Everyday Go To Board
Everyday Go To Board- The perfect blend of meats, seasonal cheeses, crackers, nuts, and fruit that are beautifully displayed on a serving board making holiday entertaining a breeze.
December 1, 2021 by Nicole Collins
You guys...
It's time!!!
Welcome to the 12 Days of Grazing Boards!
I've been teasing on Instagram for a couple weeks now that our 12 Days of... series this year was going to be EPIC. And I promise you, it will not disappoint!
So, let me tell you how this is going to work. First thing's first...grazing boards don't really require recipes. There are a couple boards throughout this series that have quick recipes to make to put on the board. But other than that, you'll mostly just see a collection of ingredients that you'll want to serve on the board together.
Here's the cool thing about grazing boards. The world is your oyster! I'm getting you started with suggestions, colors, presentation, etc. But in reality, you can put whatever you darn well please on these boards. I'll also give you some serving size suggestions, but these are not hard and final. Whether you're serving these boards as an appetizer, main course, or dessert (yes, dessert!) will make a difference on portion size. And let's all be really honest, at the end of the day, we build boards using what fits. We're not weighing out meat and cheese before it lands on the board. So, the serving size suggestions are just there if you feel like you need them.
I'm sooooo proud of the 12 boards coming your way over the next 2 weeks. But real talk for a second...I'm cramming 6 weeks of blog recipes in 12 days. So, the posts will be a little shorter and I'll be a little less chatty. But, I'll still be sure to arm you with everything you need to know to build each board successfully.
And with that, let's get to today's recipe!
Today, we're making an Everyday Go To Board!
This board follows all the basic rules that I use whenever I'm building a cheese board any time of year. Use seasonally themed cheeses, every day (average) cheeses, Italian meats, seasonal fruits, fancy crackers, and something crunchy.
I think a lot of people get overwhelmed by the idea of building a cheese board with a lot of components, because they're worried about the cost of it all. And, that's a fair worry. But, you don't need to spend hundreds of dollars on specialty items in order to build an impressive board. In fact, today's board was built 100% with items from Aldi! Aldi is always my first stop when building a board, because they typically carry special item themed cheeses at mega affordable prices, they have the biggest cracker selection ever, and they've recently even had a whole end cap display for charcuterie board building.
At the end of the day, the success here is adding a variety of colors, shapes, and textures to the board. Plus, you want to have a solid mix of sweet and savory items on your board. If I have room, I also love adding mini jars of unique jams, flavored mustards, or gourmet honey right on the board. But if I don't have room, I serve them on the side. Adding sauces are a thoughtful way to bump up the flavor combos making the platter even more impressive.
As far as this grazing board project goes, my pictures are there to guide you on how to fill in the space. But, you are the artist. Embrace that! I'll also make sure to put some extra tips in the notes of each recipe, so don't skip over those!
Ok, everyone! Tomorrow's “board” might be my favorite of the whole series. You're not going to want to miss this one!
Enjoy, and let's eat!
Everyday Go To Board
Serves: unlimited Print
Ingredients:
3 seasonal cheeses (I used rose fontina, red cheddar, and cranberry cinnamon goat cheese)
mini babybel cheese
cheddar, cubed
salami (I used peppered salami)
prosciutto
tropical dried fruit mix
shelled pistachios, lightly salted
grapes
seed crackers
artisan flat crackers
breadsticks (I used rosemary)
trail mix
pomegranate arils
assorted jams, spreads, mustards on the side (optional)
Directions:
Arrange all items on the board, making sure to alternate colors, shapes, and textures on the board. Enjoy!
Plan to serve about 3-4 oz per cheese total and 3-4 oz of meat per person. Serve crackers and fruit, as needed (these are easy to have on the side for refills).
Recipe notes:
*Use a fruit stamp to cut out the star shape in the babybel cheese. Gently press the stamp enough to cut the wax, and remove the shape.
*You can usually find seasonal shaped bowls at the Bullseye Playground section of Target, Homegoods, or the craft store. Use these to hold loose items like trail mix to add color and height to the board.
*To make a salami river on the board, fold the salami in half then in half again. Arrange the pieces on the board in a straight line so that they're slightly overlapping.
*To make a prosciutto rose, fold the prosciutto in half lengthwise. Start at one end, and roll tightly until you reach the opposite end. Fluff out the “pedals” of the rose, as needed.
The Yummy Muffin is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. I provide links to products that I use by my own choice, and all opinions are my own. Thank you for your support!
Comments