Roasted Grapes, Prosciutto, Pine Nut & Cabot Cheddar Crepes {& a Giveaway!}

i love cheese. though i've mentioned several times that many dairy products and i are not friends, cheese seems to have not made that list.... hallelujah! so when given the opportunity to work on a recipe for cabot creamery cooperative, i couldn't say no. 

first of all i love their company. cabot is a farm-family-owned dairy cooperative with 1200+ farm owners throughout new england and upstate new york. they've been making cheese since 1919. i love the idea that they aren't a big company out to make money, but a co-op that supports the farmers who produce the milk. 

i also love their cheese. i've tasted several varieties of their aged and reduced-fat cheddars, as well as their flavored cheddars, like tomato-basil, chipotle and habanero (that last one is not for the weak-tongued). it's no wonder their cheeses win awards all the time, especially their reduced-fat cheeses. i am typically no fan of low-fat cheese. but as a snacking cheese, i think their 50% reduced-fat cheese may just be my favorite. and it melts just as if it's full-fat. delicious and beautiful.

so, the recipe we've been challenged to make is one including not only cabot cheddar, but also a fruit, vegetable or grain that is new to us. i would never claim to have exhausted the list of foods that fit those categories, but i decided to use a very common fruit in a new way.

 if you've never roasted grapes, you have been missing out. once their tender skins barely burst in the heat, the juices inside sweeten and multiply. combined them with salty prosciutto, rustic pine nuts, sweet pears and a generous serving of melt-y cheddar, and you've got a meal to remember.

today i'm also offering a big first for this blog... a giveaway! one lucky kumquat reader will win a small assortment of cabot branded items (cheese knife, cutting board and travel mugs) and 2 coupons for free blocks of reduced-fat cheddar. 

in order to enter the giveaway, leave me a comment about your favorite way to use cheddar.

for extra entries you can: (and be sure to leave a separate comment for each)

1. tweet: "#win @CabotCoop cheddar and goodies from @kumquatblog http://bit.ly/Hn7uSt"

2. "like" kumquat on facebook

3. subscribe to this blog using the "subscribe by email" box on the right side of the page

this means you can have up to four entries! a couple of rules, though... you must be 18 and in the US. the giveaway will end on april 6, 2012 at 5:00 pm EST and a winner will be chosen using random.org. please leave a link to your blog, a twitter name or some other way to contact you in case you win!

UPDATE: the giveaway is now closed. 

i'm pleased to announce greta from wisconsin has won!
thank you to all who participated...

Roasted Grapes, Prosciutto, Pine Nut & Cabot Cheddar Crepes

2       cups red grapes

2       tablespoons olive oil

1       ounce coarsely chopped prosciutto

1 1/2 cups baby spinach

1/2    cup julienned (matchstick-cut) pears

1/3    cup toasted pine nuts

1/3    cup halved, roasted garlic cloves

1/4    teaspoon salt

1/8    teaspoon pepper

3/4    cup shredded 50% reduced-fat Cabot cheddar

4       prepared large crepes (thawed frozen crepes or home-made crepes, gluten-free if necessary)

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine red grapes and olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 13 minutes or until grapes begin to burst.

Meanwhile, cook prosciutto in a large skillet until just barely crisp. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Stir in spinach, pears, pine nuts, and garlic. Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Stir in grapes and any pan drippings.

Sprinkle half of a crepe with with 3 tablespoons cheddar. Top cheese with about 3/4 cup roasted grape mixture. Fold crepe into quarters. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Yield: 4 servings.

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i received free samples from Cabot Creamery of the cheese and giveaway items mentioned in this post. by posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by Cabot Creamery Cooperative and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. i was not compensated for my time.