Travel Destinations & Culinary Adventures

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How to Build a Savory Charcuterie Board

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Why is it that charcuterie boards are all the rage these days? They are trending in a big way on Pinterest and if you’ve glanced at any foodie’s Instagram feed, you’re likely to see a colorful board built of various finger foods.

The answer is simple — charcuterie boards are a fabulous way to serve others a beautifully assembled meal without cooking a single thing! Better yet, designing a charcuterie board is a blast because you’re literally playing with food to arrange it in an eye appealing way.

So, how do you know what items to source for your board? The key to building any savory charcuterie board is to think in categories when selecting the items to include: 1.) briny or acidic foods 2.) creamy and hard cheeses 3.) sliced deli meats. You want the items selected to complement each other in taste and texture. For example, pickles or artisan olives are a great follow to a rich cheese and cracker combination.

For my ultimate savory charcuterie board, I added another layer of interest. Some of my items are sourced from Kansas farmers or small food businesses while the others came mostly from Trader Joe’s. I’m passionate about supporting small business and several of the below mentioned companies were nice enough to gift me with their items.

What locally sourced gourmet foods could you add to your board?

I went BIG on this spread! The quantity of ingredients in this board could easily feed 2-4 people. We like to substitute a beautiful charcuterie platter for our usual dinner meal a couple Friday evenings a month because I don’t want to cook at the end of the week!

Here’s a rundown of the assorted items and where to buy them:

CRACKERS:

  • Brioche Toasts (Trader Joe’s) covered in roasted garlic from Orie’s Farm Fresh
  • Pita Bite Crackers (Trader Joe’s)
  • Golden Rounds (Trader Joe’s)
  • Great Value Rosemary Crackers (Walmart)

CHEESES:

  • Sliced Medium Cheddar (Walmart)
  • Cream Cheese Spread mixed with Cajun Marinade from Kansas Flavor
  • Honey Goat Cheese (Trader Joe’s) covered in Beesponsible Wildflower Honey
  • The Laughing Cow Garlic & Herb Cheese (Walmart) topped with fresh baby dill
  • Sliced White Cheddar (Private Selection from Kroger)

PROTEINS:

  • Smoked Salmon Slices (Walmart)
  • Salami (Trader Joe’s)
  • Prosciutto (Trader Joe’s)
  • Pepperoni (Trader Joe’s)

NUTS & CRUNCH:

FRUITS & VEGGIES:

  • Pickles Brussel Sprouts (Urban Prairie)
  • Sliced Tomatoes sprinkled with Smoked Garlic Salt (Orie’s Farm Fresh)
  • Jalapeño Mustard (Urban Prairie)
  • Fig Jam (Trader Joe’s)
  • Blue Cheese Stuffed Olives (Trader Joe’s)
  • Artichoke Hearts Segments (Trader Joe’s)
  • Clementine Orange Segments
  • Pink Lady Apple Slices
  • Dried Cranberries

I recommend a dry red wine to enjoy with it such as a Cabernet Sauvignon. We sipped on 2018 Happy Camper while nibbling on the delightful spread.

In the market for a serving board? I used a bamboo cutting board and a pizza board with a handle, which worked perfectly!

While the specific items chosen for our charcuterie board appeal to us, you should customize your selection to your taste. It’s really just an excuse to try new gourmet foods paired with your tried and true favorites.

Have a delightful time shopping for ingredients and designing an epic board of your own!

 

 

 

6 Flavorful Salads with Dried Fruit

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Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com. 

I love a hearty salad and especially appreciate the Panera Bread salads. But at $11 per salad, dining there can get costly! My go-to order at Panera is the Fuji Apple Salad with Chicken. So, to make it myself, I decided to dehydrate apples and create a copycat version. As a bonus, I’m including a round-up of heart-healthy salads from several food blogging friends.

These scrumptious salad recipes with dried fruit can be made during their week to tote to work for lunch as a lighter dinner option. 

Gala Apple Salad with Rotisserie Chicken, Goat Cheese, and Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

Made with mixed greens and tossed in balsamic vinaigrette, this salad combines tangy and sweet flavors. My salad recipe is made with dried apples, freshly shredded rotisserie chicken (buy one at the store!), tomatoes, goat cheese crumbles, red onion slices, and almond slices. I also love adding dried cranberries or golden raisins when I want more fruit flavor.

Preparing this salad is as simple as coating a large bowl with your desired amount of homemade balsamic vinaigrette (recipe below), adding the salad ingredients, and using tongs to toss the salad mixture until evenly coated with dressing. I think you’re going to love it.

You will need Agave Nectar (or honey) for this dressing recipe.

Gala Apple Salad with Rotisserie Chicken, Goat Cheese, and Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
gala apple salad with rotisserie chicken

Balsamic Vinaigrette

One Delightful Life
This tangy yet slightly sweet vinaigrette can be used as a dressing over almost any salad.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 T. Agave Nectar Light
  • 1 T. Dijon Mustard
  • 1/2 tsp. sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/4 balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 c. olive oil
  • 1 finely diced garlic clove

Instructions
 

  • Whisk all of the ingredients together in a bowl.
  • (You can also add all of the ingredients to a mason jar, add lid, and shake vigorously until well mixed.)
  • Serve immediately.

Farro Spinach Salad with Dried Fruit and Nuts

Yay! For Food’s salad is described as a sweet and savory vegan salad featuring the healthy whole grain: farro! Marie’s Farro Spinach Salad with Dried Fruit and Nuts recipe brings all the flavor and is nutritious. Farro, a grain that is nutty in flavor but a bit sweet, is high in fiber and a good source of protein and iron. Like rice, it is sold dried and prepared in water until it softens.

Recipe: YayForFood.com

Moroccan Couscous Salad

Contributing food blogger Marlee from ijustmakesandwiches.com, says her Moroccan Couscous Salad is made with dried fruit such as apricots and raisins tossed with a lemon vinaigrette. She suggests serving this cold couscous salad with roasted chicken or salmon. The Mediterranean couscous adds texture to this highly flavorful salad!

Recipe: I Just Make Sandwiches

Apple Fig Walnut Rocket Salad

This recipe is a winner! It combines some of my favorite flavors, including dried figs. Rhian of hintohealthy.com made it using “crunchy apples, jammy dried figs, earthy walnuts, and peppery rocket (arugula) coated in a garlicky pesto dressing!”

Learn how to make this gluten-free, vegan Apple Fig Walnut Rocket Salad for your next brunch or lunch with friends.

Recipe: Rhian’s Recipes

Kale Salad with Apples and Cranberries + Tahini Dressing

The best part of making a salad is that it is versatile. This hearty kale salad made with tahini dressing gets its texture from the leafy bits of kale, pumpkin seeds, chunks of apples, and dried cranberries.

All you have to do is combine the ingredients in a bowl and toss it with the dressing! Not a fan of Tahini? You could serve Hint of Healthy’s Kale Salad with Apples and Cranberries with a vinaigrette dressing as well.

Recipe: Hint of Healthy

Roasted Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad

A perfect salad to make during the fall, Cooking Carnival’s Roasted Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad combines the rich flavors of chopped kale, onion, butternut squash, quinoa, pecans, dried cranberries, and balsamic vinaigrette. I could see making this healthy salad as my entire dinner.

Recipe: Cooking Carnival

Love what you see here and want yet another salad option? If you’re hunting for a mostly fruit salad layered on a bed of fresh greens, you’ll adore my Spinach Fruit Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette.

I’m always eager to add another fresh salad to my line-up of weeknight stars, so be sure to add your recipe idea to the comments below!

 

Mixed Berry Popsicles with Coconut Water

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The quintessential summer dessert is the classic popsicle. Wouldn’t you agree? Sure melted s’mores are delicious, but I consider s’mores more of a fall dessert made around a campfire. I have fond memories of the ice cream truck cruising down the city street. It conjures up nostalgic thoughts of having to choose from tri-colored bomb pops, ice cream drumsticks or fruity popsicles. A tough decision! Which one did you choose? I used my 75 cents to buy the rainbow popsicle almost every time.

Now an adult, I still mark summer by indulging in a colorful popsicle, but I’d rather not ingest corn fructose syrup or ingredients I can’t pronounce. So, this summer I made Mixed Berry Popsicles with Coconut Water, a thirst-quenching treat made from natural flavors!

I used frozen, mixed berries and coconut water, which is low in calories and high in nutrients. The benefits of coconut water will convince you that it’s worth trying!

I used frozen organic fruit, but you could easily use canned or fresh fruit as well.

I prepared them using Koji popsicle molds, which I purchased at Target last year. Filling the molds is as easy as adding a tablespoon (or two!) of mixed frozen berries, filling the mold with coconut water almost to the top of it, a tiny bit of Stevia, and a pinch of lime zest for added tanginess. You could add lime juice instead of zest as well. Prepping the yummy popsicles only takes minutes and they are ready to enjoy within a few hours of placing them in the freezer.

When you’re ready to eat them, remove the popsicle molds from the freezer and let them sit out on the counter for about ten minutes or so. Allowing them to thaw out will help you easily remove the popsicles from the mold. Isn’t it cool how the whole berries can be seen through the frozen coconut water? These popsicles are not only yummy tasting but they’re pretty, too!

What was your summer like? I spent mine living for the weekend and trying to squeeze the most delightful moments out of each day. I’m not ready for fall temperatures or lattes just yet. I’ve got popsicles to enjoy on the back porch while watching the gorgeous Kansas sunset!

Baked Apples Filled with Oatmeal, Dates and Brown Sugar

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Hello, Fall! Good to see you again.

October is the best month of the year. Why? It’s my birthday month (holla!), breweries are prepping for Oktoberfest, and the food….oh, the food!

Many cooks have prepared baked apples to welcome autumn, but my recipe incorporates chopped dates and walnuts with oatmeal to bring home real fall flavor. Leave room for dessert tonight because you will want to gobble up the entire apple. They serve well with vanilla bean ice cream too!

Baked Apples Stuffed with Oatmeal, Dates, and Brown Sugar
Prior to baking, stuff these babies as full as you can with the filling ingredients.

Here are the instructions for Baked Apples with Oatmeal, Dates and Brown Sugar:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Wash two Pink Lady Apples. Core out the inside without penetrating the bottom. (Remove about half of the apple’s core.)

3. Add the butter to a small microwavable bowl and heat it about 10 seconds until it’s melted. Add remaining filling ingredients. Stir to combine all thoroughly.

4. Stuff each apple with the filling.

5. Set apples upright into baking dish. Add enough water around the apples until the bottom surface is covered.

6. Bake apples at 350 degrees for one hour. Serve warm. Devour.

Baked Apples
The apple’s exterior color fades during baking, but the flavor is accentuated. Trust me. These apples are delicious on their own or served with vanilla bean ice cream.

[mpprecipe-recipe:82]

Stuffed Baked Apples

 

Decadent Poached Pears made with Cabernet and Apple Cider

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I didn’t want to make the typical fall dessert. You know the kind. Pumpkin Pie. Caramel Brownies. Nope! I wanted to make something fresh, comforting, and over the top delicious. My Decadent Poached Pears made with cabernet and apple cider is the quintessential fall dessert.

Made with 19 Crimes Cabernet and Louisburg Mill Apple Cider, this recipe for Decadent Poached Pears takes a new twist on the typical poached pear recipe. Instead of adding orange juice, I used my favorite autumnal beverage, apple cider, which gives the pear glaze its rich flavor.

First, clean two red pears. Using a paring knife, remove the skin of each pear. Do not remove the stem. Slice the bottom of each pear off so it sits flat on the cutting board.

Second, add the cabernet, apple, cider, pumpkin spice, and cinnamon stick to a small stovetop pot.

Bring the liquid to a rolling boil and then reduce the heat. Stir frequently.

Third, add the prepped pears to the pot. The heat should be turned to low right now.

This is what the pears look like before you spoon the liquid over them.

Spoon the liquid over the pears several times. Allow to simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. After the five minutes expire, lay each pear on its side and spoon more liquid over it. Set a time for 5 minutes. After the five minutes expire, repeat the process turning the pears to their other side. Repeat this process for a total of 20 minutes are until the pears are tender.

Fourth, remove the steamed pears (they should be tender when pierced with a toothpick or spoon) and place them in a wide bowl.

Fifth, remove the cinnamon stick from the liquid. Increase the heat back to the high setting to bring the liquid to a boil stirring constantly for five minutes until it thickens to glaze. Remove from heat.

Lastly, spoon cabernet glaze over the pears and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy!

Add cinnamon sticks for garnish.

Decadent Poached Pears made with Cabernet and Apple Cider

One Delightful Life
Impress holiday guests with this seasonal dessert that promises to wow a crowd and is super easy to prepare.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Dessert, fruit
Cuisine American
Servings 2 pears

Ingredients
  

  • 2 peeled whole red pears
  • 1 c. cabernet
  • 1/8 c. sugar
  • 1/4 c. apple cider
  • 1 tsp pumpkin spice
  • 1 cinnamon stick

Instructions
 

  • Using a small paring knife to peel the pear but leave the stem.
  • Slide off the bottom of each pair so it sits evenly.
  • Over medium heat combine the cabernet, sugar, and apple cider and stir frequently.
  • Reduce to a simmer.
  • Place the apples into the pot sitting on their base.
  • Add the cinnamon stick to the pot.
  • Spoon the cabernet liquid over all sides of each pear. Set a timer for five minutes.
  • After the five minutes expire, put the apples on their sides and spoon more of the cabernet liquid over them. Set a time for five minutes.
  • Repeat these five minute intervals two to three more times always rotating the pears each time to guarantee that the color covers the pear evenly.
  • Check the pears for softness after about 20 minutes of rotation intervals.
  • Remove the pears and allow them to cool in a wide bowl.
  • Remove the cinnamon stick.
  • Bring the heat of the pot back up to medium high and stir the cabernet liquid continuously until the liquid thickens to a glaze (approximately 10-15 minutes).
  • Pour the finished glaze over the pears and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Notes

You can substitute orange juice for apple cider if you prefer a citrus flavor note.

Creamy No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream with Cherries and Chocolate

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What if I told you that you could make ice cream with only three ingredients plus your favorite mix-ins and it didn’t require fancy equipment? You can!

I’m on a major sugar bender right now. It’s unusual for me to eat sweets three days in a row but nothing beats my homemade Creamy No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream with Cherries and Chocolate.

Not movie candy. Not baked goods. This dessert is it for me. It’s incredibly delicious and I want to give you the “scoop” on how to make it at home.

No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream RecipeIf you can use a hand mixer and a spatula, you can make this yummy recipe. Preparing the ice cream is easy. Waiting about eight hours for it to freeze is the tough part.

If you prefer different fruit or candy mix-ins, you can swap them for the fresh cherries and chocolate. In fact, I almost wish I remembered to add chopped walnuts to this recipe, but that’s okay! I can just sprinkle them on top of my ice cream or get wild and create a sundae with whipped cream too.

No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream RecipeCan you believe how amazing that scoop of ice cream looks topped with chocolate dipped cherries? As vanilla ice cream as the base, the possibilities for flavor combinations is limitless. Why not peanut butter and chocolate? Or a take on Smores using mini marshmallows? Or perhaps chunked pieces of apple pie from the grocery’s bakery department?

No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream RecipeI was inspired to use the cherry-chocolate flavor pairing after purchasing a pound of fresh dark cherries from the grocery store. If you buy fruit that is in season, it forces you to use your creativity to build a recipe around it. What goes well with cherries? Say it with me…chocolate!

To keep the recipe inexpensive, I used semi-sweet chocolate chips. You’ll also need two cups of cold, heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract, and one can of sweetened condensed milk to make the ice cream base. Preferring big chunks of fruit in my ice cream, I halved each cherry rather than chopping them.

No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream RecipeBe sure to lay out all of your kitchen tools and ingredients before starting this recipe, a method many chefs refer to as “Mise en Place.” This is French for putting everything in place. You’ll need to be organized so you can quickly move the Seran wrap covered ice cream pan to the freezer, which if you’re like me, means first clearing a flat space in the deep freeze.

To prepare the ice cream base, beat the heavy whipping cream in a large bowl until stiff peaks form on the hand mixer’s beaters. In a separate large bowl, mix a can of sweetened condensed milk and one tablespoon vanilla extract with spoon by hand.

Gently fold in the whipped cream a large clump at a time until all of it is gently incorporated into the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract mixture. If you mix too the whipped cream into the ice cream base in a hurried fashion, you’ll end up with sweet soup. Patience pays off.

I added about 2 cups pitted and halved fresh cherries and 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips and gently mixed them into the ice cream base mixture. When finished, pour the bowl of ice cream into a glass loaf pan. Cover tightly with Seran wrap and freeze at least 6 up to 8 hours before serving. It was harden just like any other scoopable ice cream. This is not ice milk or soft serve ice cream.

No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe

no-churn ice cream

Creamy No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream with Cherries and Chocolate

onedelightfullife.com
Better than store-bought ice cream, this no-churn recipe doesn't require fancy kitchen equipment and tastes delightful.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 30 minutes
Course Dessert, fruit
Cuisine American
Servings 8 -10 servings

Ingredients
  

  • Ice Cream Base:
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1 can sweetened condense milk
  • 1 T. vanilla extract
  • Mix-Ins:
  • 2 cups pitted halved fresh cherries
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • Pour heavy whipping cream into a large bowl.
  • Using a hand mixer on a middle speed setting, mix the heavy whipping cream until it begins to thicken. You'll know it's done when it forms stiff peaks on the beaters. When finished, set the bowl aside.
  • In a separate large bowl, add vanilla extract to the sweetened condensed milk and mix thoroughly. Set the bowl aside.
  • Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the whipped cream a little at a time into the condensed milk and vanilla mixture. Continue adding the whipped cream and gently continue mixing until all three ingredients are well incorporated.
  • Add in the pitted, halved cherries and chocolate chips (or your mix-ins of choice)
  • Pour ice cream base mixture into a glass loaf pan.
  • Cover tightly with plastic wrap.
  • Freeze 6-8 hours.

I hope you enjoy this easy, no frills ice cream recipe. It’s super simple and inexpensive to make as a dessert for several people.

I promise to bring more blog posts to keep your time in the kitchen fun and budget-friendly. Get more inspirational recipe and travel posts on Instagram and receive daily updates on Twitter. 

 

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