Springtime tea parties are one of my favorite events to host at our library and book club.

For our recent family hosted Book Bingo, I made these Tea Party Charcuterie Filled Letters to serve.

They not only looked beautiful and served as a decoration for the event, but they were also large enough to serve a crowd and were filled with a variety of meats, fruits, cheeses, and treats that everyone could enjoy.

My girls and I enjoy hosting themed Book Bingo events at our local library every month! We provide all the food and drinks along with decorations and even sometime prizes!

We love our local libraries and hosting free events like this in our community is just one way we like to give back and show how much we care.

Scroll down for Friday’s Spring Sweets Week recipes!

Ingredients:

A variety of snacks including:

2 kinds of crackers or small toasted bread

1 -2 sliced small meats like sausage, rolled ham, and pepperoni

2-3 sliced and cubed cheeses

sliced fruits like halved strawberries, blackberries, and grapes

macaroons or bite size cookies

fillers like nuts, trail mix, dried fruit, and spring candies

Directions:

1. Choose your letter boxes to spell out whatever you want. Remember the larger the word/more letters you use, the more food you will need to fill it. I usually stick with 1-4 letters for events.

2. Cut parchment paper to the inside size on the letter boxes and line the bottoms of all letters. 

3. Now start to fill the boxes. I start with sturdier items like stacks of crackers, breads, cookies, and then add fruit in the corners and fill with the remaining cheeses, meats, and treats.

4. Finally, fill in any empty spaces with nuts, dried fruit, and candies.

5. Serve with a few small forks and tongs along with napkins and small appetizer plates and enjoy. 

Note: I prefer to assemble to day of the event. You can pre-slice and wash everything in advance to make it easier!

Choose your letter boxes to spell out whatever you want. Remember the larger the word/more letters you use, the more food you will need to fill it. I usually stick with 1-4 letters for events.

Cut parchment paper to the inside size on the letter boxes and line the bottoms of all letters.

I like to have a variety of sweet and savory items for my Charcuterie letters. Cookies, sliced fruit, cubed cheese, small meats, and nuts and candy work great. 

Now start to fill the boxes. I start with sturdier items like stacks of crackers, breads, and cookies. 

Fresh and dried fruit work great. My favorites are grapes, halved strawberries, and blackberries. 

My girls made mini muffins and we added those too along with crunchy chocolate straws. 

Then add fruit in the corners and fill with the remaining cheeses, meats, and treats.

Try to add enough to fill but not overcrowd. 

Fillers are important to add at the end to fill any open areas. For this spring tea party theme I used pastel candy corn. 

Finally, fill in any empty spaces with nuts, dried fruit, and candies.

All done and ready to serve! 

Serve with a few small forks and tongs along with napkins and small appetizer plates and enjoy. 

NOTE: I prefer to assemble to day of the event. You can pre-slice and wash everything in advance to make it easier!

Friday #SpringSweetsWeek Recipes

• Baked Key Lime Pie Donuts from Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Baklava Puff Pastry Rolls from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Browned Butter Carrot Cake Scones from The Spiffy Cookie
• Dairy Queen Copycat Ice Cream Cake Recipe from Crazy For Couponing
• Keto Waffles from Art of Natural Living
• Lemon Blueberry Quick Bread from Hezzi-D’s Recipe Box
• Mimosa Muffins from Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Mixed Berry Lemon Bread from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Tea Party Charcuterie Letters from For the Love of Food
• Vegan Strawberry Cream Cheese from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings

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This snack board is perfect for serving on any football game day -at home or tailgating! It’s easy to make and always a crowd-pleaser. 

I originally made this recipe on Super Bowl Sunday.

This year we watched The Puppy Bowl at home since Ashton works nights and the girls had no interest in the Super Bowl.

I still decided to make football themed snacks and everyone loved the show and the appetizers!

We had a great Sunday Funday together and we all loved our fun game day snack. 

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Football Snack Board

Ingredients

• 1/2 package about 25 sliced pepperoni or thin salami rounds
• 10-15 assorted crackers
• 2-3 dips and spreads like hummus mustard, French onion dip, tzatziki
• 30 dippers like chips pretzels, cheese crisps
• 1 small sliced cucumber
• 1 mozzarella cheese stick
• 2 small carrots peeled and sliced into sticks
• 20 slices assorted cheese squares or cubes
• 1/2 round sliced summer sausage or similar
• any other small fillers like nuts pickles, olives, and dried fruit

Instructions

• Start by choosing your board. A sturdy rectangle shaped board works best. I used a wooden cutting board.
• Add your pepperonis (or salami) to the center of the board. Lay out and overlap until you make a large football shape.
• Now add your sliced cheese , building around the football center.
• Next, add a row of summer sausage and rows of crackers and small section of pretzels or chips.
• I like to add two small bowls on two open corners of dips. I used hummus and mustard this time.
• Building around the bowls, add the sliced cucumbers and carrots.
• Finally add any fillers in the remaining open spaces. I like pickles, olives, and nuts.
• The last step is the peel the mozzarella stick into 4 strips and add to the center of the pepperoni football as stitching (one across and three down).
• Add any necessary spoons and spreaders and serve with small plates and napkins.
• Enjoy this fun spread on game day!

Start by choosing your board. A sturdy rectangle shaped board works best. I used a wooden cutting board.

Add your pepperonis (or salami) to the center of the board. Lay out and overlap until you make a large football shape.

I like to use 2-3 dips and spreads like hummus, mustard, French onion dip, and tzatziki.

I like to add two small bowls on two open corners of dips. I used hummus and mustard this time.

Peel the mozzarella stick into 4 strips. and add to the center of the pepperoni football as stitching (one across and three down).

Add to the center of the pepperoni football as stitching (one across and three down).

Now add your sliced cheese , building around the football center.

 Next, add a row of summer sausage and rows of crackers and small section of pretzels or chips.

 Building around the dip bowls, add the sliced cucumbers and carrots. 

Finally, add any fillers in the remaining open spaces. I like pickles, olives, and nuts. 

Add any necessary spoons and spreaders and serve with small plates and napkins.

Serve to your hungry family and watch it disappear!

A little bit of everything!

Enjoy this fun spread on game day!

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We’re brunchin’ all spring long and classics like bagels and lox (salmon) is one of my favorites to serve. 

I made a Smoked Salmon Dip last month and today I am sharing my Salmon and Bagel Board. 

This delicious charcuterie board is loaded with fresh and flavorful ingredients for creating a smoked salmon and bagel station at your next brunch.

I first made this recipe for our library cookbook club. It is inspired by the Bagel Board in the book Stunning Spreads.

This is my original board for the library. It made a ton and we had lots leftover for the next day!

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Brunch Smoked Salmon and Bagel Board

6-8 servings

Ingredients

• 8 ounces smoked salmon sliced thin (I used two kinds)
• 4 ounces whipped cream cheese
• 4 ounces smoked salmon dip recipe link below
• 1/4 cup capers drained
• 1 cucumber sliced
• 2 Roma tomatoes sliced
• 1/2 red onion sliced thin
• fresh dill for garnish
• 6 bagels sliced in half

Instructions

• Set out a large serving platter.
• Add your small ramekins and bowls for spreads and small toppings like capers.
• Now arrange rows and piles of sliced veggies around the platter, curving around the bowls.
• Lay out the smoked salmon, cut into slices or strips, on 2 or 3 sections of the board.
• Now fill the bowls with capers, whipped cream cheese, and smoked salmon spread (recipe below).
• Add dill sprigs as a garnish throughout and place spoons and spreaders in the bowls along with tongs and forks for the other ingredients.
• Finally, set out a plate of sliced bagels and serving dishes and napkins.
• Serve your beautiful brunch platter to your hungry guests and enjoy.

Start with a large serving platter.

Add your small ramekins and bowls for spreads and small toppings like capers. I used three.

Now arrange rows and piles of sliced veggies around the platter, 

Curve the veggies around the bowls and fan out.

Lay out the smoked salmon, cut into slices or strips, on 2 or 3 sections of the board.

I used two different styles of smoke salmon, about 4oz each.

Now fill the bowls with capers, whipped cream cheese, and smoked salmon spread (recipe here).

Add dill sprigs as a garnish throughout and place spoons and spreaders in the bowls along with tongs and forks for the other ingredients. 

Finally, set out a plate of sliced bagels and serving dishes and napkins.

Serve your beautiful brunch platter to your hungry guests and enjoy. 

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This sweet Easter treat is perfect for serving to all ages on Easter weekend!

Customize it with your favorite colorful and festive candies and set out for guests to nibble on throughout the day.

Look at those happy faces! They enjoyed movie night and their festive Easter Candy Snack Board this weekend. 

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Easter Candy Treat Board

Ingredients

• Edible candy grass
• jelly beans
• Easter gummies
• pastel M&M's
• Peeps bunnies
• Peeps chicks
• chocolate eggs
• chocolate truffles
• marshmallows
• cotton candy

Instructions

• Start with a large Easter egg shaped platter.
• I add the larger items first so add the cotton candy and the edible candy grass nest onto the platter.
• Now add an Easter shaped cookie cutter and filled it with small chocolate candies like jelly beans or pastel M&M's.
• Add a row of bunny peeps and then add two chick peeps on top of the edible nest.
• Finally, fill in with remaining Easter themed candy like gummies, marshmallows, chocolates, eggs, and truffles.
• Serve and enjoy this sweet Easter treat!

Start with a large Easter egg shaped platter.

I add the larger items first so add the cotton candy and the edible candy grass nest onto the platter.

Now add an Easter shaped cookie cutter and filled it with small chocolate candies like jelly beans or pastel M&M’s. 

Add a row of bunny peeps and then add two chick peeps on top of the edible nest.

Finally, fill in with remaining Easter themed candy like gummies, marshmallows, chocolates, eggs, and truffles. 

Serve and enjoy your sweet Easter treat!

Fun, festive, and delicious!

Happy Easter!

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Bite size savory snacks are served in a fun and festive mini cup. Serve up this tasty appetizer to both kids and adults during your holiday parties this month!

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Charcuterie Cups

Makes 4 mini cups

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup mixed nuts or snack mix
• 8 cheese crisps or thin crackers
• 12 cheese cubes
• 4 mini pickles
• 4 cherry tomatoes
• 4 large pitted olives
• 4 Babybel cheese rounds peeled
• 16 sliced pepperonis or small salami rounds
• 2 large slices prosciutto halved
• 4 thin slices summer sausage
• 5-6 oz mini appetizer cups
• 8 decorative toothpicks
• cocktail napkins

Instructions

• Start by filling your cups with a heaping tablespoon of mixed nuts or snack mix.
• Add 3 cheese cubes per cup.
• Now add 2 crackers, one on each side.
• Time to make your skewers! Start with an olive, pickle, tomato, and end with a cheese round (like Babybel). Repeat until you have 4.
• Make your meat skewers by folding salami or pepperoni and stacking 4 then add a folded half of prosciutto and a thin slice of summer sausage. Repeat until you have 4.
• Add one meat skewer and one veggie skewer (round cheese at the bottom) to each cup.
• Serve with festive cocktail napkins and enjoy!

Start by gathering your supplies.

You need 4 (or adjust the recipe to what you want) appetizer cups and at least 8 decorative toothpicks. 

I used 5oz plastic cups from the Dollar Tree. 

Start by filling your cups with a heaping tablespoon of mixed nuts or snack mix.

Add 3 cheese cubes per cup.

Now add 2 crackers, one on each side. 

Time to make your skewers! Start with an olive, pickle, tomato, and end with a cheese round (like Babybel). Repeat until you have 4.

I doubled up on tomato in the pictures because my kiddo ate all my olives!

Make your meat skewers by folding salami or pepperoni and stacking 4 then add a folded half of prosciutto and a thin slice of summer sausage.

Repeat until you have 4.

Add one meat skewer and one veggie skewer (round cheese at the bottom) to each cup. 

Serve with festive cocktail napkins and enjoy!

Serve up this fun appetizer that everyone will enjoy during your holiday parties!

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We are all about snack time in our house, especially when the kids are home for Christmas break.

This Christmas Tree Shaped Snack Board is the perfect movie night treat, afternoon snack, or festive appetizer for the holidays! 

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Christmas Tree Charcuterie

Ingredients

• 2 green apples sliced
• 1/2 cup green grapes
• pepperoni or salami rounds sliced
• 1/2 cup small mozzarella balls
• 2 varieties cubed cheese I did cheddar and gouda
• 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1 cup assorted Christmas colored candies

Instructions

• I start with a large Christmas Tree shaped platter. If you do not have one you can arrange the ingredients in a tree shape on a cutting board or rectangle platter. To give mine dimension I laid my tree platter on top of a large wood board.
• Start with a row of green apple slices on the bottom of the tree.
• Now add a row of cubed white cheese .
• Now for a red row: I used sliced pepperoni or salami.
• Add another row of cubed cheese.
• Top with a row of green grapes.
• Add mozzarella balls in a row wherever you need to fill in space on the tree.
• To the very top add a small bowl of red pomegranate seeds.
• To decorate the bottom of the board, around the stem of the tree, add a variety of Christmas candies.
• Serve and enjoy your Christmas snack!

I started with a large Christmas Tree shaped platter.

If you do not have one you can arrange the ingredients in a tree shape on a cutting board or rectangle platter.

To give mine dimension I laid my tree platter on top of a large wood board.

Start with a row of green apple slices on the bottom of the tree.

Now add a row of cubed white cheese .

Now for a red row: I used sliced pepperoni or salami.

Add another row of cubed cheese.

Top with a row of green grapes.

Add mozzarella balls in a row wherever you need to fill in space on the tree.

To the very top add a small bowl of red pomegranate seeds.

To decorate the bottom of the board, around the stem of the tree, add a variety of Christmas candies. 

Time for Christmas snackin’!

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You know I love a theme and this fall inspired pumpkin treat box was a hit with the kids after a day of playing at the farm and pumpkin patch!

Fall breeze and autumn leaves.

Some of my favorite things. 

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Pumpkin Patch Harvest Charcuterie Treat Box

Serving size: one small bakery box for 4 people

Ingredients

• Assorted pumpkin colored and shaped treats such as:
• pumpkin spice marshmallows
• candy corn and autumn pumpkin shaped snack mix
• pumpkin spice sandwich cookies
• cinnamon graham crackers
• sweet potato chips
• pumpkin yogurt covered pretzels
• pumpkin baton or wafer cookies
• fall themed wrapped candies like Hershey's Kisses
• cinnamon goat or cream cheese log spread
• spiced nuts
• butterscotch haystacks

Instructions

• Line a small bakery box or square container with lid with parchment paper or tissue paper.
• Add 4-8, or 1/2 cup scoops of all treats, arranging in stacks in the box.
• Serve with napkins and a small spreader on top.
• Be sure the lid is securely closed before heading to the farm!

Notes

This does include cheese so if you plan of being in the sun or not eating for hours then

I would place in a picnic basket with a ice pack or replace the cheese with another item.

Fall is my favorite season and visiting the pumpkin patch is hands down what I look forward to the most. 

The closest patch to our home is a family owned farm called Still Waters in Richland, MO. 

We visited three times this autumn and had a great time, as always.

This year I decided to bring along a snack box for us to share around the bonfire after playing all afternoon at the pumpkin patch. 

Line a small bakery box or square container with lid with parchment paper or tissue paper. 

Add 4-8, or 1/2 cup scoops of all treats, arranging in stacks in the box. 

Serve with napkins and a small spreader on top.

Be sure the lid is securely closed before heading to the farm!

Another beautiful fall evening in Missouri!

Enjoying sweet pumpkin treats after a fun day.

Happy Fall Y’all!

Pumpkin kisses & harvest wishes.

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Halloween Movie Night is made even better with bewitching Hocus Pocus Halloween Treat Board for sharing during the show!

Hocus Pocus Halloween Candy Treat Board

Ingredients:

Hocus Pocus themed cookies, assorted

Halloween themed candies like M&Ms, Oreos, popcorn, Reese’s Cups, KitKats, and Sour Candies 

Homemade themed treats like Witch’s Hat Cookies, Peanut Butter Haystacks, Spell Book Brownies, Witch Finger Pretzels, and Marshmallow Cereal Bars

Halloween themes Marshmallows and Cotton Candy

This dessert tray was inspired by these fun Hocus Pocus themed cookies I ordered for the Hocus Pocus 2 premier night last month! 

I collected a bag of random Halloween themed candies from different events and stores such as

&M’s, candy corn flavored popcorn, ghost shaped marshmallows, and spider web cotton candy.

I knew these would be a fun treat for movie night and Halloween!

Start with a large platter or board. I have a big square wood board from Aldi that I love. 

Add your cookies in the center since they are the “stars” of the board. 

Now add cookies cutters and small bowls in corners and other open spaces. 

Then start to fill in the holes with larger candies like marshmallows and popcorn. 

I also saved a few of each of my Hocus Pocus treats I have made this year to add to our board!

Here are the recipes for each:

Wicked Witch Finger Dipped Pretzels

Hocus Pocus Marshmallow Cereal Bars

No Bake Haystack Cookies

I found these Zombie sour candies I knew my kids would love!

Inspired by Billy Butcherson in the movie!

Add all your treats including chocolates and candies. 

Fill in the cookies cutters (witch hat and black cat) with small candies like M&Ms. 

Finally what is Hocus Pocus without the spell book, right?

I made boxed brownies and cut a few in rectangles and decorated with black icing and a candy eye. 

Add these to your board.

All done and ready to eat!

Happy Halloween movie night!

Hope you love Hocus Pocus 2 as much as we did!

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Movie Night Snack Board – just in time for the weekend!

Serve this tasty selection of finger foods perfect for snackin’ while you relax and watch a movie with family and friends.

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Movie Night Snack Tray

Serves 4-6 

Ingredients

• assortment of chopped veggies I used carrots and cucumbers
• 1 cup spinach artichoke dip
• 1 cup pita chips
• 1 lb boneless barbecue wings
• 2 lbs bone in chicken wings
• 8 x8 dish of pigs in a blanket approx 25
• 1 bag of popped buttered popcorn
• 1 cup torttilla chips
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 6 pizza bagel bites
• 6-8 oz sliced block of cheese like cheddar brie, gouda
• assorted dips like mustard ranch, blue cheese

Instructions

• Start with a large, flat serving board or tray.
• Assemble the sliced veggies and pita chips first in a row on the board.
• Add a small bowl of spinach dip in the middle of dippers.
• Now build your board from there adding chips and salsa, bowls or stacks of wings, pizzas, and pigs in a blanket in all the open spaces.
• Finally, nestle in mini bowls of dips like mustard (for pigs in a blanket) and ranch and blue cheese (for wings).
• Sprinkle on buttered popcorn and add sliced cheese to fill in any open spaces.
• Serve and enjoy this fun meal during movie night!

Assemble the sliced veggies and pita chips first in a row on the board. 

Add a small bowl of spinach dip in the middle of dippers. I like this chilled yogurt based dip.

Now build your board from there adding chips and salsa, bowls or stacks of wings, pizzas, and pigs in a blanket in all the open spaces.

I served the boneless barbecue wings in a large bowl since they were smaller and messier. Add a small fork with the bowl.

I prepared a dish of pigs in a blanket glazed with honey mustard and baked for 25 minutes.

Pile onto your tray. Make sure to serve with mustard for dipping. 

You can use frozen pizza bagels but these homemade ones were just as easy and even tastier!

I used 3 mini bagels to make 6 pizzas. Slice them open and top with pizza sauce, pepperoni, and cheese.

Bake for 5 minutes and serve on the tray.

Add chips and a bowl of salsa. I like blue corn tortilla chips for a pop of color!

Finally, nestle in mini bowls of dips like mustard (for pigs in a blanket) and ranch and blue cheese (for wings). 

Sprinkle on buttered popcorn and add sliced cheese to fill in any open spaces. 

Serve and enjoy this fun meal during movie night!

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Got candy?! We do! Lots and lots of bagged candy and treats leftover from Halloween fill our kitchen.

I let the girls fill a bag each (plus a parents tax bag!) and then we assembled this cute leftover candy treats tray for our movie night!

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Leftover Candy Halloween Treats Tray

Ingredients

• Halloween themed popcorn or chips I used skeleton cheese puffs
• Assorted Halloween colored and shaped snacks and candy like cotton candy Peeps, gummies, chocolates, and sour straws.

Instructions

• Use a tray, plate, or board to hold your snacks. I used a medium size cauldron tray with sides from the Dollar Spot at Target.
• Start with a base of chips, popcorn, or another larger puffy snack like the skeleton cheese puffs I used.
• Then top with any assortment of candy like gummies, cotton candy, sour straws, chocolate, and marshmallows.
• Serve and snack away!

So many treats and no time to eat!

We used a variety of sweets for this movie night snack tray then bagged up and donated the rest at a local bank that sends them to the troops overseas. 

Use a tray, plate, or board to hold your snacks.

Start with a base of chips, popcorn, or another larger puffy snack.

Top with any assortment of candy like these Reeses pumpkins. 

Peeps marshmallow pumpkins and monsters are fun too!

I loved these colored KitKats and Reeses Franken Cups too.

Assemble all on top of and around the crunchy chips or popcorn on the bottom.

Serve and snack away! 

Yay for movie night and using up the last of the candy (before Christmastime!). 

“Stop taking pictures, Mom. We want to eat.” 

Have a fun and delicious weekend, friends!

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