December is just a day away.
What better way to begin the season than to start counting down the days till Christmas, is what my kids would say.
December Advent Calendar
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Tag Archives | 2014
Basic Cheese Platter
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The holiday season is upon us and it’s time to prepare for this festive time of year, especially if you will be hosting and preparing wonderful meals. Creating a simple, elegant, and delicious cheese platter or a cheese board is a great start to a gathering with friends and family.
I created the “basic cheese platter” illustrations above as a guide to help answer some of the questions as to what could be included on the cheese platter. Once familiar and comfortable with preparing it, have fun experimenting with other items by changing or adding to it depending on the season or occasion.
Cheeses – The three basic go to cheeses I like to use are brie {mild/buttery flavor}, sharp cheddar cheese {medium/intense/nutty flavor}, and blue cheese {strong/bold flavor}. Here are the other varieties that might be of interest to include, Gruyère cheese, Gouda cheese, Mozzarella, Goat cheese, Stilton, havarti, camembert, cheddar, Manchego, Pecorino Romano, and Roquefort.
Crackers & Bread – Offer 2 to 3 varieties of crackers and/or bread {baguette} with different shapes and sizes.
Meats – Preserved meats {salami, prosciutto} and sea food {marinated shrimp, smoked salmon}. Smoked salmon is a must have for our family.
Fresh/dried fruits – grapes, pears, apples, apricots, figs, dates, and berries.
Nuts – The crunchy and salty texture of nuts {almonds, walnuts, pistachios, pecans, walnuts, and cashews} just give it another taste and texture to it all.
Others – honey, vegetables, jams, roasted garlic, and olives
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I like to keep the cheese platter simple with just enough variety, texture, flavor, and color without it looking cluttered and over crowded. To bring out the flavor of the cheese, let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. When the cheese plate is visually pleasing, everything seems to taste even better.
Here are a few more ideas on how to create an inviting, beautiful, and tasty cheese platter…..
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Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Caramelized Apples
{the sweet potato recipe was doubled in the pic above}
Whipped sweet potatoes with caramelized apples is a delicious side dish for this time of year. It’s not too sweet and the combination of creamy and chunky mixed with sweet and tart all in one dish is just right.
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{Martha Stewart Living magazine, November 1995}
I was introduced to whipped sweet potato recipe in 1995 when my November issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine {above pic} arrived in the mail. I have used many wonderful recipes from it and especially the “Turkey 101” section that had the step by step guide on how to prepare and cook a turkey. I followed the instructions and cooked my first turkey that year. I was so thrilled that I actually did it {and made gravy too}. The whole process was not as complicated or intimidating as I had envisioned it.
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Veterans Day, Honoring COL Lou McSheffrey
Veterans Day is a federal and state holiday always observed on November 11th, to honor the men and women who have served in the U.S. armed forces. Last year I wrote about my grandfather, Ted Miyamoto, who had enlisted in the army and fought during WWII {click here to read more}.
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During COL Lou McSheffrey’s 28 years of service in our nations military, he was involved in aviation as a pilot and later expanded to other areas of military operations. His skills, knowledge, and experiences were vital to help train soldiers, expand recruitment, organize and implement other operations in the military.
Before going any further into the history of COL McSheffrey’s military career, a little bit about him and his family. In 1976, his family immigrated to the United States from Belfast, Northern Ireland and he later joined them in 1977 after completing his Junior year of high school. He became a US Citizen in 1983.
Currently COL McSheffrey resides in Washington State with his wife Janée and their three children {Abby, Megan and Garrett}.
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Autumn Inspiration Board
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Inspirations can come from anywhere and anything, they tie together all the little loose pieces and ideas, bring out creativity, and help to motivate and guide you. The images for this autumn inspiration board came together from places I recently visited, things I have around the house, and what I’ve been thinking about.
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