Press "Enter" to skip to content

Posts tagged as “party snacks”

Six steps to get started crafting a perfect cheeseboard

Six steps to get started crafting a perfect cheeseboardLearn how to build the perfect cheeseboard in this article From Anna's Kitchen (www.fromannaskitchen.com)

I am a sucker for a good cheese plate.

Cheese is one of the few foods that even after all of these years I still feel would stop me from going 100% vegan. Meat, I can take or leave. As some of you know, I didn't eat meat for a decade or longer and still don't eat a lot of it today. But cheese? Vegan cheese is ok, I happen to like nut-based cheese, but it's just different... #TrueStory

A cheese plate is, of course, excellent as an appetizer, but as I learned recently it can also be nice to have after dinner instead of a dessert. I was used to seeing after-dinner cheese courses here in the U.S. on fancy or trendy restaurant menus, but in France, cheese was on nearly all restaurant menus—talk about heaven! A cheese plate can also be a nice choice to have as a leisurely lunch or dinner, especially when there's little time to cook. No matter the course, a cheese plate is never a bad choice.

Not sure where to start in building the cheese plate of your dreams? Let's begin with a few of the basics. Here are six things that I like to keep in mind when crafting the perfect plate.

Caprese Skewers with Creamy Pesto Dip

Caprese Skewers with Creamy Pesto DipEasy caprese skewers recipe From Anna's Kitchen (www.fromannaskitchen.com)
Are you planning to watch the Grammy Awards this weekend? If you're like me, I always like something to nibble on when I'm watching an award show or special event. There's just something so satisfying about eating different, small plates of foods that I love, too. Dave and I often have tapas for dinner instead of a full meal. These portable caprese skewers couldn't be easier, or faster, to make. You can make as many or as few of these skewers as you'd like, and serve them with the creamy pesto dip that can be made in advance. I've made these for parties in the past, as well as "just because".

Baked Pimento Cheese Dip

Baked Pimento Cheese DipBrowse recipes, menu ideas and more From Anna's Kitchen (www.fromannaskitchen.com)
The Super Bowl is this Sunday and, well, I'm not a football fan. A red-blooded Patriot I still am, yes, but no, I don't have a favorite football team, and I don't care who wins or loses the game. As a marketer and foodie, though, I am sure you could've guessed that I do enjoy watching the commercials and eating snacks. In the kitchen is where I can be found during any given Super Bowl with a drink in hand, pausing to watch a funny commercial now and again. Works for me. It's basically a prerequisite to have some kind of pretzels or chips and dip to snack on during the game (or commercials.) If you ask me, chips and salsa gets boring after a while. Guac, even if given a healthy dose of lime juice, is bound to turn brown. And while I enjoy a good queso, it, too, comes with challenges. The first challenge is keeping it warm. (A Crock-Pot can take care of that quite nicely, true.) The second challenge is that it can be drippy and messy to eat. Pimento cheese, on the other hand, is absolutely divine, easy to make, and easy to eat. I wasn't born or raised in the South and I never ate it as a kid. I found it a few years ago by accident when looking for something at the grocery store, and, boy, am I glad I did.