Sun-dried Tomato Blue Cheese Spread is rich, creamy and bursting with bold flavor! With only three ingredients, it’s a simple, no-cook appetizer that can be made in mere minutes to delight guests who drop by unexpectedly – or to just satisfy your everyday snacking needs!
This blue cheese and tomato spread is also a flavorful addition to any charcuterie tray, cheese board, and snack tray for low-carb summer entertaining.
Other serving suggestions for this creamy spread is to stir into warm pasta or veggies for an irresistible sauce. Additionally, a dollop of leftover creamy sun-dried tomato spread on a baked potato or over a plain grilled chicken breast creates “next level” yumminess.
The simplicity of this easy blue cheese spread with sundried tomatoes is legit – I mean, it’s REALLY EASY. Almost embarrassingly so, lol! Soften cream cheese and stir in blue cheese crumbles and sun-dried tomato pesto until mostly creamy (but I do like a few little lumps of the blue cheese to remain). Use a little spatula to transfer to a serving dish – the recipe yields enough to fill a 5 or 6-oz standard ramekin. If you want to get fancy, you can garnish with a sprig of fresh basil!
The first time I made this, I CHOPPED oil-packed sundried tomatoes by hand . . . but quickly realized that I could just purchase a sundried tomato pesto and save so much time and mess. Do what you prefer – just don’t use the dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes though – they don’t add as much flavor and incorporate as well into the spread.
As I hinted, this recipe is low carb by nature – use full-fat cream cheese (which I did) if you are looking for a Keto cheese spread with the lowest possible carb yields. Each serving of this easy keto appetizer (about ½ ounce) has 46 calories, 4.4g fat, 0.6g carbohydrate and 1.4g protein.
Soften cream cheese and blue cheese on counter for 15 minutes. Mix together cheese along with pesto in bowl until mostly smooth, but some lumps of the blue cheese is wanted. Keep chilled until serving.
Serve with crackers or bread. Also great melted into warm veggies, noodles or a spoonful dolloped on a baked potato or over a simple grilled chicken breast or steak.
What a school year it has been! Whether college, high school or even just kindergarten, celebrate your special 2021 graduate with a hearty congratulations, keepsake mementoes and a really fun graduation party – whether virtual or in-person!
Don’t let the fact that graduation 2021 is sneaking up on us limit your party planning. Check out my Procrastinator’s Guide to an A+ Graduation Party and get going!
Procrastinator’s Guide to an A+ Graduation Party – Fast & Cheap
Get Quick Customized Gradation Announcements & Party Invitations: Let the world know that you are celebrating the accomplishments of your scholar with a custom graduation invite – not those generic, cookie-cutter ones through school ordering. I always head over to BasicInvite.com where, I can better show off my personal style while quickly creating high-quality but inexpensive cards using their trendy to traditional templates. Simply tweak the text, color and layout as needed, and upload cherished photographs of your own. The whole process takes minutes, no more than 7 days to ship, and nothing puts a personalized touch to a 2021 graduation announcement more than a photo of your own graduating Senior smiling ear-to-ear.
As a perfectionist regarding quality and content (yet also someone prone to typos), I really appreciate how Basic Invite allows me to order a printed sample of my actual invitation before placing the final order – I can ensure everything is spot-on perfect before ordering the hundreds I need to share with my world.
Promo Alert: BasicInvite.com is offering 15% off graduation invitations (really popular right now is the nurse graduation announcement – go future nurses!), party invitations, thank you cards and most all products with coupon code 15FF51
Give Yourself Permission to Use Non-Professional Photos: This is a huge graduation party hack that will save you so much time, money and stress. Instead of forking over a small fortune in sitting fees and then still having to order the photos and digital rights, just simply snap your own! With the camera quality of the latest cell phones these days, you don’t even need a fancy DSRL camera and studio set up. Plus you have senior photo access instantly when making cheap graduation announcements and other keepsake memorabilia.
Serve Food Graduates Really Want: The great news is that most graduating seniors and their young adult and teenage guests don’t want fussy, gourmet food. They just want good eats, like the meals they enjoy on the weekends with their friends when socializing. For graduation party food themes, think pizza, sub sandwiches, tacos or a burger bar that can provide additional options that satisfy a variety of diet types (like plant-based or gluten-free). All of these simple graduation food ideas can be pulled together quickly by ordering out or even pulling it all yourself with simple hacks like you can find in my past post on Burger Bar Tips & Tricks. Also, I think it’s fun to serve non-alcoholic mocktails, the kids feel grown up and I know everyone is safe. Since my son is heading to Texas Tech University this fall, I created this virgin Michelada – aka, Red Raiderade!
Do-It-Yourself DJ: No need for a live band DJ . . . or boring parent “elevator music.” Put your graduate to the task of putting together his or her own playlist for the graduation party Your son or daughter likely already has a huge collection of music enjoyed by their peer group – just ask for them to use the “clean” lyric versions to be friendly for all age-groups and temperaments. Blast it from the home entertainment center, a portable pull-around speaker by the pool or in your Zoom session, whever you are!
Zoom Everyone Together: For those who can’t make it to the party due living far away or the need to still remain social distanced, can still attend the party via Zoom, Google Hangouts or other virtual meeting services. Use the chatroom functions to break out in to smaller conversations, or play big party games! You can even use a far-away guest to make a special speech via one of these meeting services, and play it on the big screen.
Sentimental Slide Show: Search through your digital photos and pull photos from your graduate’s life, from birth to current day – choose a selection of snapshots that are sentimental, milestone-marking, silly and maybe even a little embarrassing. Use Windows Movie Maker or even a phone app to upload photos, make transitions, add text and music. This is always the most popular graduation party entertainment around – grandparents “ooh and ahh,” parents tear up, and the teenage guests always get a good chuckle with the “vintage” photos. Success Tip: include as many photos as you can with your graduate and guests you know are coming to the party.
In-A-Flash Party Favors: Graduation party favors are a thoughtful way to let guests know you appreciate their stopping by to share in the graduate’s big day and accomplishments. There is no need to spend hours or big bucks on these takeaway trinkets, I prefer to make it a little treat they can immediately enjoy. In the past, I’ve done tiny mortar boards made out of a mini peanut butter cup with a cardstock square and tassel on top or “Commence-Mints” (above) made with mints and a simple printout made at home.
Thank You Cards: To many teens, the “thank you” requirement for a graduation gift or money might must mean saying, “Dude, thanks,” or sending out sentiments of appreciation via text or email. Take your son or daughter’s etiquette to the next level by ordering custom thank you card for them to personally write out and hand or snail-mail deliver their appreciation to the gift-giver. They may even want to drop a note of thanks to special teachers, mentors, coaches or individuals who wrote letters of recommendation for their college applications. Again, I order mine from Basic Invite because they are quick, high-quality and customizable. (Don’t forget to use their 15% off Promo Code: 15FF51)
Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by BasicInvite.com, however all opinions, comments, and enthusiasm remain my own.
This post is sponsored by JSL foods as part of Twin Dragon Blogger Recipe Challenge Contest — however, all opinions, content and enthusiasm remain my own.
As we roll into the season finale of 2020, I’m kicking back to celebrate at home with a Personal-sized Charcuterie Board & Cheese Tray (served in an edible egg roll wrapper boat). Not only is it a great time to enjoy New Year’s Even appetizers, but also to hit rewind in my mind to revisit the top lessons I’ve learned during this challenging year.
These lessons would include: 1) Enjoy the moment, 2) Keep the party at home, 3) Make creative use of ingredients on hand, 4) Simple indulgences can lift spirits, and 5) Find fellowship . . . but keep your social distance! And, to that last one, I also respectfully say (even to my own kids), keep your grubby fingers out of my snacks, please. Lol, and in response to all these life lessons is the creation of my individually-portioned meat and cheese “trays” made from egg roll wrappers! Continue reading →
If you’re looking for the CUTEST fall appetizer EVER, then look no further than these Deviled Egg Owls! They are surprisingly easy to make (and I’m no Martha), healthy, delicious . . . .and a HOOT!
Read on to get the recipe and some fun owl facts to further delight your guests: Continue reading →
This post is sponsored by Lifeway Kefir as part of a Blogger Recipe Challenge. However, all content, opinions and enthusiasm remain my own.
Almond Joy Sheet Pan Pancakes (Gluten-free, Vegan, No Added Sugar) are a quick and easy breakfast idea for the busy fall season and holiday entertaining.
Sheet Pan Pancakes are ideal for meal-prep, just grab-reheat-and-go or for serving breakfast and brunch crowds when company’s over – there is no standing over a hot skillet, filling pancakes one by one! Read on to get this easy gluten-free and vegan sheet pan pancake recipe: Continue reading →
