The Well Dressed Kitchen

Cheese

Festive 5-Minute Cranberry Salsa

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Cranberry Salsa is made from fresh cranberries, served over cream cheese and makes the most amazing Holiday Dip. The salsa is tart from the cranberry, balanced out with sweetness from honey yet full of heat from jalapeño. You will serve this every year, guaranteed! 

Cranberry Salsa

Best Time of Year To Use Fresh Cranberries

This is the best time of year to cook with fresh cranberries. These beautiful little bits of tartness are only in stores for a limited time so stock up now. The bright, Cranberry color is absolutely gorgeous, I had to find a way to use them in a quick and easy Holiday recipe!

Cranberry Salsa

This salsa recipe is really quick and easy and there is no cooking involved!

All you do is combine all ingredients in food processor: Cranberries, Diced Green Onion, Diced Jalapeño (without the seeds or leave the seeds in for more heat), Cilantro, Lime Juice, Honey and a pinch of Salt. Pulse until well combined like the picture below. Then scoop out on top of a block of cream cheese and serve with crackers. You can use any crackers you like. I used a variety of crackers of different shapes and sizes.

Cranberry Salsa

If you like a lot of heat, keep the seeds in the jalapeño. When I am serving at a party I leave out the seeds because not everyone likes spicy. I allow my salsa to chill in the refrigerator a few hours before serving allowing the flavors to develop. If you don’t have the time you can still serve immediately and it’s so yummy.

Cranberry Salsa
 
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This Cranberry Salsa is made from fresh cranberries, served over cream cheese and makes the most amazing Holiday Dip. The salsa is tart from the cranberry, balanced out with sweetness from the honey yet full of heat from the jalapeños. You will serve this every year, guaranteed!
Ingredients
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries, rinsed
  • 4 green onions, diced
  • 1 jalapeño, minced (seeds removed)
  • ¼ cup cilantro leaves
  • 1 lime, juice of
  • ¼ cup honey
  • pinch of salt
Instructions
  1. In a food processer or blender, place cranberries, green onions, jalapeños, cilantro leaves, lime juice, honey and salt and pulse until finely chopped. Taste and add more honey depending how tart your cranberries taste.
  2. Cover with plastic wrap and put in refrigerator for a few hours before serving allowing the flavors to develop.
  3. Serve cranberry salsa alone or over cream cheese with crackers.

Cranberry Salsa

More Holiday Appetizers:

Sweet Potato Bites

Sweet Potato Bites + Goat Cheese, Cranberry, and Pecan

Tomato Pesto Crostini

Tomato + Pesto Crostini 

Shop Products I used in this recipe:

I can’t wait for the day I have a huge Food Processor, but for now my Cuisinart does the trick and I am really impressed with it. It’s reasonably priced and easy to use. Click here or on the picture below for the link:

What is your favorite Holiday Appetizer!? I would love to see your pictures. Please let me know by leaving a comment below and share a picture on Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag #thewelldressedkitchen.

THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWING ALONG! XOXO, REBECCA ROSATI @ THE WELL DRESSED KITCHEN! 💗

How To: Create An Elegant Cheese Board – Entertaining at it’s Best!

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An elegant and delicious way to take your entertaining to the next level is an elaborate Cheese Board. Serving a cheese board as a party appetizer is easier than you think. Learn when to serve it, what cheese to buy, and how to put together a beautiful presentation. Then, pair it with the perfect wine or champagne to really impress your company.  

Food Entertaining

In my opinion, it’s always the right occasion for a cheese plate, but with the holidays and entertaining season upon us it’s the perfect time to Learn How to Make A Cheese Board. While many people think elegant cheese plates are something you can only get at a fancy restaurant, it’s easier to serve at home than you think. An added bonus, you can serve cheese boards any time of year, for any occasion.

Cheese Board

When to Make A Cheese Board… Anytime!!

I always make a cheese board when I am entertaining for a girl’s night, dinner party or holiday and I want to impress my guests. I use a variety of textures and flavors so my guests can choose whatever they want. I absolutely love to entertain, especially around the Holidays so when it’s this time of year, a cheese board is an elegant and easy way to feed my friends and family.

Choosing Your Cheese Board

A lot of times I use my big wood cutting board to serve my cheese, but a standard serving platter also works great. I am so excited because I just bought this ash wood and slate serving board  and both are PERFECT for entertaining! You can also try this stoneware platter for a more sophisticated look.

How to Build Your Basic Cheese Board

Start with CHEESE: Include a variety of textures and flavors, but be sure to serve at least one familiar cheese. Pick different soft and hard cheeses. My absolute favorite hard or firm cheese is Manchego, but other tasty options include Mimolette or Parmigiano-Reggiano. For soft cheese I suggest goat cheese and brie for a creamy texture. Try using an aged cheese like Aged Cheddar or Gouda.

Offer a selection of bread and crackers: Serve a sliced baguette or Crostini, thin breadsticks, or crackers of all shapes and sizes to add a little texture and crunch.

Something salty and sweet. Cheese pairs well with dried fruit, spreadable jam, or fresh berries. Olives, nuts such as almonds and walnuts, and salty meats like prosciutto and salami are great options for cheese boards. Jarred condiments and vegetables are quick, try using artichoke hearts or roasted red peppers. My Cranberry Salsa goes great over a block of cream cheese!

Set out a separate knife for each cheese: You want the soft varieties of cheese to have their own knife, a butter knife works just fine. A firm cheese might require a sharper knife such as a pairing knife.

Remove Cheese from Refrigerator roughly 45 minutes before serving: When the cheese is too cold, it doesn’t have its full flavor. Allowing the cheese to sit out brings out the flavor and aroma. Also, you want the cheese at room temperature making it easier to cut and serve.

Label each cheese, if possible: This avoids people asking you the names of each cheese and allows them to pick what variety they feel comfortable trying. Even better, you can write a few words to describe its flavor. These Chalk Board Tags are so fun and work great!

Don’t Go Crazy with the pairings: While I provide many suggestions, don’t get overwhelmed with a ton of pairings. Choose one bread and cracker, one fresh fruit, nut and jam along with two savory items like pickles, salami, or mustard ought to do it!

Cheese Board

How Much Cheese to Serve:

If your cheese board is one of many appetizers I suggest buying roughly 2 to 3 ounces per person.

Finally, Pair with Wine and Champagne

I prefer a crisp white wine like a Rosé or Sauvignon Blanc.  Champagne pairs well with salty foods like nuts, and aged hard cheese like gouda and cheddar. It also goes great with fresh berries like raspberries and blackberries that aren’t typically too sweet.

Have you made your own cheese board? Share with me in the comments what worked and didn’t work… I would love to know!

Shop Products to Use for Your Elegant Cheese Board:

Ash and Wood Cheese Tray

Purchase this set individually:

Slate Serving BoardChalk Tags

 

Large Entertaining PlatterLarge Wood Cutting Board

Stoneware Platter                                             Large Wood Cutting Board

 

 

Other Holiday Appetizers:

Tomato Pesto Crostini

PESTO CROSTINI + TOMATO & PARMESAN

Sweet Potato Bites

SWEET POTATO BITES + GOAT CHEESE, CRANBERRY, AND PECAN

Cranberry Salsa

Cranberry Salsa + Cream Cheese & Crackers 

What is your favorite Cheese!? I would love to see your pictures. Please let me know by leaving a comment below and share a picture on Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag #thewelldressedkitchen.

THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWING ALONG! XOXO, REBECCA ROSATI @ THE WELL DRESSED KITCHEN! 💗

Avocado Caprese Toast + Balsamic Drizzle

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A Caprese Salad is made from fresh tomato, buffalo mozzarella, basil, olive oil, salt and pepper. I upgraded a Traditional Caprese Salad by serving on top of toasted, hearty multigrain bread smothered with Avocado and finished with a drizzle of Balsamic and it came out 👌🏽

Avocado Caprese Toast With Balsamic Drizzle

I am on a bit of an avocado craze and I am adding it to all my food at every chance I get. I talked about some of the health benefits of the healthy fats in avocado in my Easy Homemade Guacamole Post and I want to share again…

WHAT IS ALL THE HYPE OF AVOCADOS OTHER THAN THEY TASTE AMAZING…

Avocados have many health benefits and are a naturally nutrient dense food containing nearly 20 vitamins and minerals. It can be confusing keeping up with nutritional information. It was only a few years ago that low-fat diets were all the rage. Now studies have shown daily intake of healthy fats or commonly referred to as good fats, lead to a healthy heart and slimmer body. If you have heard the term “good fat” associated with health benefits in foods such as oil, nuts, and avocado and wonder what that means, don’t wonder anymore…

Good fats or monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) are a healthy alternative to trans fats and refined polyunsaturated fats you find in most processed foods. Research shows that people with moderate amounts of monounsaturated fats have many amazing health benefits including but not limited to decreased risk for breast cancer, reduced cholesterol levels, and lower risk for heart disease and stroke. Studies have also found switching to MUFA from high intake of trans fats and polyunsaturated fats can help with weight loss. Bring on the avocado!!!

I picked up these bright and colorful tomatoes and basil from the Valparaiso Farmer’s Market. The tomatoes weren’t only bright and beautiful in color, but they were juicy and tasted amazing. The combination of flavors in this Caprese Toast was like a dance party in my mouth. From the crunch of the bread to the smoothness of the avocado followed by juicy tomatoes covered in creamy mozzarella cheese and then finished with a bite from the basil covered in balsamic… I will be eating this all week.

Avocado Caprese Toast With Balsamic Drizzle

This recipe is really easy and no cooking required!

Toast bread in toaster or toaster oven. I like to add a little drizzle of olive oil to the bread before toasting. Spread avocado over toasted bread then layer with tomato and mozzarella slices, top with a little pinch of salt and pepper, fresh basil leaves and drizzle with balsamic glaze.

Avocado Caprese Toast + Balsamic Drizzle
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Appetizer, Snack
Prep time: 
Total time: 
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A Caprese Salad is made from fresh tomato, buffalo mozzarella, basil, olive oil, salt and pepper. I upgraded a Traditional Caprese Salad by serving on top of toasted, hearty multigrain bread smothered with Avocado and finished with a drizzle of Balsamic and it came out delicious.
Ingredients
  • 1 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled
  • 2 slices bread, toasted
  • 1 tomato, thinly sliced
  • 2 ounces fresh Mozzarella cheese, cut in cubes or thinly sliced
  • 2 to 3 basil leafs
  • Drizzle of Balsamic
  • Drizzle of olive oil
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. Toast bread in toaster or toaster oven. If desire, add a little drizzle of olive oil to the bread before toasting.
  2. Spread avocado over toasted bread then layer with tomato and mozzarella slices, top with a little pinch of salt and pepper, fresh basil leaves and drizzle with balsamic glaze.
  3. Serve Immediately.

 

Avocado Caprese Toast With Balsamic Drizzle

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #thewelldressedkitchen.

Try more Avocado Recipes:

Simple Avocado Toast

Breakfast Avocado Egg Bake

Easy Homemade Guacamole

Two-Minute Guacamole

THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWING ALONG! XOXO, BECCA @ THE WELL DRESSED KITCHEN! 💗

Nutrition Disclaimer