ringing in the new year

Well, it's been just about a year since my last post and so much has changed! 2014 was such a journey. Between a few health scares, changes with work and falling in love with the sweetest man I've ever known, this blog has been seriously neglected...BUT all that will change! To celebrate the end of a wild year and to usher in a new one, I gathered some of my close girlfriends for a classic sleepover to toast the start of 2015.

If anyone knows me, they know I have a serious love of charcuterie and cheese plates. I've never met a cheese I didn't like and after obsessing over Pinterest board after Pinterest board, I decided to take my quest for queso into my own hands. Take a look at the snaps below and follow the steps to make your own party plate sure to please a room full of your drunk besties or one very hungry lady.

You want your cheese board to look as good as it tastes so I started with a wooden serving tray. Feel free to use whatever you have on hand - a wood cutting board works perfectly. 

You want your board to be a mix of flavors and textures ranging from sweet and salty to soft and crunchy. I got a variety box of crackers from Trader Joe's which paired unsalted waifers and multigrain wheat crackers. It's really just a vehicle to get the cheese in your mouth (LOL). On this side I used proscuitto, capacola and salami, gouda cheese, sliced green apple and red grapes. 

When it came to the other side of the board, I went really crunchy but also mixed up the flavors. For cheeses, I used brie (my favorite) and an extra sharp english white cheddar. For sweetness, I threw in dried apricots and a dish of honey. To top it all off and give it a fancy touch, I popped on a handful of truffle salt marcona almonds (literally the best thing I've ever tried).

The only way this tray could literally get any better would be to pop open a bottle of your favorite wine with your favorite friends. This tray was such a hit with my girls - especially the white cheddar dipped in honey on a salted cracker.