Cracked Pepper Cottage Cheese and Jam Filo Cups

Living close to the beach in New England, we get our fair share of summer visitors that swing in for a visit. After a day out in the sun, the last thing I want to do is run back out to the store for snack-rations. This recipe is one of my easy-entertaining tricks that I keep in my back-pocket for one last-minute guests pop by. It’s made out of ingredients that I almost always have in my fridge (like Hood Cottage Cheese) and freezer (like frozen filo pastry cups).

I love using tiny filo cups for quick and easy appetizers that still look very refined and festive, I stock up on them when they go on sale at the super market and stash a few boxes in my freezer for when I need these quick entertaining bites.  You can fill them with any combination of ingredients you fancy, but I love spooning in a bit of Hood Cottage Cheese with Cracked Pepper, then topping them with a bit of sweet jam and some fresh herbs from garden. Cottage cheese, jam, and fresh herbs are items I always have on hand, so it’s a foolproof way to pull together a snack for my guests that looks really elevated and lux! The balance of the sweet jam, the peppery cottage cheese, and fresh fragrant herbs is a winner in my book. Fig jam and thyme are one of my favorite combinations for this easy recipe, but it’s a great way to highlight seasonal New England produce. Try a blueberry jam after a day of berry picking this summer!