It seems like my family and I host or go to parties at least every week in the summer. And, even though I love a good gathering, I often have more fun picking an outfit than a dish to make. I’ve been in kind of a food slump lately, but the appetizer I’m about to tell you about gave me back that spark!

A few months ago, Eating Well Magazine featured appetizer boards from Lady and Larder, and I fell in love! It’s a gorgeous appetizer board you can pull together in three minutes, you can customize it to meet your food needs, and it looks GORGEOUS. I’ve been getting compliments on this beauty all summer, and I’ve barely had to lift a finger. That’s my type of party prep!

Here’s what it looks like:

Pretty dreamy, right?

Here’s what to do:

Step 1: Pick your board

I bought this board at Target, because that is where I buy everything I own—seriously! You can also use a cutting board, but all mine were plastic, and kind of ratty looking to be honest. It was time for a little upgrade.

Step 2: Plan your ingredients

Check your guests food needs, and then pick one or two fruits, one or two veggies, and a savory/snackable item. On my last board I did strawberries, zesty mixed nuts, soft hills of salty proscuitto, and a beautiful caprese salad glistening with olive oil and bright green shreds of basil. Yum!

But the fun part, is that you can’t really go wrong with what you choose. Other combos could be a Smoked Salmon Board with herbed cheese, cucumber, granny smith apple, thin slivers of lemon, and some soft torn bread. You could do a Melon and Prosciutto Board with red grapes and tart cheese. You could do a Dessert Board with different kinds of chocolate and fruits and granola crumbles or nuts. You could do one with olives, or roasted marinated red peppers, or pickles, or edible flowers. Have fun and make it pretty!

Step 3: Shop!

I suggest checking to see what you have in the fridge and pantry first, and then I haul my tush up the hill to my garden to see if there’s anything good in there yet. I will channel Alice Waters and Martha Stewart and feel very optimistic until I realize that nothing is growing because I have seriously neglected my garden in favor of fun. We can’t do it all, and that’s ok! Then I’ll haul my tush down the street to Metropolitan Market and get something shiny. You have my permission to do the same. I saw Tae Berries there the other day, and wondered how I could crave something I’d never even heard of before that moment.

Step 4: Stage it

Place your foods on the board in a way that looks good to you. Lady and Larder suggests leaving the stems on fruits for a more rustic look, and keeping things looking soft by tearing rather than chopping herbs and slicing bread, and gently placing the meat on the board rather than rolling it. It’s quicker to do it this way, anyway!

Step 5: Set it out

These boards are a show stopper, so I suggest setting it out somewhere where your guests will see it right away. When they see it, they will feel so special! Along with it, I like to set out wine and some glasses, my favorite gray and white stripped napkins, forks, and colorful small plates. The best part is, it gives me time to chill with my guests before I have to start cooking.

I hope you have as much fun with this beauty as I do! Check out Lady and Larder to see their gorgeous boards, too! If you have an easy app idea, send it my way! I love a little inspiration.

With Heart,
Lauren