Cheese Plate

Tonight I threw my husband ANOTHER 30th birthday party, this time for our local friends. The crowd was small and I wanted to make sure the food I had was special and spoke for itself. I served the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip for a sweet treat, and I decided to go with a a cheese plate for a more savory/salty option.

This plate had a somewhat limited selection of cheeses, but it turned out nice and they were all a hit! Next time I will take the time to go to a store with a more diverse selection, but due to some time-limiting unexpected events this week, I had to make do with the local grocery store. This is more of an article about how to prepare and serve a cheese plate. Oh, man, I like cheese.

Cheese Plate – How to Make it Happen

1) Select your cheeses. Go for a mixture of colors, shapes, and textures of cheese. Some yellow cheeses, a few white cheeses, perhaps a colorful and flavorful pepperjack or other visibly spiced cheese, and a soft cheese. Decide on how many you want to provide and make a shopping list. Alternatively, go to the store and choose your cheese carefully. Remember to get a variety of flavors at the very least, not a dozen different kinds of cheddar!

2) Prepare your serving device. You can use a cutting board (a clean one, preferably wooden for a good look), a nice platter, or even a stoneware serving or baking piece. Make sure it is cleaned off thoroughly, then chill it.

3) Label your cheeses. People like to know what they are trying. I used simple notecards with the names of the cheese written out.

4) Set the cheese out at the last minute. You don’t want it to get too warm or soft.

5) Provide crackers, cheese, and fruit to serve with the cheeses.

6) Don’t forget to decorate! A cheese plate speaks for itself, but a splash of color provided by grapes or some fresh greenery will make the plate sing.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip

This is a delicious, sweet dip which is good for an evening party or family event. It is on the sweet side for sure, which provides a nice balance to other dips which are common at finger-food type events. I will tell you this was a HUGE hit at my party! It makes a lot, but won’t last long!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip

Ingredients:
1 package (8oz) cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened/melted
1.5 cups brown sugar
1 bag (12oz) mini chocolate chips
Graham Crackers/Wafers

Directions:
In your mixer, cream the cream sugar and butter. Add the sugar and the chocolate chips. Serve cold with graham crackers or wafers of your choice.

Strawberry Lemonade

This is my favorite summer drink, of the adult variety. It is light and refreshing and takes advantage of amazing summer fruits. Enjoy, responsibly.

Adult Strawberry Lemonade

Ingredients:
2ish shots Vodka, preferably ice cold
1/2 cup Lemon-lime soda
2 strawberries, sliced
1 wedge lemon
Ice

Directions
Slice the strawberry and place into a glass (yes, I used a dixie cup, but it was a party afterall). Squeeze the lemon and add the vodka to the cup. Using a spoon, mash the strawberry a few times up against the side of the glass. Then add the soda and ice, serve with the lemon wedge on top or floating in the cup if you prefer.