Simple Charcuterie

I see charcuterie boards all over the internet, all of the time. I was really intimidated by them, beacause most of the ones I see are very elaborate. Some of them can also be quite expensive to recreate. They have fancy cheeses, expensive meats and all kinds of other little snacks added in between. At my house, it is only my husband, myself and our dog. A big extravagant board just seemed a bit much for two people. Of coarse, the charcuterie can be as decorated and complex as you prefer. We really just wanted to opt for something that we could recreate easily for a simple dinner from time to time. We didn't know where to begin, so we headed for the grocery store.

We started at the deli section at our local supermarket. We started with some salamis and cheeses. Those alone were more than we wanted to spend on a simple dinner, so we put them back and scoured the section for something else. That's when we saw it. Hormel makes these giant sized lunchables for grown ups! They are cheap, and already have over half of the ingredients included. They come with two meats, two cheeses, and some crackers. That's part of the work done, already! Now what small sides could we have with it? We concluded we needed something pickled. Maybe some jalapeños or pepperonichi? Then we saw them at the corner of the deli. They were these tiny little pickles in their own containers, just like the kind that applesauce comes in. They were perfect. Now onto the next item. We needed something to dip the crackers in. I found some wholegrain mustard, so we would have a savory dip. My husband chose a raspberry jam, so we would have something sweet and fruity. Then we got some mixed cocktail peanuts as a pallet cleanser. We were all set. Now to go home and assemble the board.

I had ordered a platter with no idea of what it would be used for. It has now become our designated charcuterie platter. Its about medium sized, nothing too big or too small. I also had some tiny sauce bowls that I found in the Target dollar spot. These were the perfect size to hold the little canister of pickles, as well as enough dip and peanuts for us to share. I spaced them out on the platter and began to fill in the gaps with our meats and cheeses. These are stuck together when you open them, but they are easy to get apart. I went ahead and got them all unstuck, so eating would be easier and more enjoyable. I placed small appetizer spoons into the dips for use. I also poured the crackers into a cereal bowl for us to share.

This has now become one of our casual dinners. We are able to get plenty full enough, and not waste too much. The dips usually last us about 3-4 of these boards, and the pickles come in a pack of six to last us as well. The peanuts are also good for a few uses, and we usually have enough crackers to save for something else.

Often we'll choose a movie together to make this dinner a little extra exciting. It is casual enough to have in front of the TV, so we can turn it into a cute date if we want to. This would also be great to enjoy along with a football game, or other sports that you prefer. It also pairs well with your favorite beer or wine.

If you want to have this for a get-together, you can just double everything and serve it on a larger platter. The more people you have, the more you can be creative with the sides, because they are less likely to be wasted. You can add things like fruit, pretzels and sweets.

What you will need for a regular sized platter for two:

• 2 meats
• 2 cheeses
• 1-2 sleeves of crackers
• something pickled
• sweet spread
• savory spread
• nuts of your choice

These are the essentials that you'll need for a well-rounded board. If you don't think this is enough, or you just want some more variety then you can always add to this.

Here are some fun additions:

• pretzels or chips
• fruit
• something chocolate
• honey
• extra dips
• different crackers

If you are intimidated by charcuteries, like I was, here are some combinations of things my husband and I really enjoy:

Board 1:

• Hormel Ham and Turkey Party Tray (this also includes cheddar cheese, colby jack cheese and ritz crackers)
• raspberry, grape or strawberry jam
• wholegrain mustard
• mini pickles
• mixed cocktail peanuts

Board 2:

• Hormel Pepperoni and Salami Party Tray (this also includes cheddar cheese, colby jack cheese and ritz crackers)
• raspberry or strawberry jam
• wholegrain mustard
• pepperonichi peppers or jalapeños
• spanish peanuts

Ideas for each category

Something Pickled: bread and butter pickles, mini pickles, pickle chips, banana peppers, jalapeños, pepperonichi, olives

Sweet Spread: strawberry jam, raspberry jam, blackberry jam, grape jam, honey

Savory Spread: wholegrain mustard, honey mustard, jalapeño jam, spinach dip, ranch dip

Nuts: honey roasted peanuts, mixed cocktail peanuts, spanish peanuts, almonds, pecans, walnuts

Fruit: apples, grapes, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, oranges, pomegranate seeds

Crackers and Chips: ritz, pita chips, flipsides, plain wavy Lay's, pretzels, tortilla chips, club crackers, saltines

Something Chocolate: chocolate covered espresso beans, chocolate covered nuts, chocolate covered raisins, chocolate covered pretzels

If you choose not to get a party tray, here are some meat and cheese ideas:

Meat: ham, turkey, pepperoni, salami, prochuto, roast beef

Cheese: sharp cheddar, mild cheddar, white cheddar, provalone, brie, swiss, mozzerella, colby jack