What Charcuterie Do You Want

Charcuterie is big right now. Every holiday party  will have one from a small dainty platter to a super  sized one filled with all sorts of goodies. You may want one for your holiday party but which one? It's time to sort them out.

A classic charcuterie has the same meats and cheeses more or less that it had when it was first created in the 1500's .The classic French has a variety of coldcuts like salame, mortadella, and prosciutto which are more Italian than French. Pair these with a baguette(this can be already cut or guests can cut their own slices) along with a varity of cheeses like Brie, Gouda and Edam. Have bowls of pickled mushrooms and artichoke hearts along with giardeneria - pickled vegetables . Also have a variety of different crackers, from the flaky water kind to Ritz. Olives and nuts are a must too along with fruits, both fresh and dried along with jams and jellies for those craving sweet. If you wanted to be  a little different add some savory jellies. You could make a homemade savory herb jelly using fresh and dried herbs mixed with instant pectin, to create the jelly , water and sugar. Should you include fish? No, You could set up what's know as a seacuterie board that contains such tinned fish as crab, tuna and salmon. For a lush seacuterie think about having cracked crab legs, lobster and shrimp along with ramekins of melted butter, tartar sauce and shrimp cocktail sauce.

What about vegans and vegetarians?. A vegan charcuterie board is just as easy to create as a traditional one. Of course you'll have the  same variety of baguettes and crackers. Veggies play an imprtant roll in it. Have broccoli and cauliflower florets along with carrots and celery sticks. Put out bowls of hummus too along with  store bought or home made pita crisps Scatter grape tomatoes around the board for color. You could also put out plant based cheeses and meats too. Miyoko's Creamery has some excellent choices from artisinal plant based cheeses like European truffle to  Smoked Gouda and Herbes de Provence.  As for the meats you can try Harry and David's vegan charcuterie board for $75.99. If not then get Tofurky's vegan turkey and baloney slices. A sweet charcuterie is a nice way of ending a holiday buffet. What goes on a sweet charcuterie board? Bowls of warm melted dark and milk chocolate along with such dippables as marshmallows, cubed pound cake  and strawberries to name a few. You can also add pretzel sticks for dupping too along with shortbread cookies. You could also have a cannoli dips with broken cannoli shells too. HAve bowls of holiday  M&M and mini candy canes for nibbling too.

A charcuterie board is a fun way of celebrating the holidays. You can have a savory or sweet one, meat or seafood, canivire or vegan.Anyone you choose is the right one for your party.

Treat Yourself To A Fun Dinner

By now we're all sick of all those lunches and suppers that feature beans. It's time to liven up meal time with fun and new recipes. That also includes dessert. we need to give ourselves a fun treat now and then.

Since it's getting close to Memorial Day, think hamburgers and hot dogs. Everyone love burgers with all the fixings. Go double and have two patties like your favorite fast food joints. Add sliced onions or better yet caramelized ones. Caramelizing is an easy process.It's just slowly cooking them in olive oil until the pieces turn a golden brown or tan. You could add butter and even balsamic vinegar for more flavor. Avocado slices or homemade guacamole can be layered on too. The bun should be buttered and then toasted on the grill for about three seconds. Hot dogs can also get the special treatment. Slices them and stuff with shredded cheddar. To make sure the dogs don't split either spear them with toothpicks or wrapped slices of bacon around them. You can do something similar with veggie burgers and dogs. There's vegan cheddar and also mozzarella. As for sides there's potato chips for a fun side or you can air fry them. Air fried chips starts with mandolining potatoes and then spritzing them with olive oil cooking spray. You can add some rosemary sprigs for more flavor.

Fruit is good for you but it can also be fun. Think banana  non dairy ice cream. Dr. Oz featured this on his show a few years back and it was a big hit. It's slicing banana slices and putting them in a freezer bag. It;'s then freezing them overnight and then blitzing them in a food chopper. The result is a creamy, low calorie dish that can be jazzed up with whipped cream and chocolate syrup. You can sub in non dairy whipped almond or coconut milk. Add M&M's or nuts if you want. Caramel apples are always fun. For a different take, air fry them with some cinnamon or plain and then dunk the crunchy slices  into caramel. Of course strawberries are big right now, There's nothing as decadent as strawberries dunked in any kind of chocolate, whether in syrup form or melted chips. You can do the same with blueberries and raspberries too. Of course you can also use fruit in tasty mocktails and cocktails.Think screwdrivers either using seltzers or vodka. Try Bellinis and mimosas with the addition of champagne , peach nectar or  fresh squeezed orange juice.

It's time for a fun treat. Liven up lunch, dinner or even dessert. You deserve it.

Marshmallows Summer's Fun Treat!

The warm weather is here and with it come marshmallows. They are a fun and great treat, along with being low calorie! Best of all they bring back childhood memories of toasted ones over the campfire or grill! There's nothing like starting an outdoor sleep over or ending an outdoor barbecue with them.

Marshmallows have been around since ancient Egypt. originally used for medicinal purposes The swamp plant, the mallow (hence its' name) was sweetened and added to a honey and nut mix. French confectioners took marshmallow making to a high art during the 19th Century. Individual candy makers took the mallow sap and whipped it with egg whites and rose water for taste. Nowadays the mallow plant is never used in the candy's manufacturing. Instead it's a mix of corn syrup dextrose, gelatin and hot water. Sometimes egg whites are used in artisanal marshmallows. Marshmallow manufacturers like Jet Puffed and Campfire are producing two sizes of the puffs. The average marshmallow is only twenty-five calories

Groceries are selling the candy in full force right now, thanks to the season. There's nothing like two or three charred or toasted puffs to end a barbecue. You can even make them indoors by just toasting them over a burner put on low heat. How you make them is up to you. Most people love a browned, almost crunchy exterior with a hot and gooey middle. This kind is perfect for that summer time treat s'mores. The mallow's heat melts the chocolate to almost a liquid consistency and it almost rebakes the graham cracker. If you want you can buy the super large ones for a really decadent dessert

This is the season for toasted marshmallows and s'mores. Treat yourself and your kids to these time honored treats with a big bag of marshmallows. Then get out those sticks and start toasting!