Cheesy Fancy Pants

Does anyone else feel like a rockstar when they make something at home that seems fancy? I feel that way almost every time I use gorgonzola. I don’t know if it is because it is a fairly expensive ingredient or what but I feel all import when a gorgonzola recipe comes together!

A few years ago, I stumbled upon a recipe that paired gorgonzola with caramelized onions. I cannot even remember what the original recipe was for but I know that I first made the combo as a flat bread and I added Canadian bacon to make it a bit more of a main course. At that point, it didn’t really know if I liked gorgonzola, I thought the flavor was a bit much for me, but I did know that I loved caramelized onions! Onions cooked until they are nothing but sweat, velvety goodness! I love the flavor in French Onion Soup, on burgers, out of the pan… and, as it turns out, combined with salty, funky gorgonzola!

As I mentioned the last time we talked, my husband and I are working on eating a little better. The perspective that we are trying to take is that food is fuel so let’s start using the premium stuff that will extend the life of the engine. With that thought in mind, I’ve been doing some experimenting with chia seeds. From what I read, they pack a lot of nutritional punch for such tiny little things. My most exciting chia discovery so far is chia crackers! I found a really simple recipe and they turned out light and crunchy, I was amazed!

So, chia crackers, gorgonzola and caramelized onions… where in the blue blazes am I going with this? Cheese and crackers. Don’t feel bad, my husband has a hard time following my train of thought sometimes too. My main purpose here was to use up the gorgonzola I had in the fridge. It is really hard to tell if cheese that is already green has gone bad so I just assume use it up as quickly as possible. I knew I wanted to combine the gorgonzola with caramelized onions because I really enjoy the flavor combination and I had new knowledge of chia crackers so dip was the first thing that came to mind.

Rather than dip, this idea morphed into more of a spread. Also in my fridge was a brick of cream cheese that ended up creating a lovely base for my onions and gorgonzola. This was a really yummy (but filling) snack! The cheese spread had this sophisticated flavor and the chia crackers held up so well to it, I was pleasantly surprised. You maybe be thinking “sounds great but I’m not up for making chia crackers”. No worries, this spread would still be awesome on any grainy cracker and even vegetables. If you try it and end up with leftovers, it also makes a pretty rich bowl of pasta when you warm it up with a splash or two of milk!

Gorgonzola and Caramelized Onion Spread

2 cups yellow onions, sliced

1 Tbs olive oil

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup gorgonzola cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in large skillet over medium low heat. Add the onions and cook until brown and sweet, stirring occasionally. This will take some time, 30 to 45 minutes or so.

When onions are caramelized, allow to cool slightly. Add the cheeses and salt and pepper to onions while they are still a bit warm to melt the gorgonzola and make mixing easier.

You may serve this immediately or refrigerate to let it set.