Cheese Platters

I've had a few folks ask me recently how I decide what cheeses and meats to serve for our weekly cheese platter supper.  My answer for this is to ultimately go with what you like!!  Every palate is quite different.  I've noted some of our favorites below for some inspiration to get your cheese wheels a turnin!  A few staples, a few new ones thrown in for good measure.  How we pair the cheeses and meats, which accompaniments to have, and layout ideas for your platter.  A must have: a freshly baked baguette or really good quality crackers {read: not the time to bust out the wheat thins}. A tip: We eat with our eyes first. So, no matter if you get the most expensive gourmet cheese or a basic block from the grocery store {hello, one of our faves is the Publix chipotle gouda!}, the real key here is to make your platter aesthetically pleasing.

Here are some suggestions as well as some pics of our recent platters :)

 

 

 

 

This board consists of gorgonzola, gouda and havarti.  We chose salami and also added in some leftover medium rare steak from the previous nights grill out. We sliced it thin on the bias and warmed it just so it was a little hotter than room temp.

 

Here, the same cheeses minus the gorgonzola but with some pesto on the side to spread over the baguette.  This tastes delicious with the Cream Havarti.  Prosciutto was the meat choice on this particular night.

 

Sea salt and olive oil crackers and sausage this time!  Chipotle Gouda in the back.

Upclose pic below. :)

 

 

Here, we chose garlic and herb white cheddar and gouda {see a theme here with the gouda?! lol}.  We added dipping sauce as well as red pepper jelly.  We always use the remainder of the cheeses we had the previous week so as not to be wasteful. Upclose pic below.

 

 

More gorgonzola with drizzled honey! Accompaniments for this platter were apricots and dried pineapple {soooo good!} I generally toast the bread in the oven for a few minutes {make sure to toss it with good quality olive oil for extra flavor}.

 

Lastly, here is an inspirational pic from one of my favorite entertaining and lifestyle books, Cupcakes and Cashmere {love the blog too!} When serving this for guests, I love her idea of the chalkboard signage to it's corresponding cheese.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

We really enjoy this weekly treat!  Hope you give it a shot if you need to mix up your dinners or add in a big appetizer platter to your next dinner party.   

Friday Favorites

This week's Friday Favorites are all about FOOD!  I have been super duper healthy this week and I'm so badly craving some good eats this weekend!  With Dylan out of town for work this week and just me to keep things together on the home front with Brooks, I've had little time to eat much of anything anyway.  So today, I'm using my Friday Favorites to reminisce over meals past.  Here are some goodies from our favorite restaurants recently and a few treats we've had at home! 


Hawaiian Ahí Tuna Tartare at SIP.

Dylan and I have been to this cute little restaurant a few times and really enjoy the atmosphere and food.  My absolute favorite is the Hawaiian Ahi Tuna Tartare.  It's served with these really yummy wonton chips too :)  They have a delicious cheese board and I also recommend the shrimp and grits.  The whole menu is tapas so if you are looking for lighter fair and like to taste test a few different dishes, then you'll love this place!  If you are nearby, check it out!

 

 

Oysters Rockefeller at Hugo's.

We dined at Hugo's in Roswell last Saturday as mentioned {here} and really enjoyed the food and atmosphere.  It felt nice enough for a night out but still laid back to take our 10 month old.  Of course, we take advantage of the early bird special time frame to avoid any temper tantrums!  My fave was the Rockefeller and Dylan's was the raw Gulf Oysters.  I also recommend the Chicken and Andouille Gumbo.  The Tasso Ham Deviled Eggs were good, however, I would have liked more sriracha aioli on top.  They were a tad bland for our tastes.  The kicker was the cheesecake!! Brooks even had some and loved it!!! ;)

 

 



                                                             Photo via Hugo's Website


Shrimp and Grits at Table and Main.

I love every dish I've ever had at this restaurant but in choosing one it would be the shrimp and grits. The guys that own this restaurant have it down!  "Simple, seasonal and southern" is their motto. Um, yes please!!!  I adore it.  The outside patio, the friendly staff and the little library books they bring your check to you in that you get to autograph and write a little note.  Fun fun...so go go visit is all I have to say!  It's on Canton Street in Roswell.  And order the shrimp and grits!!

                                                      Photo via the Table and Main website



Homemade Guacamole.

I'm a sucker for any type of dip! And guac is a good, healthy, easy one to make.  This one is simple: avocado, diced red pepper, onion, cilantro, jalapeno, lime and sea salt.  Sriracha on top!!  I like to serve it in a fun, decorative glass.  Just makes something simple look pleasingly complex.  I'm digging the multigrain tostitos these days with dips over pita chips or regular tostitos.  And who says paper napkins have to be dull?!  They always have cute ones at TJ Maxx and Home Goods for next to nothing! 

Lisa Laura Sour Poppers.

These little sour gummies are so good, y'all.  I could literally eat the whole bag myself...but I won't. I'll keep them out of sight and off my desk refrain.  The website has lots of other candy offerings as well but I'm a sucker for the sour! And let's be honest, anything that has burlap twine does it for me.  What a cute gift idea!  Stocking stuffer?  Tucked into a goodie basket for your kiddos?  Teacher gifts?  The possibilities are endless.

Up for the weekend: So excited to celebrate my dear, sweet friend, Caitlin's 30th birthday tomorrow night!! Wooop! A night out with all our favorite peeps!!

Weekend Update

We had such a nice, relaxing weekend.  I enjoyed every minute spending time with my precious family!  Brooks had a few firsts...he had his first few bites of brownie cheesecake {shhhh don't tell!} when we went out to dinner on Saturday night and he LOVED it!  He looked at me and smiled so big and mischievously as if he knew he was getting a treat that's not on "his menu."  He also decided it would be a good weekend to crawl up three of the stairs.  That's as far as little Tooks got though, as mama was right behind him worried a fall was in store.  Dylan keeps telling me I've gotta prepare myself for the little bumps and bruises that come along with having a rambunctious little boy! Noted! Baby gates are going up now though, that's for sure.

I got my hair done {much needed!} and did some fun shopping! We also scored some cool toys for Brooks from the Creekside Church Consignment Sale.  The rest of the time, I was completely fixed on my two faves~ my husband and my baby!  Friday night we grilled out at home {steak!}, Saturday night was a new venture to Hugo's in Roswell where we had some delicious oysters {ahhhh, my fave!}, and Sunday night we had our usual nibbly cheese board dinner along with some cured meats.  Needless to say we did some good eatin' and now it's back to healthy this week!

Now, onto a busy week ahead!!  Happy Monday :)

 

 

                                                             Seriously, these two are twins!! 

I got BIG kisses after Brooks had some cheesecake! 

Now, I know how to always make him smile! #sugarhigh

Brooks loves pushing Mr. Lion!

 Gearing up for football season!  House divided :)

A Trip to Scott's!

The perfect, ideal day for me would consist of sleeping in a bit, having a leisurely brunch with my hubby, snuggling and playing with the baby, and spending the afternoon with my little family shopping for antiques.  This might make me bit of an oddball but to each his own right?!  Right! 

Last week, after a disastrous busted water heater {we had to replace the stupid thing of course and boil water to bathe while we waited for it's replacement...yikes}, I needed to get out and have some fun.  It was that time again for Scott's Antique Market to be open so away we went!  Since Dylan had male bonding time with Brooks Saturday morning while I was at Pure Barre, I decided he should have the afternoon solo to do his thing {bathe the dog, play guitar, watch golf, etc}.  So after lunch, Brooks and I hit the road!  I saw some beautiful things.  Of course, we could really only "look" this time but we had just as much fun.  Here are some goodies!  A little Wednesday eye candy.

 

Check out how these bar stools swivel to tuck in neatly under the table.  Space saver...what what!

 

 

 

 

I would love this for our Master Bedroom!

 

How fabulous!  A lamp made from a garden stool. 

Monogrammed napkins by Lilly and Lucille. I LOVED this booth!!

 

 

 

Ahhhh, I'll take one of everything, please! ; )  

Baked Tilapia with Fresh Pineapple Salsa

As promised here, I finally found a yummy healthy meal to share!  This one is a modification of a recipe from my Healthy Living cookbook I've had for years.  The original calls for Salmon and while I surely love that type of fish, my hubs does not.  So we went for Tilapia instead!  I made the salsa as the recipe suggests but you could always pick up pre-made pineapple or mango salsa at the grocery if you don't have time to chop and dice.  No judgment here!!

For the fish:

Season both sides generously with salt and pepper and a little sprinkle of cumin.  Place onto a Pyrex dish and drizzle some olive oil. 

For the salsa:

In a medium bowl, combine chopped pineapple {or mango if you like}, red pepper, red onion, jalapeno pepper {I did half a pepper with the seeds removed}, and cilantro.  Squeeze in the juice of 1 lime and drizzle 1 Tbsp of honey {use good quality honey}. Toss the entire salsa mixture to distribute the lime juice and honey.  Season with salt and pepper.

Pour the salsa mixture over the fish and bake at 450 for about 20 minutes {you will alter cook time based on thickness of the fish and/or if you do salmon over tilapia}.

Suggestions: I think this would also be fantastic on the grill or in a grill pan on the stove.

Also, set aside some of the salsa to store in your fridge for later as a snack with tostito chips or atop shrimp tacos later in the week.  I also think the salsa would be yummy with a little chopped avocado, black beans and sriracha mixed in for a more savory dip with pita chips : )

We served ours with a side of stuffed scallops in an oyster shell {pre-assembled at the fish counter},

a roll and a wedge of lime to drizzle over the top.  Yummmmy!!!!  

Brown, wild or basmati rice would be a great side as well. 

Enjoy!!

Friday Favorites

When I first started my little blog a few years back, I did a Friday Favorites themed post.  Without further delay, and an actual request for it {what what?!}, I've brought it back!  These are just some fun things I've come across recently that I love! 

Pure Barre.

Thanks to my sweet friend Lauren, my postpartum mommy figure is on it's way back to fighting shape! Pure Barre has been a fun, challenging exercise for me!  I can really tell it's starting to tone me up and give me more energy.  There are tons of locations- I highly recommend this if you need to mix up or add to your current exercise regimen. 

http://purebarre.com/

Skinny Girl Nutrition Bar.

In keeping with the healthy theme here, I must mention my new favorite snack bar!  Skinny Girl Dark Chocolate Pretzel bar has saved me and my sweet tooth!  Ya know how some nutrition bars taste like a mixture of cardboard and chalk kind of gross, well this one is actually delish!! I came across them at Target and picked up a solo bar.  Then, I went back for the entire box to introduce it to my weekly rotation! It's gluten free and only 160 calories with 6 grams of protein.  Not too shabby. Great for an on-the-go breakfast or an afternoon snack! 

 

 



 

Personalized Pillows.

 

I adore anything with a cute little saying on it.  Especially, when the personalized item really is something I say ALL the time!  Love the book that inspired this pillow too!  It came from Home Goods {where else?!} a few months back and is perfect for our house.  I've said this over and over to Brooks since the first time I laid eyes on him!  And probably will continue saying it to him well into his adulthood {I'm sure he'll just love that! lol}.  I love you to the moon and back! 

 

 

 

 

Fresh Flowers.

 

Who doesn't like fresh flowers?  My sweet hubby hooked me up last weekend with two pretty bouquets!  What a sweetie.  Also, our crepe myrtle {Osage is it's accurate name I believe} in the backyard finally decided to bloom about two weeks ago.  I love looking out the kitchen window and seeing its gorgeous large purple blooms! 

 

 

 

A pretty red and yellow arrangement by Brooks's super cute "school" daycare picture.  SWOON!

 

More pretty purple with a little white mixed in.  A little cheese platter never hurt anyone either :)

We do these nibbly cheese platters often!  Especially, for Sunday night supper. 

 

 



 

DIY Wall Art. 

 

A cheap and simple way to jazz up your walls.  The story behind this particular print is a special one!  I found an old letter from my Mama Ruth {my mama's mama} that she'd written me back in 2002. In it, along with her usual sweet words of wisdom, was a statement that hit me like a ton of bricks now but didn't quite resonate with me back then {you know, when you're 19 and basically clueless and not making all the best choices!} Now, I'm so thankful I kept the letter!!  Her note read: "Let prayer be your key for the morning and lock for the night."  How true.  How special.  How perfect! A great reminder that we are not really in charge, are we?  We need His guidance.

 

So I found a super inexpensive frame at Marshall's and typed up the phrase and printed it out in color ink.  Here you have it, DIY wall art! 

 

 

My El cheapo frame didn't even come with a hanger so I snagged this pack from

Joanne's fabric for $1.  Crisis averted! I simply nailed it into the back of the frame.

 

I'm pondering where to hang it but I'm leaning towards Brooks's bathroom.

I'll report back with it's chosen spot soon!

 

 

 

 Hope you enjoy your weekend!!