Quick and Easy Cheese Board

Quick and Easy Cheese Board! Perfect appetizer paired with wine for a fun girls night!

If you are from Wisconsin, you’ve experienced a wide range of cheese boards. Some are extravagant, featuring multiple types of cheese, sausage, fresh fruit, nuts and crackers. They are delicious, but often take a lot of time to put together and cost a pretty penny.

Quick and Easy Cheese Board! Perfect appetizer paired with wine for a fun girls night!

While large cheese boards make sense for the holidays or other family gatherings, a simplified version is perfect for cozy evenings at home. I pulled together this selection for a quick appetizer when dinner was taking longer than expected. With a glass of wine, this simple appetizer can turn an ordinary evening into a romantic date night at home.

Quick and Easy Cheese Board! Perfect appetizer paired with wine for a fun girls night!

All you need to recreate this appetizer is a nice block of cheese, fresh or dried fruit, crackers, and nuts. I chose a sharp cheddar, apple slices, grapes, pistachios, pita chips, and whole wheat crackers. Still think that is too much trouble? You never can go wrong with a slice of cheese and grapes! I don’t think you can get much simpler than that!

What is essential for your cheese board? Let me know in the comments!

Nutella Brioche Swirls

Nutella Brioche Swirls!

Remember my mini baguettes post a few weeks ago? Well, Ian and I are still experimenting with baking bread at home and decided to challenge ourselves! I found a recipe for brioche on Pinterest, but it was measured out in grams. Instead of finding a different recipe or going to the store to pick up a kitchen scale, Ian decided to convert all of the measurements. Simple? No. He sat there working on calculations that included the density of each ingredient. At this point I should have known we were doomed.

Nutella Brioche Swirls!

Needless to say, our first batch of dough failed. I blame it on the recipe (the only logical explanation for it failing, right?!) But Ian and I are resilient bakers and we found a new brioche recipe and tried again. This time the dough turned out and we got to work on our Nutella swirls. I had a feeling we were setting ourselves up for disaster, but when I pulled the bread out of the oven I was pleasantly surprised! They didn’t look half bad! These definitely would make a fun treat to bake for brunch or to bring to a family gathering!

Nutella Brioche Swirls!

Nutella Brioche Swirls

  • Make the brioche dough by following this recipe
  • After the dough has chilled in the fridge overnight, divide the dough into four equal pieces
  • Work with one piece at a time, leaving the rest in the fridge
  • On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece of dough into a 16 x 8 inch rectangle
  • Spread evenly with Nutella and roll lengthwise into a log
  • Cut in half and place in the fridge to chill for 5 minutes
  • Take one piece out at a time and slice the dough, leaving 1/4 inch uncut at the top
  • Twirl the dough until you reach the end, then tuck the edges under the top of the braid, making a circle
  • Preheat the oven to 425˙
  • Place the brioche swirls on a non-stick baking sheet and brush with an egg wash
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes

Simplified Croque Madame

Croque Madame. Easy sandwich to make for a delicious lunch!

It’s hard to believe I ate my first Croque Madame sitting outside the Centre Pompidou in Paris – eight years ago. EIGHT YEARS! Goodness, time really does fly.

Croque Madame. Easy sandwich to make for a delicious lunch!

The French are known for their refined pallets and delicious dishes so it’s no wonder that this sandwich can pack so much flavor. Best part?! This simplified version can be made in less than 10 minutes. Yup, you really can have it all! A delicious lunch when you are in a time crunch! (Yup, that definitely sounded better in my head…)

Croque Madame. Easy sandwich to make for a delicious lunch!

Now, you can spend a few more minutes in the kitchen and prepare the traditional Croque Madame, but here is how you can make this simplified version at home!

Croque Madame

Ingredients:

  • 2 slices thick cut bread
  • 3 slices deli ham
  • 1 slice Gruyère cheese
  • 1 over-easy egg
  • Butter

Recipe:

  • Spread and even layer of butter on two slices of bread
  • Fill the bread with cheese and ham
  • Grill in a skillet until golden brown
  • Top with egg and enjoy
  • *Optional: Garnish with fresh chopped chives