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Blue Cheese Spread with Spiced Walnuts





Yields
Makes about 1 1/2 cups; 6 to 8 servings

When her winery, Single Leaf Vineyards & Winery, participates in big festivals, owner Pam Miller uses this appetizer, which can be made ahead and easily multiplied. It goes well with Single Leaf's Chardonnay.

 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese
 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
 1/4 cup fresh chèvre (goat) cheese
 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, at room temperature
 2 tablespoons brandy or milk
 3 tablespoons thinly sliced chives or green onions
 1/4 teaspoon salt
 1/4 teaspoon pepper
 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
 2 teaspoons chili oil
 2 teaspoons olive oil
 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
 2 teaspoons sugar
 3 dozen unsalted water crackers or thin apple slices
Step 1
1

Beat cream cheese, blue cheese, chèvre, butter, and brandy until creamy. Stir in 2 tablespoons chives. Mound in a small, shallow dish. If making ahead, cover and chill up to 2 days.

Step 2
2

In a small bowl, mix salt, pepper, cumin, cinnamon, and cardamom.

Step 3
3

Pour chili oil and olive oil into an 8- to 10-inch nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add walnuts. Stir often until toasted, 5 to 7 minutes. Add sugar and stir until it melts onto nuts, about 1 minute.

Step 4
4

Pour hot nuts into bowl with spices and mix to coat. If making ahead, let cool and store airtight up to 2 days.

Step 5
5

Sprinkle nuts and remaining 1 tablespoon chives over cheese. Spread mixture onto crackers.

Nutrition Facts

0 servings

Serving size

Amount per serving
Calories299
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 23g30%

Saturated Fat 10g50%
Cholesterol 45mg15%
Sodium 356mg16%
Total Carbohydrate 15g6%

Dietary Fiber 0.8g3%
Protein 6.9g

* The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.