Make Delicious Holiday Treats with Polaner #MBPHGG18

The season of cooking and baking your best recipes is here. Appetizers, main dishes, sides, and my favorite, desserts. Sometimes we get stuck in a rut or just get so comfortable making the same dishes for the holidays that we forget about new possibilities. Polaner is introducing new Fruit & Maple spreads with some delicious recipe ideas.
Having been in operation since 1896, Polaner's rich history contributes to the long standing quality of its products. Max and Lena Polaner started preserving fresh fruits and picking fresh vegetables. They had a small store in which they sold their fruits and veggies. Once their jellies, pickles, preserves, and sauerkraut became popular, Max and Lena started selling them in their main store. Continuing to grow, Polaner expanded and still remains popular to this day, but is always true to its humble roots.

I love to cook and bake, especially around the holidays so I jumped at the chance to try Polaner Fruit & Maple. I've never baked brie before so I tried that recipe.

Raspberry Baked Brie

1 8 oz. wheel of brie cheese

2 tbsp Fruit & Maple Raspberry Spread

1 tbsp toasted walnuts

Fried rosemary sprigs for garnish

Toasted bread for serving

Preheat oven to 350°F

Place the brie on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Top the brie with Fruit &

Maple Raspberry Spread, spread to edges and bake for 12 minutes. Garnish with

rosemary and walnuts. Serve with toasted bread.

The spread is just sweet enough with the cheese and the walnuts add a nice crunch. This was a delicious appetizer for the sweet and savory fan. I haven't really used jam or jellies in many recipes save for the New Year's Eve meatballs I do. I forget that ingredients can be so multifaceted. The next recipe on my list is the pork with the Peach Fruit & Maple. I can only imagine how moist, tender, and flavorful it is going to be. Yum! Of course the cheesecake is on my list, too. Too many delicious recipes to try!

STRAWBERRY & PEANUT BUTTER CHEESECAKE

Crust:

32 peanut butter sandwich cookies

1/2 stick butter, melted

Filling:

1 1/2 cups cream cheese, softened

2 cups ricotta cheese

5 large eggs

1 1/3 cups superfine sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch

1 1/2 tbsp water

1 cup heavy cream

1 jar Strawberry Fruit & Maple

Preheat over to 300°F

In a food processor add the cookies and pulse until finely ground. Add the melted

butter and mix thoroughly. Lightly grease, then line the bottom of a 9” spring form pan

with parchment paper. Press the cookie mixture evenly into the pan. Transfer to the

fridge to set.

For the filling:

In a mixer add the cream cheese, ricotta, eggs, sugar and lemon juice whisk until

combined. In a small bowl whisk together the cornstarch and water until smooth. Add

that mixture to the cheese mixture until well incorporated. Remove the pan from the

fridge and pour the mixture over the crust.

Transfer the pan into the oven and bake for about an hour and a half or until the cake

has set in the middle. Turn off the oven and allow the cake to cool in the oven with the

door open. Refrigerate for 3 hours to cool completely. Once the cake has cooled, spread.

Spread 3/4 of the jar of Strawberry Fruit & Maple on top of the cake. Whip the heavy cream until firm and spread over the strawberry layer. Spoon the remaining strawberry spread in random spots on top of the whip cream and swirl in with the back of a spoon.

Strawberry Basil Cocktail

1/4 cup Fruit & Maple Strawberry Spread

1/4 cup water

1 tbsp lime juice

1/4 cup basil leaves torn, plus more for garnish

2 tbsp vodka

Seltzer

Strawberries for garnish

In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk Fruit & Maple Strawberry Spread and water. Bring to a boil and remove from the heat. Set aside to cool.

Add lime juice, basil and vodka to strawberry mixture and refrigerate for at least an

hour. When ready to serve, strain mixture over crushed ice, add seltzer and

garnish with slices of strawberries and sprigs of basil.

Strawberry salad dressing

Endive & radicchio salad with gorgonzola, green apples & toasted walnuts

Dressing

1 tbsp Fruit & Maple Strawberry Spread

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp water

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

parsley for garnish

In a mixing bowl whisk Strawberry Fruit & Maple Spread, lemon juice, water, olive oil

and salt. Plate your endive & radicchio, add sliced apple, crumbled gorgonzola and toasted walnuts over the top. Garnish with parsley leaves and drizzle with strawberry dressing.

Raspberry Lemon bars

Crust:

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup confectioners sugar

2 tsp lemon zest, grated

1 stick butter unsalted, room temp plus 2 tablespoons

Filling:

8 large eggs

2 cup sugar

2/3 cup lemon juice

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 jar Raspberry Fruit & Maple

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a mixer beat butter, sugar and zest for 8 minutes. Sift in flour until incorporated. Line

a 9 x13” pan with parchment and press the mixture evenly into the pan. Bake for 15

minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Warm Raspberry Fruit & Maple and spread on the crust with a spatula in an even layer. In a large bowl whisk the filling ingredients until smooth. Pour this mixture over the crust and bake for 20 minutes or until the center is set. Transfer pan to a wire rack and allow to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar and slice in squares.

Blueberry & cheese tart

1/2 cup Fruit & Maple Blueberry Spread, warmed

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese

1 large egg yolk

1 tbsp water

mint & basil leaves, for garnish

olive oil for drizzling

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Lightly flour your work surface and unfold your thawed puff pastry. Roll out the dough

into a 12”x10” rectangle and transfer to a baking sheet. Brush the edges with water and

fold the edges over about a 1”. Pinch the dough to form a crust. In a small bowl whisk

egg yolk and water. Brush this mixture over the crust. Using a fork, poke holes in the

bottom of the dough. Spread the ricotta cheese evenly over the dough, then the

Blueberry Fruit & Maple and top with sprinkled goat cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or

until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool before serving. Garnish

with mint leaves and drizzle with olive oil and cracked pepper just before serving.

Pork & Fennel Peach Fruit & Maple

4 Pork chops bone in 1” thick, room temperature

1/2 cup Polaner Fruit & Maple Peach Spread

1 tsp ground fennel

4 tsp kosher salt, divided

2 tsp ground black pepper, divided

4 tbsp butter

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tsp lemon juice

Preheat oven to 450°F. Slice the fennel, discard the stalks. Add the fennel with 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper on a baking sheet lined with foil. Roast for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Meanwhile prep prop chops. Rub the pork chops with salt, pepper & ground fennel.

Drizzle olive oil on each pork chop. Heat a skillet on high and sear both sides of the pork for 3 minutes. Transfer the chops to the baking sheet with the fennel and continue cooking for 15 more minutes. To the skillet with the pan juices from the pork chops, add butter, lemon and Peach Fruit &

Maple. Heat on medium, whisking until the peach spread in incorporated.

Allow the pork chops to rest 10 minutes before serving. Pour the peach sauce over the

pork chops.

What recipes are on your list to try? How else have you used jams or jellies to cook in the past?

Want it? Buy it!

Check out the Polaner website for where to find their products in your area. These jars are perfect for adding to gift baskets, stocking stuffers, or simply gifting to someone who enjoys cooking and baking.