Easy as ABC (Alphabet Block Cheese ) with
Spicy Blackberry Sauce
To make a larger block, you can double this recipe.
For the Cheese Block
2 cups white cheddar cheese, shredded
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 Tbsp. mayonnaise
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. onion powder
3 dashes hot sauce
5 slices American cheese
For the Sauce
1 cup blackberry jam
1 Tbsp. jalapeño, minced fine
1. In a food processor, mix all the cheese block ingredients and press into a 4-inch-square
container sprayed with nonstick spray or lined with plastic wrap. If you can’t find a container to
use, refrigerate the cheese until it’s firm but still malleable—about 30 minutes—and form it into
a square block shape with your hands (washed, of course).
Tip: We used a square vase as our container, but you could use a square plastic food container
or the bottom of a cleaned-out half-gallon milk carton.
2. Chill cheese block for at least 1 hour. Then remove it from the container, and straighten up
the edges with a sharp knife.
3. Decorate cheese block with slices of American cheese cut into letter shapes using cookie
cutters or a knife. Serve at room temperature.
4. For the sauce, mix the jam and minced jalapeño. Chill for about an hour. Serve on the side.
Makes about 12 servings