Salami Stacks and This Week's Eats Thanksgiving 2013 Edition!

This appetizer may look a little, well, strange.  But, I assure you, they are the most addictive and heavenly tasting holiday treat.  My mom has been making them since I was a kid, and our family looked forward to her bringing massive quantities every Thanksgiving, along with the Chex Mix (dubbed Nuts n' Bolts).  I have kept up the Salami Stack making tradition in our household, whipping up a batch just before Thanksgiving.  I stash them in the freezer to eat throughout the holidays.  After bringing them to many a get-together over the years, I've yet to meet someone who didn't love them - unless they're a vegetarian!  Here's the 'secret' family recipe:

Salami Stacks

Ingredients:

- 1 pound of hard salami (NOT Genoa, NOT with peppercorns) sliced thick, but not too thick (my local Safeway deli counter said the slicer was set to 1.5 when she gave me the perfect consistency).  
- 1 8oz package of light cream cheese
- 1 8oz package blue cheese (HIGHLY recommend Trader Joe's brand, you haven't tasted blue cheese if you haven't had their's)
- 1/4 cup minced yellow onion
- dash of lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Put all ingredients, except salami, in a food processor.

 and blend until smooth, scraping down the bowl a few times. 

Spread a thin layer of cheese mixture on a slice of salami.

Cover with another slice and repeat the process until you have about 6-7 slices stacked, ending with a piece of salami.  

I usually end up with about 8 stacks.  Wrap in foil and refrigerate for at least an hour, or freeze and let thaw overnight in the refrigerator when you're ready to eat.  Slice into wedges, like a pizza.  Serve with toothpicks and your favorite appetizers.  My husband sometimes puts them on top of a cracker.  When I was a kid, I'd sometimes peel off the layers one by one and eat them that way.  I may or may not still do that...

  

We're doing our usual menu for Thanksgiving and the day after (aka, tree decorating day) that we've done every year for nearly ten years.  Yep, we like ritual and tradition.

• Monday - Pizza
• Tuesday - Italian Beef Stew (had half of this Cooking Light recipe leftover in the freezer)
• Wednesday - Satay Chicken with Peanut Sauce and Roasted Broccoli
• THANKSGIVING
• roast turkey breast (we buy a 5lb breast and use Alton Brown's brine recipe with great success)
• classing New England style stuffing with sausage and chestnuts, I also add granny smith apples to this recipe 
• hash brown potato casserole - this Cooking Light version has been a staple of ours for many years
• mixed greens salad with Trader Joe's spicy/sweet pecans, apples, red onion, dried cranberries, blue cheese and homemade vinaigrette (olive oil, red wine vinegar, dash of Dijon, dash of honey, salt and pepper)
• cranberry sauce in the crockpot  
• pumpkin pie - I just pick one up from the store as the kids are really the ones who eat it and they're not very particular about their pie
• Friday - Annual Bridesmaid Pumpkin Soup Dinner with Leftovers (while we decorate our tree)
• Saturday - Penne with Vodka Sauce (old Rachael Ray favorite)
• Sunday - Crockpot Jalapeno Popper Chili (this recipe from Everyday Reading got pushed back from last week, as I ended up having plans for dinner out with friends!)

 I'm linking up with Org Junkie, Mommy Run Fast and Jill Conyers, be sure to check out all the great weekly menus!