My guests love scooping up the savory, salty, sweet, pecan-studded cheese ring filled with strawberry preserves whenever I serve this. This recipe is pure Southern nostalgia, and every bite tastes like the 1970s in all the best ways. No wonder it became famous during Rosalynn Carter’s years in the White House! It truly is pure bliss on a cracker!
This cheese ring has an intriguing flavor combination that wins people over fast. It’s savory with sharp cheddar cheese and onion, a little tangy from hot sauce or chili flakes, and a little sweet from the jam. Scoop it up with crackers, Wheat Thins, or pretzel crisps and watch the platter disappear.
It’s also wonderfully easy: grate the cheese, mix, chill, and add the jam just before serving. Rosalynn Carter’s original recipe calls for strawberry preserves, but I’ve used my own strawberry-rhubarb jam or festive Christmas jam (strawberry-cranberry!) with great success.
This is the kind of appetizer people remember and request.
The cheese needs to be grated by you from a block of cheddar. Pre-packaged grated cheese should only be used in the direst of emergency snack-making. It's just not the same. Grating is great, but it's a snap if you have a food processor!
Combine the grated cheese and the other ingredients in a bowl and mix them well until everything is completely blended and the mayonnaise is evenly distributed.
Some versions of this recipe call for it to be made in a ring mold, but I think those all were sold at garage sales in the '80s. I mean, really. Who uses one anymore? Besides, there's a certain creative pleasure that comes from shaping it free-form with your hands. Why deny yourself?
Here's a slick trick to keep the serving plate tidy. Tear three pieces of waxed paper and arrange them in a triangle on the serving plate.
Plop the cheese mixture in the middle and use your clean hands to form the ball into an open ring. Channel your inner potter! Don't worry about perfection; let everyone know you made it by hand!
Now, carefully pull out the wax paper, leaving a clean serving plate for the crackers. Voila! Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and chill it thoroughly. When you're ready to serve, stud the top with more pecans (I added a few cranberries this time), fill the middle with jam, and arrange crackers around the edge or nearby in a basket.
Stand back and get ready to hear lots of "mmm-mmm" happy sounds as your family and friends enjoy this throwback classic!
Here are some other amazing vintage appetizers I love serving and my guests love to eat, year after year.
⭐Dried Beef Dip: A savory dip in a base of sour cream and real mayonnaise with Beau Monde, dill, and dried beef. Serve in a loaf of bread you have hollowed out for a great presentation.
⭐Cranberry Meatballs: A quick and easy slow cooker recipe for meatballs in a tangy sauce. You can serve them over rice or noodles, in a sandwich, or as an appetizer.
⭐Monte Cristo Pinwheels: A lovely appetizer or snack version of the famous Monte Cristo sandwich in a light, baked version using puff pastry.
⭐Million Dollar Dip: Helen Corbitt created this dip recipe for the famous Zodiac Room at Neiman Marcus in Dallas. Six simple ingredients make an amazing dip that's quick and easy to make!
⭐Beer Cheese Dip: Put this savory dip together in minutes. The flavor is outstanding and pairs well with crackers, crudité, or crusty bites of beer bread.
It's a delightful throwback recipe from First Lady Rosalyn Carter. This festive cheese ring is a classic savory, sweet, salty treat served with crackers.
In all the hustle and bustle, please remember the one true reason we celebrate this holiday: take a moment to slow down and enjoy some meaningful time with your loved ones. Christmas is a gift and was never meant to be a burden!
If you liked this festive cheese ring recipe, you are my people! If you did, please share it on your social media accounts, such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter! It would sure tickle me, and I would be ever so grateful!
If you haven't already, please look for me on Facebook and Pinterest, where I will share easy, delicious, family-friendly recipes every week! Do you have an appetizer or dip you love, but haven't made in years? Tell me all about it! I read and answer every single comment myself!
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Love GB (Betty Streff)
Real food. Real kitchen. Real easy.
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