This post was sponsored by Kroger. All opinions expressed in the post are my own and not those of Kroger
This post was created in partnership with Cracker Barrel and Kroger! All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.
We've been having the most amazing weather lately and it's making me so excited for summer!!! Bring on all the barbecues with friends, dinners on the back patio, and date nights in. Eating outside is one of my favorite things to do. Somehow food tastes better when you can feel the sunshine and fresh air!
One of my favorite things to make during the summer are charcuterie boards. They're so easy, so tasty, and can easily please everyone at the table! I love making them when we have friends over, it's always a crowd favorite. Sometimes Eric and I even skip dinner, put our kids to bed, and make a charcuterie board for a little date night in.
A charcuterie board staple is cheese. My go to is always Cracker Barrel cheese! You can pick it up at your local Kroger store, my closest store is Fred Meyer, and it tastes amazing. Lately, my go to has been the new Cracker Barrel Rich and Bold Cubes. They're the perfect size and so easy to just throw on your board. I actually buy them for my kids as an easy snack too! They're the perfect grab and go snack if you're always on the run like us.
When I'm making a charcuterie board, I try to make it as colorful as possible. Some of the things I love to include are:
-Cheese. Try the new
Cracker Barrel Rich and Bold Cubes from your local Kroger store and save yourself some time! You don't have to spend time cutting cheese into perfect slices because all of the work as already been done for you! I also like to mix in a soft cheese.
-Meat. I love cured meats like salami and prosciutto.
-Crackers and bread. I like to include some crackers and sliced french bread.
-Fruit. Sliced pears, berries, and/or grapes are usually my go to's. I also throw some dried fruit on (cherries, apricots, or mandarin oranges) if I have it on hand.
-Olives and/or pickles.
-Nuts.
-Chocolates. I always include a little something sweet on charcuterie boards.
-Other fun things I like to include are dried vegetable chips, fruit spreads, and spicy peppers.
When putting your charcuterie board together, start by anchoring your board with bigger items (like cheese and bowls). Fill in more space with meats and crackers. And finally, fill in smaller spaces with nuts, fruit, olives, pickles, peppers, or chocolates. Don't worry about things being perfectly placed, you want it to look a little messy. Mix things up and push them close together so that you can't see the board underneath. If you're feeling fancy, garnish with some fresh herbs (I like to add fresh rosemary sprigs). Serve with some delicious wine and ta-da you've made the perfect charcuterie board!
I can't wait to make some epic charcuterie boards this summer. Bring on the sunshine and all the summer entertaining! I love that Cracker Barrel has made making a charcuterie board so easy with their Rich and Bold Cubes. I'll take any time savers I can get! You can find them at Kroger stores (Fred Meyer if you're local). And don't forget they make great snacks too, like cheese sticks, cheese dip and pretzels and even new portable pairing boards. They're the perfect size for grown ups and little people alike!
Cheers friends, to allllll the summer entertaining and eating out on the patio!
Xo,
M
