Blue Cheese Spread

This post contains affiliate links.

I am a fan of blue-veined cheese: Gorgonzola, Stilton, Danish bleu, any cheese of that ilk blows my skirt up big time. I like to use it in as many ways as possible, and started adding it to my Homemade Boursin Cheese (the recipe of which you can find here). It occurred to me that it would probably make a decent spread all on its own, and here is the result. It’s an excellent spread for crackers, to use with crudities (I love filling snow peas and celery with this), I’ve even used it with Bugles, and it works wonderfully, and, enjoying it this way, I have to admit, is a heck of a lot of fun. But don’t stop there, it’s super delish when spread on a toasted bagel half or English muffin at breakfast, a dollop does a wonderful thing to a baked potato, and enhances a steak when a small amount is put on top immediately upon removal from the grill. Versatile and delicious, who doesn’t love that? 

Blue Cheese Spread

1 5-oz. container blue cheese crumbles, room temperature
1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
1/8 c. (2 T.) sour cream
½ t. Worcestershire sauce
¼ t. freshly squeezed lemon juice
5-6 gratings black pepper
½ T. chopped parsley (for garnish)
Additional blue cheese crumbles (for garnish)*

Place all ingredients into a medium mixing bowl, and beat, at high speed, until thoroughly combined, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn out into your favorite bowl, garnish with crumbled bacon and chopped chives, and served with crudités or crackers. Refrigerate leftovers.

*You can also cook and crumble a slice of bacon to use as a garnish. Or, stir it in; I’m not your mom. You can do what you like.

 

Trader Joe’s Inspired Roasted Pecan Blue Cheese Spread

This post contains affiliate links.

I have always felt that there is good and bad in everything, even a pandemic. One of the good things is that I can get my favorite food, from my favorite restaurant, brought right to my door. I have to admit that, initially, I went a little crazy ordering food (my hips will back me up on this).  But, that can get to be a little expensive, which caused me to wonder why I couldn’t re-create some of these dishes on my own.

If you’ve read this blog for any length of time, then you know that my favorite food is a cheeseburger. I like any kind of cheeseburger with any kind of cheese, single patty or double, broiled or grilled, topped with a variety of condiments, or plain, as long as there is meat and cheese on a bun, I’m a happy girl. I do have a particular liking for the bacon bleu cheese burger at Red Robin, and that got me thinking. Why not make my own delicious burger, top it with thick slices of Applewood-smoked bacon, and a dollop of blue cheese spread? The blue cheese spread that I had in mind was the kind that is sold at Trader Joe’s. Sadly, TJ’s doesn’t deliver, so I was determined to make my own. The result of that effort is the recipe below. It makes a fabulous blue cheese bacon burger, but it’s also very tasty on its own with fresh fruit and crackers. Perfect for a snack, perfect to top a burger or steak, easy to make, and keeps in the fridge for 7-10 days. What are you waiting for?

Trader Joe’s Inspired Roasted Pecan Blue Cheese Spread

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup chopped pecans

4 oz. container blue cheese crumbles

2 T. sour cream

1/8 t. Worcestershire sauce 

Pinch of salt

Few gratings freshly ground black pepper

 In a 9-inch sauté pan over medium heat, toast pecans until fragrant and golden.

 Place remaining ingredients in a medium mixing bowl, and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until well blended. Turn into storage container and chill at least an hour before using.

 Use it as a dip or spread on its own with fresh fruit and potatoes, or as a topping for steaks and burgers.