Fall Charcuterie Board

This fall charcuterie board is easy to make and is perfect for all of the parties this season! Packed with colorful and delicious food it is sure to be a hit with all of your guests!

The beauty of this board is that it has something for everyone! If you want to try some more delicious fall snacks then start with this Pumpkin Cheesecake, this amazing Cake, or these Scones!

What is a Charcuterie Board?

I can’t even describe how much I love a good charcuterie board! They are SOO GOOD! It’s a mixture of sweet and savory with something different to try in every bite! Plus, there is always something for everyone on it because it is jam-packed with so many different tastes and textures! But before we get too into what they are all about, let’s start at the beginning!

A charcuterie board (pronounced shar-koo-tuh-ree) is a big snack board! It can include anything and everything and that’s what makes it so great! I love that I can make this for my kids and they go crazy over it! To make one you then you just have to gather up a bunch of different types of food and put them together on a board! That’s easy enough! I will walk you through all of the steps to make it delicious and beautiful! After this then you are going to want to make a charcuterie board for everything!

Meats and Cheeses to Use on a Charcuterie Board

Meats and cheeses for a fall charcuterie board are key to it being the best of the best! These are going to be what brings that savory taste and texture to the board! The cheeses can be cubed, sliced, or cut into shapes! The meat looks SOO GOOD when it is all rolled up or sliced. If you do this and have a variety of shapes and sizes then you will have a professional-looking board! Here are the meats and cheeses that I used for this board:

Meat

• Italian Dry Salame
• Peppered Salame
• Proscuitto

Cheese

• Cranberry Goat Cheese
• Dutch Spicy Kaas Red, green and white square cheese
• Creamy Toscano Cheese
• Beemster Cheese

If you can’t find these meats and cheeses at your grocery store then talk to your butcher! They should be able to suggest other options that will work and that are available! A few others that you could use are ham, pepperoni, calabrese salami, or genoa salami.

What Fruit Should I Use for My Charcuterie Board?

Now, for the fruit! It’s going to add the most color to this fall charcuterie board! You want to pick out fruit that is different in color and texture. Then it will really pop on this board! You can pick out fruits that are seasonal or you can just use your favorites! For this board I used the following fruits:

• Strawberries
• Red Globe Grapes
• Green Apples
• Blueberries
• Blackberries

Depending on what occasion I am making this board for, I will switch up these fruits. I especially liked the ones that I used on this board because they really popped in color! But there are so many options of fruit that you really can’t go wrong no matter what you choose to use! Go ahead and try it!

Choosing Cookies, Crackers and Dip

Here is where you bring in ALL the sweet things! I love to add in flavored crackers that are sweet to balance out all of the savory that I have already put onto this fall charcuterie board. Plus, if I can find cookies or crackers that are shaped for the occasion then that makes it all the better! Then, add in some sweet dip for everything and you will be all set! Here is a list of the crackers and dip that I used on this board:

Crackers and Cookies

Feel free to grab any kinds of cookies and crackers that you love! Sometimes, I will also add in other things that will add to the flavor and texture. On this board, I included some caramels because they were the perfect fall color!

• Cranberry Pumpkin Crisps (Trader Joes)
• Pumpkin Flavored Sandwich Cookies
• Pumpkin Spice Batons

Dip

Add any dip that you love and will make this a delicious board! I love spinach and artichoke dip or

• Pumpkin dip

Let’s Put it ALL Together!

Now comes the fun part! This fall charcuterie board will come together so easily once you have all of your ingredients ready to go! This is such a fun and delicious way to make any season or holiday special! Change it up to make it just what you need!

1. Cheese first: Start assembling your board by adding the cheeses.
2. Start adding meats: Next add the salami, and prosciutto.
3. Finish the meats and add in the fruit: Add in the meats and fruit.
4. Cookies and crackers: Fill the board in with crackers and cookies.

After you add in all of these amazing foods, then you can decorate or add more to make it your own! I used tiny pumpkins in it to add some visual interest! But depending on the occasion or holiday that you are doing this for, you can change that up!

Charcuterie Board Tips

The best part about making a fall charcuterie board is that you can use basically anything that you want! Once you start making these then you are going to want to make them all the time. Here are a few ideas about how you can change it up to make it your own!

• Change up the menu: Charcuterie boards can be use for ANY occasion. It doesn’t need to be filled with meats and cheeses! If you want one for your kids then make one with after school snacks! They will love it! Or make one that is themed for a party by using only certain colors or ingredients. A charcuterie board is a snack board so make it whatever you want it to be!
• Add decorations: You can make one for a holiday like I did with this Halloween Charcuterie Board! It was super easy and I just added in some Halloween decorations! Make this your thing and then bring a themed one to all of your holiday get togethers! Then you can fill them with all of your favorite things!
• Shapes and colors: When making a charcuterie board, you just want to make sure that it has a lot of different shapes, colors and textures! Cut out some cheese using cookie cutters. Or add in some fruit to to the top of your dip! Once you get the hang of it then you can change things up and get creative!

Fall Pumpkin Desserts to Try

There are so many fun get togethers and holidays throughout the fall and winter season! And this means that you will need some good ideas to bring to all of those parties and get togethers! Here are a few of my fall favorites. They are all loaded with pumpkin because, well, pumpkin at this time of year is an absolute must!

Desserts

Pumpkin Cheesecake Snickerdoodles

Desserts

Pumpkin Pie Sheet Cake

Breakfast

Perfect Pumpkin Muffins

Bread

Absolutely Perfect Pumpkin Bread

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Fall Charcuterie Board

This fall charcuterie board is easy to make and is perfect for all of the parties this season! Packed with colorful and delicious food it is sure to be a hit with all of your guests! 

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword fall charcuterie, fall charcuterie board

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings 8 people

Author Alyssa Rivers

Ingredients

Meat:

• Italian Dry Salami
• Peppered Salami
• Proscuitto

Cheese:

• Cranberry Goat Cheese
• Dutch Spicy Kaas Red, green and white square cheese
• Creamy Toscano Cheese
• Beemster Cheese

Crackers and Cookies:

• Pumpkin Cranberry Crisps (Trader Joes)
• Pumpkin Flavored Sandwich Cookies
• Pumpkin Spice Batons

Fruit:

• Strawberries
• Red Globe Grapes
• Green Apples
• Blueberries
• Blackberries

Dip:

• Pumpkin dip

Instructions

• Start assembling your board by adding the cheeses.
• Next add the salami, and prosciutto.
• Add in the meats and fruit.
• Fill the board in with crackers and cookies.

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Delicious Panna Cotta

This panna cotta has everything that you would ever want in a dessert! Its silky, creamy texture combined with the sweet taste of berries is like a little piece of heaven!

I love any dessert that is creamy and pudding-like!! If you love desserts like this too then you should for sure try out this Easy Creme Brûlée, Flan, and this yummy Croissant Bread Pudding.

What is Panna Cotta?

The words Panna Cotta actually mean “cooked cream” in Italian! So, as you can now see, this dessert comes straight from the heart of Italy! Panna cotta is a delicious dessert that is made from cooking up some cream and gelatin. It has a similar texture to pudding, custard, or Creme Brûlée. The reason that panna cotta is different is that it uses gelatin instead of eggs. It is actually really easy to make!

This is a dessert that looks fancy but can be made even if you are not a master chef! It doesn’t take too long to put together. You just have to have the patience to wait overnight to eat it! But the presentation of it speaks for itself, it looks amazing! I also love how sweet it is! It’s so well balanced with the berries that it’s the perfect combo! You can serve this as a dessert to your main course or even bring it to a party or get-together. It’s a dessert that’s so delicious and will definitely impress all of your guests!

Ingredients in Panna Cotta

You will be surprised to know that it only takes a few ingredients to make this amazing panna cotta! It’s insanely delicious and simple to make! See the recipe card below for a list of exact ingredient measurements.

• 
  Half and Half: This is the cream that will become the base of the entire dessert!
• Gelatin: I use unflavored gelatin so that the flavor of the cream can speak for itself!
• Granulated sugar: This will add sweetness to the panna cotta.
• Vanilla extract: If you want a deeper and a little bit stronger and more authentic vanilla taste then use some vanilla bean paste instead!
• Salt: This will enhance all of the flavors of the other ingredients.

How to Make Panna Cotta

I love this dessert because it is easy to make and looks like a million bucks! It will fly off of the table because everyone is going to go crazy over it!

1. Bloom the gelatin in the half and half: Start by blooming the gelatin in the half and half. Add the half and half to a medium sauce pan and sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the surface of it. Let sit for about 5 minutes or so, until the gelatin is dissolved.
2. Heat mixture and add sugar: Place the pan over low heat and gently heat the mixture until steaming but be careful not to simmer or boil! After about 2 minutes, stir in the sugar and continue to heat for about 3-5 minutes while the sugar dissolves.
3. Remove from heat, add in ingredients and chill: Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt. Divide evenly into your ramekins and chill in the fridge overnight.

Unmolding

1. Place ramekins in hot water and loosen: If you would like to unmold your panna cotta, prepare a bowl or deep baking dish with hot water and place the ramekins in the hot water, just for 10-15 seconds. Run a knife right around the top rim of the ramekin to loosen the edge and invert onto a plate. It may need a slight jiggle to completely loosen it from the mold.
2. Add berry sauce and serve: Serve immediate with the berry sauce or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Berry Sauce

1. Mix ingredients, cook and store in fridge: In a medium sauce pan add the berries, sugar and lemon juice. Cook over medium low heat until the berries can be mashed. The liquid will then become thick and syrupy. Remove from the heat and cool completely. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.

Tips for Making the Best Panna Cotta

This dessert looks super fancy and is not too hard to make! I’ve come up with some tips that will help this turn out perfectly!

• Dissolve the gelatin: Make sure that you are taking the time to bloom the gelatin! This means that you’re allowing it to absorb in the half and half. This can take about 3-5 minutes and you don’t want to skip this step! When you “bloom” gelatin then you are making it so that the end result of your dessert is ultra smooth.
• Don’t let it boil: If you let your mixture come to a boil then it will never thicken. And this means that you won’t be able to set it or get the right texture to make this dessert! So watch it carefully as you are cooking it!
• You don’t have to use a mold: If you won’t want to have to worry about getting your panna cotta out of a mold, then just pour it into containers that you plan on serving it in! Then, you can just skip the unmolding step altogether!

How to Store Leftovers

If you are lucky enough to have leftovers of your panna cotta then you can store them for later! Go ahead and cover the top of each of your panna cotta with some plastic wrap. Or, if they aren’t in individual dishes then you can place them in an airtight container. They can be refrigerated for up to 3 days!

More Delicious Desserts to Try

I love trying out new desserts when I am at restaurants or parties! This panna cotta recipe is delicious and not commonly seen! I’ve come up with some other desserts that I love to make and surprise people with. They always come away loving them and I know that you will too! Go ahead and give them a try. They are so delicious!

Desserts

Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding

Desserts

Flan

Desserts

Simple and Delicious Dessert Nachos

Desserts

No-Bake Chocolate Eclair Dessert

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Delicious Panna Cotta

This panna cotta has everything that you would ever want in a dessert! Its silky, creamy texture combined with the sweet taste of berries is like a little piece of heaven! 

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian, Italian American

Keyword panna cotta

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 4 ramekins

Calories 414kcal

Author Alyssa Rivers

Ingredients

• 3 Cups Half and Half
• 2 ½ Teaspoons Unflavored Gelatin
• ½ Cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• 1 Pinch Salt

Berry Sauce

• 1 Cup mix berries fresh or frozen
• ¼ Cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

Instructions

• Start by blooming the gelatin in the half and half. Add half and half to a medium saucepan and sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the surface of it. Let sit for about 5 minutes or so, until the gelatin is dissolved.
• Place the pan over low heat and gently heat the mixture until steaming but be careful not to simmer or boil! After about 2 minutes, stir in the sugar and continue to heat for about 3-5 minutes while the sugar dissolves.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt. Divide evenly into your ramekins and chill in the fridge overnight.

Unmolding

• If you would like to unmold your panna cotta, prepare a bowl or deep baking dish with hot water and place the ramekins in the hot water, just for 10-15 seconds. Run a knife right around the top rim of the ramekin to loosen the edge and invert it onto a plate. It may need a slight jiggle to completely loosen it from the mold.
• Serve immediately with the berry sauce or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Berry Sauce

• In a medium, sauce-pan add the berries, sugar, and lemon juice. Cook over medium-low heat until the berries can be mashed and the liquid becomes thick and syrupy. Remove from the heat and cool completely. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 414kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 90mg | Potassium: 264mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 661IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 196mg | Iron: 1mg

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Garlic Butter Hasselback Potatoes

Crispy, perfectly seasoned, and so scrumptious, these Garlic Butter Hasselback Potatoes are going to be your new go to favorite! Your family is going to be so impressed when you set these on the table for dinner!

These amazing spuds go perfectly with any sort of protein. Try  Air Fryer Steak with Garlic Herb Butter, Chicken Breast, or Cast Iron Skillet Pork Chops. They are also just fabulous on their own.

Hasselback Potatoes

Hasselback potatoes are so popular because of their visual appeal, but they also have incredible taste and texture. The thin cuts turn ultra crispy and almost chip like. The inside will be soft and lucious. The garlic, butter and herbs will pool down in between the folds for flavor in every bite.

These dramatic looking potatoes are so easy! That’s the best part. They look so extravagant but they’re so simple it’s almost not fair. There is definitely a WOW factor to the look of these and the garlic butter gives a flavor to match. They are just as much fun to eat as to make. Make them today!

What are Hasselback Potatoes?

What’s in a name? These fanfare potatoes got their start in Sweden in the 1700s at the Hasselbacken Hotel in Stockholm.  Thus their name Hasselback potatoes. They are simply ordinary potatoes thinly slices in such a way that when they bake the slices separate and create a fan like appearance. This allows for butter, herbs and seasonings to sink deep into the cracks and throughout the potatoes. They are crispy, flavorful and super impressive!

Hasselback Baked Potato Ingredients

Everyone assumes that these must be super hard because they look a little fancy. They are so easy! And so good!  It takes just a little bit of time to cut them but it’s totally worth it.

• Potatoes: About 4-5 russets
• Butter: Melted
• Garlic: Fresh is best for this recipe but you can use jarred if your in a hurry.
• Fresh Rosemary, Thyme and Parsley: Finely chop the herbs.
• Salt and Pepper: To taste

Making Easy Hasselback Potatoes

1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Wash and pat dry your potatoes.
2. Cut: Slice the potatoes thinly stopping about half an inch from the bottom. See notes below for best tips. Salt and pepper.
3. Brush: Melt the butter in a small bowl and stir in the fresh herbs and garlic.
4. Bake: Place the potatoes in a 9×13 baking dish. Brush with the butter and back for 40-60 min or till done.

How to Cut Hasselback Potatoes

There are a couple of different ways to achieve this classic look, and there are a few tips to make it easier.

1. Sharp knife: Make sure your knife is sharp and do not use a serrated knife. They’re not the right tool for the job
2. Hasselback Cutter: Yes there is such a thing, and I use this one here found on Amazon.
3. Spoons: If you don’t have a hasselback cutter never fear. Take two wooden spoons and place them on either side of your potato as you slice them. This will create a natural stop for your knife so you don’t accidently cut all the way through.
4. Chopsticks:  These will do the same thing as the spoons. Place on either side of the potato and again it will create a natural stop for your knife.

Perfect Garlic Hasselback Potatoes

The hardest part is the cutting, here are a few ideas to make it easier.

• Flavor: Experiment with flavors and seasonings. You can use chili powder, Italian seasoning, and ranch or create your own mix of flavors.
• Top it: Top these with cheese, sour cream, bacon, any of your favorite toppings or just a little bit more butter. You can eat them straight from the pan as well.
• Baste it: For more intense flavor save half of your seasonings and reapply half way through the cooking time. The potatoes will have opened up some and allow for more butter goodness to seep down it.

More Amazing Potato Recipes

Potatoes are just so good and good for you. They can be cooked in so many different ways and super filling. Got to love those potatoes.

• Crispy Potato Skins
• Classic Potato Salad
• Best Ever Baked Parmesan Garlic Potato Wedges
• Slow Cooker Cheesy Bacon Ranch Potatoes
• Garlic Ranch Smashed Potatoes

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Garlic Butter Hasselback Potatoes

Crispy, perfectly seasoned, and so scrumptious, these Garlic Butter Hasselback Potatoes are going to be your new go to favorite! Your family is going to be so impressed when you set these on the table for dinner!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword hasselback potatoes

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings 4 People

Calories 376kcal

Author Alyssa Rivers

Ingredients

• 4-5 medium size russet potatoes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup butter melted
• 1 teaspoon fresh parsley finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Wash and scrub the potatoes. Slice the potatoes thinly leaving a half an inch base at the bottom.* Salt and pepper the potatoes.
• In a small bowl combine melted butter, parsley, thyme, rosemary and garlic. Place the potatoes in a 9x13 inch backing dish. Brush the garlic herb butter along the tops of the potatoes.
• Roast the potatoes for 40-60 minutes or until fork tender.

Notes

*I used this hasselback cutter from amazon here and it worked great!

Nutrition

Calories: 376kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 214mg | Potassium: 897mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 733IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 2mg

 

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Easy and Awesome Pimento Dip

Pimento Dip is creamy, cheesy and so good! This is a fantastic tasty spread that is the hit of every party.

Dips are perfect for any occasion. Similar to this 5 Minute Million Dollar Dip, and this Cheesy Olive Bread, this is super EASY, and super Delicious!

Pimento Cheese Dip

This well known “Southern” dip actually got its start in the north, New York State to be exact. But the South perfected this creamy dish post WWII, which has won the stomachs of many. This is in fact one of the most popular spreads and most used in the south. With it’s creamy cheesy flavor there’s little wonder why.

Pimento Cheese is one of those dips that adults and kids love alike. It’s also very versatile, you can customize it to your tastes. This is fun to make and delicious to eat! It’s a true favorite. It can be used in so many ways. And it’s so quick and easy to transport. This is perfect for any occasion, whether it’s a party, or snacks for the kids, it’s a winner!

Easy Pimento Dip Ingredients

Just a few ingredients make this scrumptious dip.

• Cream Cheese: Can use reduced fat cream cheese if you want.
• Mayonnaise: Do not confuse this for Miracle whip.
• Cheddar Cheese: Medium or sharp cheddar give the best flavor.
• Jar Pimentos: Drain before using.
• Onion, Garlic, and Paprika: The spices that meld it all together.

Dip, Baby Dip!

This is so quick and easy! Have some fun and watch a movie, play a game and enjoy this dip!

1. Combine: Place all the ingredients in a medium sized bowl.
2. Mix: Using a hand mixer beat the ingredients till combined.

What Are Pimentos?

• Pepper: Well according to those who know, a  pimento, or cherry pepper is a variety of large, red, heart-shaped chili pepper that measures 3 to 4 in long and 2 to 3 in wide. The flesh of the pimiento is sweet, succulent, and more aromatic than that of the red bell pepper.  Pimento peppers aren’t frequently found fresh but are sold jarred in most grocery stores.  You can usually find them near the olives or in the specialty foods
• Pimento cheese: is just a combination of cheddar, cream cheese, mayo, spices, and the key ingredient, pimento peppers. This recipe was developed in the early 1900’s and perfected after WWII. It’s become an extremely popular spread.

Tips and Variations for Hot Pimento Dip

• Mayo: Authentic pimento cheese dip is made with a good quality mayo. You can substitute for the mayo with  plain unsweetened yogurt with success, but it will change the flavor.
• Cheese: Shred your own cheese from a fresh block. Pre shredded cheese often comes coated and will detract from the creaminess.
• Different Cheese: You can play around with the cheese to your liking. Use a combination of cheeses, or a different flavor. The type of cheese you use will definitely change the flavor.
• Spice it up: Add hot sauce or buffalo sauce and pepper jack cheese to spice things up. Using different spices can make this dip unique.
• Not Just a Dip:  This a wonderful on bread and grilled for a grilled pimento cheese sandwich to die for! Use it instead of mayo on sandwiches for extra zing
• Top it: Put on top of grilled chicken, pork, hamburgers or other meat for a twist on the normal.

More Amazing Easy Dips

These are more dips to try at your next occasion!

• Loaded Creamy Ranch Dip
• Awesome 7 Layer Dip
• Marshmallow Cream Cheese Fruit Dip
• Pepperoni Pizza Dip
• Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip

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Pimento Dip

Pimento Dip is creamy, cheesy and so good! This is a fantastic tasty spread that is the hit of every party. 

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword pimento dip, pimento dip recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Servings 8 People

Calories 231kcal

Author Alyssa Rivers

Ingredients

• 8 ounce cream cheese
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 cup cheddar cheese shredded
• 1 4 ounce jar pimentos drained
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika

Instructions

• In a medium size bowl add the ingredients. Using a hand mixer beat the ingredients until combined. Serve with crackers and veggies if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 231kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 267mg | Potassium: 60mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 624IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 181mg | Iron: 1mg

 

 

 

 

 

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