Southwestern Cheese Appetizer ~ Marinated Cheese

This appetizer is perfect for Christmas with the green and red but can be eaten all year!  I found this recipe in the Southern Living magazine at least 6 or 7 yrs ago!  They actually have two different recipes on their webiste and I have made both, I like this one the most!  The other one has balsamic vinegar in it and so it changes the color of the cheese which I didn't like as much.

Just buy 8 oz bars of cheese and slice them 1/4 inch thick and then in half.  You can see by the picture below the size the cheese should be.  It's kinda amazing how many slices you end up with with just 3 bars of cheese. 

It's very important to let it marinade over night or at least 8 hours.  This will last 3 to 5 days but it's in it's prime the 2nd and 3rd day!

I made this twice last week and didn't take step by step pictures but you can see by the picture below what it should look like.  Just whisk the marinade in a bowl and pour it over the cheese.  I do 3 lines of cheese and place it in a plastic container where the cheese fits snug so that it's not to large of a container, that way the cheese is able to be coated in the marinade.

Here is the plastic container I use and then I just put the lid on it and put it in the fridge!

*also I found the the roasted sweet red peppers at The Dollar Tree!  They are just as good as the ones I buy at the grocery store!

Southwestern Cheese Appetizers

1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 (7.5-ounce) jar roasted sweet red peppers, drained and diced
3 green onions, minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 (8-ounce) block sharp Cheddar cheese, chilled
1 (8-ounce) block Monterey Jack cheese with peppers, chilled
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, chilled

Whisk together first 3 ingredients until mixture is blended; stir in diced red peppers and next 6 ingredients. Set marinade aside.

Cut block of Cheddar cheese in half lengthwise. Cut halves crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Repeat procedure with Monterey Jack cheese and cream cheese.

Arrange cheese slices alternately in a shallow baking dish, standing slices on edge. Pour marinade over cheeses. Cover and chill at least 8 hours. Transfer cheese to a serving plate, and spoon remaining marinade over top. Serve with assorted crackers.