I love a good hearty chili. It's such a versatile and forgiving dish, and I find it therapeutic to work on a batch. In my house it's almost unheard of for me to make a chili without at least a little kick- and there have been some accidental overboards. Learn from my mistakes: when cooking with a new variety of hot pepper, do your research. Check the Scoville Scale. Wear gloves. 

With how often I make a batch of chili, I like to experiment sometimes. Adding things like honey or molasses to make it sweeter, cinnamon for a different addition of spice, even coffee for an added depth of flavor. But this is by far my best variety yet. The Cherry Bourbon Chipotle Spread adds just enough sweetness to round out the tart acidity of the tomatoes. There's an incredible warm and smoky flavor from the bourbon in the spread as well as the added chipotles. There's the right spiciness to warm you up on a snowy winter or 'chili' fall day. 

So, let's get to it!

 Ingredients:
 4 oz Small Batch Kitchen Cherry Bourbon Chipotle Spread
 1 lb ground beef
 1 medium sweet onion
 2-3 gloves garlic, minced
 2 Chipotles in adobo sauce 
 6 oz tomato paste
 28 oz crushed tomatoes
 1 can each kidney and black beans
 3/4-1 cup water
 2 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
 1 tsp cumin
 salt to taste
 pinch red pepper flakes

I like to cook my chili in a crockpot to give those flavors time to combine and strengthen. So set your crockpot to high and add in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and water and give it a good stir. Add in the chili powder, red pepper flakes, some salt, and the beans and let them sit while you cook the ground beef. 

Chop up your onions, mince the garlic, and chop up the chipotles. Get the beef browning in a medium-high pan with some salt and the cumin. Add in the garlic and onions and cook until beef is fully browned and onions are translucent. Add in the chipotles and a little extra sauce as well as the Cherry Bourbon Chipotle Spread. Mix it all together and let it simmer for a few minutes. Add it to the crock pot and let it cook on high for an hour or two. 

Serve however you like chili: as-is, over rice, with sour cream, etc. 

And there you have it. Great for gatherings or just a cozy night in. Nice and hearty, sweet and smoky with just the right amount of spice. 

Happy Tasting!

Wow! It's a mouthful to say all that... just don't try with a mouth full of these amazing brownies. 

These made sound like a lot of work to make but I promise it's easier than you think and only take a few minutes longer than a basic brownie. 

So go ahead and grab your favorite boxed brownie mix or the ingredients for your favorite scratch recipe. We're going to top off the brownie batter with a quick cheesecake batter and swirl in some Cherry Bourbon Chipotle Spread, bake and voila! A sweet treat with gourmet pep. Spice up your Valentine's treat or surprise guests with this twist on a classic dessert.

To get a nice swirl you're going to want to drop spoonfuls of the spread in a pattern and then run a toothpick in a back and forth motion until you get the effect you like.             

Recipe:

Favorite brownie mix
8oz cream cheese- softened
1/4 greek yogurt- I used vanilla but you can use plain
1/3 cup powdered sugar
dash of salt
about 1/2 a jar of Cherry Bourbon Chipotle Spread

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9X13 pan. Pour in your brownie batter. Mix together the cream cheese, yogurt, powdered sugar, an salt until smooth. Spoon on top of the brownie batter and gently spread evenly. Dollop the spread on the cheesecake batter and use the toothpick to swirl it around- try not to pull the brownie batter up to the top as you do this.

Bake for around 30 minutes. Check carefully, you want a toothpick to come out of the brownie batter clean and you want the cheesecake to start getting golden.

Let cool and enjoy fully. 

Happy Tasting Everyone!

-Rachel 

Here we are on our second Flavor of the Month already! February's flavor is our incredible and unique Cherry Bourbon Chipotle.

We start with some ripe and juicy sweet cherries, simmer them with some ground up chipotle pepper, and top it off with a hearty splash of quality Kentucky Bourbon. This versatile spread is delicious on burgers, pork chops, cheese plates, and -believe it or not- even brownies! We recommend pairing it with gouda, mild cheddar, or gruyere. 

Did you know that a chipotle is not a different type of pepper but rather a process? While jalapenos are well known for their green color, when they are fully ripened they turn red and have a higher heat index. These red jalapenos are then smoked and dried, adding a delicious smokey flavor to the heat of the pepper. 

Our delicious sweet cherries come from none other than Frecon Farms in Boyertown, Pennsylvania. In 2018 we purchased 700 pounds of this delicious fruit. In the kitchen we washed, de-stemmed, and pitted all those cherries to bring you this delightful flavor. Frecon Farms has a rich history, with the family's 3rd generation currently running the orchard and market. They put an incredible effort into growing quality fruit while working in harmony with the surrounding land and wildlife. You can read more about their growing practices on their website here. If you and your family enjoy picking your own fruit, head over to Frecon this fall and bring home baskets of fresh deliciousness. 

Did you hear? Our very own Cherry Bourbon Chipotle Spread won Third place in the Unique Condiments category of the 2019 Scovie Awards! The Scovie Awards are an annual international competition for all things spicy and barbecue. There's an incredible number of categories for all fiery foods lovers. Click the above image to find out more about this incredible gourmet competition. Have you tried this award winning spread yet? Leave us a comment with your favorite way to use it!

Mark your calendars and don't forget to check back here and on Instagram every Monday for recipes, #SBKFunFacts, and more!

Happy Tasting!