Free-Style Easy Festive Platters
Whether you’re entertaining for just one or two close friends or a whole gaggle of folks, free-style platters will save you a lot of time and hassle so you’ll actually have time to enjoy the party…and NO cooking required.
Create your own free-style platters and serve them buffet style. Let everyone help themselves and “graze.” Cheese boards are great – but hey, it’s just cheese!
Fill one platter with smoked salmon and/or meat and cheese: Buy smoked salmon (found in grocery stores, ready to be served cold). Serve with a mound of cream cheese and thin slices of red onion and lemon. Let folks fix their own salmon mini toasts and/or crackers. Slice Summer sausage (turkey, beef or both) into thin rounds. Serve with cubed Cheddar, Gruyere, and/or Swiss cheese and plenty of assorted crackers. Optional: Dijon Mustard for dipping.
GET CREATIVE with a condiment/jarred veggie platter: don’t just add the standard pickles or basic olives. Every grocery store has a special aisle of gourmet condiments and marinated vegetables that will add zing to any gathering. Here are some ideas to get you started:
– gourmet olives stuffed with: blue cheese, jalapeno, garlic, etc.
– pickled EVERYTHING: Pickled beets, artichokes, mixed vegetables, stuffed roasted mini red peppers, stuffed hot peppers, etc. (usually found near the pickles and olives)
– Wicked Okra (by Wickle’s Pickles)
– stuffed grapes leaves (in cans or fresh)
– humus, served with pita crackers
– fig or cranberry jam, serve with crackers (not a condiment or vegetable, but bursts with flavor)
– scour the aisles for other unique and interesting condiments and jarred vegetables – the list is endless!
Serving a wide variety of unusual condiments and vegetables along with smoked salmon, summer sausage or even deli meat, is sure to be a hit – and great for folks to “grab and mingle.”
OLD SCHOOL TOUCHES:
Go Nuts: add a bowl of assorted mixed nuts to the buffet table.
Chips and Dip: Who doesn’t enjoy chips and dip! Go with store-made dip to keep it easy.
DESSERTS: keep it simple with gourmet store bought cookies, brownies and/or petit fours.
DRINKS: up to you. Whether you go with a punch bowl or casual mixed drinks, be sure there is plenty of bottled water (plain and sparkling) for non-drinkers. EASY COCKTAIL: cranberry juice served with or without vodka, a wedge of lime, topped with seltzer (plain OR lime seltzer).
Be sure to place plenty of small cocktail plates and napkins around the buffet table (not just in one spot),along with cocktail picks, serving forks and spoons.
These easy festive platters can be also be scaled back “just for you!” Want an easy lunch or dinner? Make a small platter for yourself. It’s all about a little bit of meat and/or fish and plenty of condiments/marinated veggies!
Now get the party started!