Sargento Natural Blends + $5000 Giveaway!

This morning, we’re super excited to announce a chance to win $5000 towards your wedding or honeymoon from Sargento! We’re also excited to share their delicious seasonal recipes for Sweet & Savory Cheddar Stuffed Strata and Almond Ricotta Cheesecake! Just like two unique personalities come together to form one true love, Sargento Natural Blends® Cheeses combine two delicious natural cheeses for one amazing taste and in celebration of that unity, they’re welcoming engaged couples and their family and friends to share what makes the couple a perfect “natural blend” for the chance to win $5,000 towards the couple’s wedding or honeymoon.

Until October 30, couples and their family and friends can share their love story on the Sargento Facebook page by submitting the following:

1. Share one word that describes the couple
2. Share the couple’s favorite food to pair or blend with cheese at an engagement party
3 Submit a photo of the couple and a 200-word or fewer essay describing what makes the couple a “natural blend”

Before entering the contest, couples can test their compatibility through a cheese personality quiz on the Sargento Facebook page. So fun!

Sargento also has a library of recipes in their site! We picked up their Almond Ricotta Cheesecake recipe and adapted it to mini cheesecake wedding favors. You can make them in jars for a late night treat for your guests as they leave the party, keeping them chilled in a stylish tray with ice. You can find individually wrapped spoons at places like Uline to complete your to-go treats.

Almond Ricotta Cheesecake Wedding Favors (adapted from Sargento by Ruffled)

Ingredients
Crust:
1 cup finely crushed graham crackers
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine
Filling:
2 cups (15 oz.) Sargento® Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup water
1-1/2 tsp. almond extract
4 eggs
1/2 cup chopped blanched almonds

Directions:
1. Melt butter and combine graham crackers + sugar. Press evenly over bottom of your jars with the help of a small spoon and let it cool.
2. Combine Ricotta cheese, sugar, whipping cream, flour, salt, 1/4 cup water and almond extract in large bowl of electric mixer; blend until smooth. Add eggs one at a time; blend until smooth. Stir in chopped almonds. Pour mix into jars. Transfer jars to a deep baking dish; add enough boiling water to dish to reach halfway up the sides of the jars. Cover dish with foil; cut 8 slits into top to vent. Bake until set in the center, for 1 hour.
3. Cool in oven with door propped open 30 minutes. Refrigerate 4 hours or longer before serving.

Their Sweet & Savory Cheddar Stuffed Strata recipe is perfect for a bridal brunch. We are going to try it ourselves tomorrow morning. Looks like the perfect Saturday morning breakfast for two 🙂

See Also

Elegant Black and White Ashton Hill Wedding

Sweet & Savory Cheddar Stuffed Strata

Ingredients:
6 slices whole wheat or white cinnamon raisin bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (4 cups)
1 cup diced (1/2-inch pieces) cooked ham
8 slices Sargento® Natural Blends® Deli Style Sliced Double Cheddar Cheese, divided
3 eggs
1-1/2 cups milk
1 Tbsp. Dijon style mustard

Directions:
1. Combine bread cubes and ham; spread half in a greased 9-inch baking dish. Arrange 4 slices cheese in a single layer over bread mixture; top with remaining bread mixture.
2. Beat together eggs and mustard with a fork. Beat in milk; pour evenly over bread mixture, pressing down on top layer with fork. Let stand 20 minutes.
3. Bake in preheated 350°F oven 35 minutes. Top with remaining 4 slices cheese. Bake 5 minutes more until cheese is melted.

Go enter their giveaway! With an additional $5000 you can host your wedding at your dream venue, finally book that photobooth you wanted, or use it towards a magical honeymoon in the Galapagos! Whatever your dream wedding or honeymoon detail would be, share the story of why you and your honey are “naturally blended” for your chance to win big from Sargento! Contest closes October 30th, so enter soon and check their Facebook page for a winner announcement in the coming weeks!