Hi friends! It’s raining cats and dogs here! I hope your summer is going well!

Before we begin, I wanted to share the new package that arrived today! It’s an Instant Pot!

I have wanted one of these for awhile, and thanks to Amazon Prime Day, I ordered one yesterday and it came today! So I am looking forward to learning all about this new addition to my kitchen! Please comment below and let me know if you have one and what you like to make in it!

The Grazing Platter

This week I wanted to create a “grazing board” on the blog as this is something we will sometimes make as dinner, but it’s also great for a party! The concept behind a grazing board is to have a large board, or platter or even a table that is loaded up with a delicious mix of foods, with a collection of great flavors that come together. It usually will have a host of meats, cheeses, dips, fruits, veggies and all sorts of creative additions.

These are really kind of fun to put together! Now mine is actually on a platter rather than a board (I don’t have one yet). I knew I wanted hummus included, so I made some hummus today. I’ve shared this recipe before, if you would like all the details, click here: Hummus

This recipe includes a can of  chick peas (also called “garbanzo beans) drained, but reserving the liquid.  And you can mix it in a blender or a food processor. Note, my recipe does not include Tahini but you can certainly add it if you like.

You blend it, and determine if it needs more liquid, and you tweak and add more of the reserve chick pea liquid, lemon juice and garlic until you get it right where you like it. And then blend it for 5 minutes which is what gives it that really nice fluffy consistency. Once again, if you would like to make this hummus, the recipe can be found here: hummus.

It really is fantastic!

But you can add whatever kind of dips you like to your grazing platter. You make want guacamole or a cheese dip or several dips. That is the beauty of a grazing platter, you add what you want!

So here is what I chose this time for my grazing platter. I put the hummus right in the center of my platter, in a cute little bowl. A dip can tie so many of your other ingredients together. Generally, the idea is to have such a great variety of items and flavors on your platter, you don’t really need a lot of any one thing! So my little bowl of hummus is perfect, and I drizzled some olive oil on the top and sprinkled some paprika on it.

There are 4 other little white bowls on my platter. For the record, I bought those little bowls at Pier 1, I think they were like $1.50 a piece. They add a little bit of interest in the presentation. You can see I put Kalamata Olives in one (I love the salty flavor!) I also put small crackers (Wheat Thins) in a little bowl, small flat dipping pretzels in a bowl, and then pecans. I just have to say that the nuts added to this platter are such a delicious add. The flavors mingle so nicely together! My pecans are not salted. I just liked the taste of the pecan really coming through. You could put any nut (I was so tempted to get Brazil nuts today!) Or you could skip nuts altogether!

In the shot above, if you look in the upper right, there is some pita bread added. I probably should have cut it in little wedges. I have a super easy recipe for the pita bread (this is an alternative, super duper easy) You can find it on the same page as the hummus: Pita

I also added in sliced hard salami, which I folded in half and then folded again and wedged them in there to look like flowers. I also added small slices of cheese, and I could have easily added more kinds of cheese.

I wedged in strawberries, grapes, carrots, broccoli, cucumber, cherry tomatoes and red and orange pepper slices.

Below you can see I even have a piece of smoked salmon in there (next to the broccoli)

The intention is to have so many different tasty flavors, its a flavor fest for your guests!

As a family this evening, we were talking about different things we could put on the grazing board next time. Cheese cubes, ham cubes, turkey cubes, a cheese ball, sliced up pepperoni, prosciutto, chorizo, goat cheese, pickles, dried apricots, maybe some raspberries, blueberries, maybe even a small bowl of chocolate covered nuts… isn’t it fun?

What would you add to your grazing board?

I was thinking even some candles would be pretty! Next time!

It makes such a splendid presentation, it feels to me like you have stumbled upon the king’s feasting table! It is a feast for the eyes! And you and your guests are invited to partake! To share from the same platter. A special kind of bonding happens when you do that. It’s intimate and yet it’s a celebration at the same time. It warmly invites laughter and cheerful conversation. The mixing of the salty, savory and sweet flavors is unexpected from the same platter and just fun! The protein choices satiate the hunger, and you feel so good eating it! Every bite, every delicious colorful morsel makes you feel better and better! And you find you just want to linger in the moment, because this is indeed a very good moment! The kind memories are made from!

I hope you have a fantastic week!

I will be back Friday for another post!

Love Always,

Amy

Small cheer and great welcome makes a merry feast.   ~William Shakespeare