortilla over filling. Coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and cook quesadilla over medium heat for 2 minutes on each side or until cheese melts. Remove quesadilla to a cutting board and slice into wedges. Makes 2 servings. Serve with Warm Maple-Apple Compote.
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