A prized family appetizer-- Cherve' (not be confused with chevre' Goat Cheese)

It's Veteran's Day, and I'm at home. Our flag is flying, and I'm thinking of my father-- who fought in WWII and did a peace keeping tour in Korea. God bless our veterans, and I'm thankful to be an American.

Uncle George, Mom & Dad on their wedding day February1952, Salzburg Austria

My mother became an American citizen in 1952, having met and married an American soldier who was visiting Salzburg, Austria. They married in Salzburg and the rest is history-- my two brothers, and me...the only girl.

As a kid, I remember my mother making this fantastic cream cheese spread that I felt was such a special treat for special occasions. It's so darn simple, and so darn good. Whenever I host a family get-together, it's one of the first things that my niece and son scans the buffet table for. I have no idea how my mother spelled this cream cheese spread, but she called it "SHARE-VEE". I don't even know where Mutti got the recipe, but it's gold, I tell you. For the sake of a recipe name, I will call it Cherve'. I served this at my Oktoberfest party, and it was a hit...as always.

All you need is cream cheese, butter, paprika and onion. I've given this appetizer spread a little extra touches, so here's how I make it:

Start with one package of softened cream cheese and one stick of unsalted butter. Add 1 tsp. paprika (I used Hungarian Sweet Paprika) and about 1 tsp of salt.  I like to add some fresh chopped chives-- oh, about 1 Tablespoon.

I used to add chopped onion, but I found that the onion flavor can be a little overpowering. Now, I grate about 1 tablespoon of onion into the cream cheese.

Line a small bowl with plastic wrap and press the cream cheese mixture into it.

Smooth it out, and chill for at least one hour. You can even make this a day before.

Flip the bowl onto a serving plate and remove the plastic wrap.  I like to serve with with a cracker assortment, or even some black bread. It's also delicious with celery sticks, as a yummy and crunchy snack.

There is never any of this leftover. My niece usually polishes it off, with relish. She's worth it. I hope that you give this a try.  It's from my mom's special heirloom recipe file.

From Bavaria, with love