I have been making jalapeño peeper jelly for over 2 decades. I usually;;y make it with my home grown jalapeño peppers and the years I did not grow them, I would use peppers from a local farmstead. As the years have gone by, I hardly eat them but I gift them to friends and family. It has become a big hit and I have people waiting for my pepper jelly. I don’t eat as much but I make it as gifts.

Recently, my friend shared a recipe which used Boursin cheese. I modified it to make it with goat cheese and it is one of the easiest and most delicious appetizer you can throw together.

Note: While I use my homemade version here, any store-bought pepper jelly works wonderfully for this recipe.

Ingredients

1. 4 oz goat cheese (1 small log)
2. 1–2 cloves fresh garlic, minced (or ½ tsp garlic powder — I love Penzey’s roasted garlic powder)
3. 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh herbs like chives, parsley, or basil (or ½ tsp dried herbs)
4. ½ cup pepper jelly (one 4 oz small jar)
5. ⅓ cup chopped pistachios
6. For serving: Crackers, crostini, crusty bread, or fresh crudités

Method

1. Prep the Cheese Base: Mix the goat cheese, garlic, and herbs together. You can whip this quickly in a food processor or simply mash and blend by hand in a bowl. (Shortcut: Buy a pre-flavored garlic & herb goat cheese log to skip this step!)
2. Plate: Spread the seasoned goat cheese into a smooth layer on a small serving platter or shallow dish.
3. Top: Pour the pepper jelly evenly over the top of the cheese.
4. Garnish: Generously sprinkle the chopped pistachios over the jelly for crunch.
5. Serve: Pair with your favorite crackers, bread, or fresh veggies, and enjoy!