5 Minute Apricot Thai Chili Cheese Spread

Becky’s 5 Minute Apricot Thai Chili Cheese Spread

If your life is like my life, t-i-m-e is at a premium.  And even when you carve out time for concentrated tasks, or cooking a great meal, there are life’s pesky interruptions.

Last night, while Greg was otherwise occupied, I stole away to the Corner Bakery in Highlands Ranch.  It has one of the most beautiful patios and views in Colorado!  Plus, it has WiFi and whoopie pies.  Need I say more?  My office away from home.  Vacation put me behind on writing and correspondence, so I was determined to fire up my lap top, away from the noise and demands of home, and get ‘er done!

Within minutes, four men in khakis with booming voices sat down inches from me, pulled out their legal pads and starting talking Geek: techy, nerdy, computery words flew at full volume, assaulting my quiet retreat.

I gave up, moved to another table, plugged in my computer at which point a family with a small child possessing a scream like a siren sat down behind me. The piercing screams were intermittent and so sharp, that patrons covered their ears and hurried to finish their meals. Still determined to get some work done, I moved for a second time, to a quiet corner protected on two sides by chest-high walls.  Ahhh….a little fortress.

Just then a waitress rounded the corner, hit her tray on the edge of my fortress wall sending a large glass cup of salsa flying, uncannily, perfectly in my direction.  My left side took the biggest hit, with salsa now dripping from my left cheek, arm, legs and sandaled feet. My computer screen looked like someone threw a tomato at my prose-in-progress.  I wiped myself and computer down, but the spots on my bare skin where I had been hit in the drive-by-salsa-ing, began to burn uncomfortably.  I called it a night, shut ‘er donw, and headed home. Later I regretted not asking for a free whoopee pie for my trouble, but alas, I was afraid the ceiling might cave in on me next.

Mama said there’d be days like this and on days like this, you need a fast, delicious, savory snack supper that you don’t have to spend hours cooking or preparing.   I offer you one of my favorite go-to snack or party foods: 5 minute Apricot Thai Chili Cheese Spread.  It’s a little like a soft cheese ball, with more interesting shape and toppings.  It has so many great tastes and textures: creamy, crunchy, sweet, hot.  Spread out on a plate, your guests also get a lot more of the sweet-spicy sauce and nuts with each bite than they do with a typical cheese ball.  Plus no refrigeration or clumsy rolling of the ball in nuts to deal with.  Add some fruit and veggies and wine, some hard Italian salami or roasted chick peas and its a great snack supper.

This recipe is fast,  impressive and beautiful on a table, and it will get you rave reviews and requests for recipe.  I never make it or bring it to a party that people don’t ask for the recipe.  In winter you can use the same toppings over warmed brie.

Variations:

Try this topping with warmed brie.  Vegans could make a “cheese spread” of Tofutti cream cheese mixed with white beans such as navy beans or butter beans in the food proceesor — add a little garlic salt and maybe some chives for extra flavor.
NOTE: I had some of this leftover and refrigerated it. Company was coming and so I put it in a small oven proof bowl and heated in the oven a few minutes, turning the broiler on for a minute at the end to caramelize the nuts and top of sauce. It was OVER THE TOP delicious.  Company devoured it in minutes.  So served cold or warm, this is a winner!

5 Minute Apricot Thai Chili Cheese Spread

Ingredients:

Cheese, cream cheese, almonds, sweet thai chili sauce and apricot preserves

1/2 cup cream cheese (I like the lower fat Neufchatel cheese)

1/3 cup cheese of your choice (I used a crumbly apricot white cheese with brandy this time)

1/4 cup apricot preserves

2 T. sweet Thai chili sauce

Finely chopped roasted salted almonds (pecans or walnuts are also delicious)

Assorted crackers

Directions:

In a food processor blend the cream cheese with the cheese until it forms a nice stiff creamy cheese spread.  (It should be thick.)

Process cream cheese with your choice other cheese

Spoon the mixture onto the center of a  pretty serving plate in a mound. Using the back of a large spoon pat the cheese into a round or oblong shape, about an inch thick.  This is going to be a rustic cheese spread so don’t worry about perfection.

Using back of spoon form into a rustic circle or oval

Mix the apricot preserves with the sweet Thai chili sauce and then spoon this on top of the cheese and spread it around, letting some of it drip prettily down the sides.

Finally, top with chopped nuts.  Serve with a pretty small cheese spreader knife and an assortment of your favorite crackers.

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