PenneyFarmsPrincess.com
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes & More
    • Restaurant Reviews
    • Favorite Things
    • Epcot
    • Healthy Choices
    • Meal Prep
    • Sweet Stuff
    • Events & Grazing
    • Christmas
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Stepmom Life
  • Subscribe
  • The Gram

Grazing Boxes

7/26/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
Here’s your shopping list & helpful tips to create the perfect picnic grazing boxes.

print recipe
Picture
0 Comments

Edible Cheeseboard

6/21/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
Food Network recently showed us a grilled edible cheeseboard. Whaaaat? That's right. The entire board is edible. Beautiful AND delicious? Sign me up.

I had to try this out for myself, but I decided to put my own unique spin on it. The Food Network chefs created theirs with pizza dough, and I opted for a buttery, flaky puff pastry. After creating a board of my own, I think the Food Network chefs had it right. Pizza dough is the way to go here. The puff pastry I used was delicious, but not sturdy enough to support the cheese when eating. I also decided to bake it instead of grilling, and that worked fine for me. 
Food Network's Board
My Board
Who's going to try this edible cheeseboard trend with me?
0 Comments

Tringali Barn Event

6/3/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
This is the Tringali Barn! 

I recently had the honor of helping a friend cater a little event for a small group at this beautiful Northeast Florida venue. It's owned by a family friend who's doing amazing things in our community.

​If you're looking for a beautiful barn venue for your next event, this is it!
0 Comments

Picnic Surprise

4/19/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
I had the honor of surprising friends with a picnic to celebrate the groundbreaking of their new home, built by Providence Homes. I wanted to make it extra special for them, and not just throw out a picnic basket and blanket. So here's how I planned their perfect picnic.

I searched around the house and pulled out blankets, pillows, boxes, a small table, greenery, candles, lanterns, etc. I found 2 gray blankets, and 4 teal pillows. So I decided on a jewel tone color scheme.

Then, I set up the picnic in my living room to see how everything looked together. This took about an hour of arranging, then rearranging, taking pictures, over and over again until I had a layout that I was happy with.

When my mock up picnic set up was finished, I took a photo and saved it on my phone. This way, when it was time to set up the actual picnic, I didn't have to think about the design. I could just refer to the photo and focus on the set up.

For me, the star of the show was the purple alstroemeria flowers. They were gorgeous on the grazing board! I actually had more to use around the picnic, but I forgot them in my rush to get to the picnic site. I've found that with every event I do SOMETHING always goes wrong. The napkins aren't the right color, missing an ingredient, forgot to light the candles... it's always something. I've realized, though, no one knows but me. And nobody cares! So there's no need to stress out over every detail being absolutely perfect. Try your best, have fun, and be proud of what you created.
Grazing Board Shopping List
*I purchased everything at Costco & Publix*
  • Large Brie Wheel
  • Baby Brie Wheel
  • Honeycomb
  • Dragon Fruit
  • Strawberries
  • Kiwi
  • Blueberries
  • Raspberries
  • Blackberries
  • Aged Gouda
  • Red Seedless Grapes
  • Manchego, sliced into wedges
  • Mini Rosemary Croccantini®
  • 34 Degrees Rosemary Crackers
  • Salami
  • Pepperoni
  • Shelled Pistachios
  • Purple Alstroemerias 
I've already started planning my next picnic, and ways to make it even more special. I can't wait! 

​Cheers!
0 Comments

Grazing Table Tips

4/1/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
Making a grazing table can be intimidating, so I put together a few easy tips and a list of everything we used to create this beautiful spring grazing table. 

  • Use your favorite foods that you and your guests will actually eat. If you don't like it, don't put it on there! There's no need in using pickled asparagus if no one is going to eat it. Right?
  • Don't reinvent the wheel. Find photos of a grazing table you like, and try to recreate your own version of that. 
  • Create height with boxes, baskets & pedestals. I typically pull things from all over the house:  a box, a crate, a basket, or whatever I can find to add texture and height to the table. Cake plates and tiered plates work well for this too. 
  • Greenery, candles, linens, and non food decor can fill in empty spaces. Again, pull things from all over the house. Don't limit yourself to just what's in the kitchen. You can use fresh flowers, eucalyptus, fake plants (shhhhh!), candles, linens, a decorative vase, pitcher, whatever you like that compliments your grazing table.
  • It’s ok to mix and match wood tones & metals. I know, I know. It took me a bit to get over having everything so matchy matchy, but your wood tones and metals do not have to all be the same. You can use silver and gold, dark wood, and light wood. It can all tie together nicely. 
  • You don’t have to pre-slice or cut all of your cheese. If you're putting together a huge grazing table, you don't have to pre-cut your cheese. A dramatic wedge of blue cheese nestled next to a bunch of gorgeous red grapes draped over a gold pedestal can be pretty amazing. 
  • Have fun! If you're not having fun, what's the point? Am I right? And food that's prepared with love just tastes better. So put on your favorite music, dance around that kitchen, and make it happen! 
Shopping List
*I purchased everything at Costco & Publix*
  • Large Brie Wheel
  • Medium Brie Wheel
  • Honeycomb
  • Honey
  • Strawberries
  • Blueberries
  • Raspberries
  • Green Seedless Grapes
  • Red Seedless Grapes
  • Large Blue Cheese Wedge, split
  • Manchego, sliced into wedges
  • 2 French Baguettes, 1 sliced
  • Alessi Thin Breadsticks
  • Mini Rosemary Croccantini®
  • 34 Degrees Rosemary Crackers
  • Sonoma Creamery Pepper Jack Crisps
  • Sugar Snap Peas
  • Broccoli Florets
  • Cauliflower Florets
  • English Cucumber, sliced thin
  • Hummus
  • Baby Dill Pickles
  • Whole Grain Mustard
  • Salami
  • Pepperoni
  • Prosciutto 
  • Salami Panino Fingers
  • Queen Olives
  • Shelled Pistacios
  • Candied Pecans
  • Dark Chocolate Covered Caramels with Sea Salt
0 Comments

Valentine's Day Grazing Board

2/1/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
Here’s my Valentine’s Day grazing board! If you want a fun way to celebrate Valentine’s day, but don’t want to cook, put together a grazing board! It’s beautiful, delicious, and you don’t have to turn on the oven. For this board, I tried to incorporate flavors that go well together and a festive color scheme of reds and pinks.
​To create the brie and pomegranate heart, just use a heart shaped cookie cutter. Make sure your brie is very cold, so it’s easier to cut. Otherwise you’ll have a gooey mess. As soon as you take it out of the refrigerator, unwrap it and use the cookie cutter to gently press out your heart shape. Once the heart shape is removed, drain your pomegranate arils and carefully spoon them in the space.

Ingredients
Here’s a list of everything I used to create this board as well as links to where I purchased them.
  • Genoa Salami
  • Pepperoni
  • Brie
  • Merlot Cheese
  • Baby Dill Pickles
  • Prosciutto Wrapped Mozzarella
  • Fig Crackers
  • Pomegranate
  • Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels
  • Shelled Pistachios
  • Multigrain Crackers
  • Honey
  • Strawberries
  • Blueberries
  • Raspberries
  • Red Seedless Grapes
0 Comments

Stepmom Thanksgiving

11/24/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
On the years where my stepson isn’t with us for Thanksgiving, I prepare Thanksgiving twice. Once for him so he can have a nice Thanksgiving dinner with family, and then I prepare a second feast on Thanksgiving day.

​​It’s a lot of work, and it’s not easy, but I’d do anything for this child.
 
Because of him… I’m a mom.
 
I didn’t give birth to him, but he is my child.
Picture
​I take him to doctor appointments, go to parent teacher meetings, and make his meals. I teach him right from wrong, table manners, how to say yes ma’am, no sir and y’all. I take care of him when he’s sick, encourage him when he’s down, and I love him unconditionally.
To all of my fellow step parents out there… I see you. I know how much you carry on your shoulders and the heaviness in your heart. Don’t stop. Keep charging forward. Keep loving that child unconditionally. You’re making a difference.
 
Love. Never. Fails.

Stepmom Support
If you’re a stepmom and looking for support, I am a huge fan of Stepmom Magazine. It’s an incredible resource that talks about tough topics, helpful tools, support and encouragement. “Because even when it’s good… it’s complicated.”
0 Comments

Tailgate at Home

11/7/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
We love tailgating at home while cheering on our favorite teams. There's something magical about the sound of the game echoing through the house, friends and family gathering together, the cool crisp fall air, and the delicious food.

Here are some of my favorite ideas for tailgating at home. 
0 Comments

Fall Grazing Board

10/19/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Ever wonder how these grazing boards are created?

Well here's a timelapse video of how I created my fall grazing board, and a complete list of all ingredients.

Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS:
small pumpkins
kettle corn
honey
cranberry crackers
prosciutto
kiwi
aged gouda
pomegranate
wheat crackers
blue cheese
figs
walnuts
salami
pistachios
cranberries
manchego
honeycrisp apple
pepperoni 
sage
rosemary
0 Comments

Epic Milkshake Party

9/13/2020

987 Comments

 
Picture
​Everyone loves a good milkshake, but these are not your mamma’s milkshakes! These are epic milkshakes!
 
For anyone concerned about keeping a spotless kitchen, keep on scrolling, this isn’t for you. These things are super messy, but that’s part of the fun! So, if you’re ok with sprinkles on the floor and milkshake drips everywhere, let’s have a little fun.
 
OK, step one, make your milkshake. Find your favorite flavor ice cream, add a little milk, and blend it up in the blender until smooth. 
 
Now for the fun part… toppings! The more toppings, the more epic the milkshakes!
​Get all the usual toppings:
Whipped Cream
Chocolate Sauce
Caramel Sauce
Cherries
Sprinkles
 
Aaaaand now for the epic toppings:
Cookies
Candy Bars
Nerds (these are great because they’re like jumbo sprinkles)
Pirouettes (the chocolate filled wafer cookie straws)
Cotton Candy
Bubble Gum
SweeTarts
Peanut Butter Cups
And pretty much any other candy you can think of.
 
Roll the top part of the glass in (or brush on) chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, or peanut butter. Then roll it in sprinkles, nerds, cookie crumbs, chocolates, etc.
 
Decorate the inside of glass by swirling chocolate sauce or caramel sauce inside.  Add your milkshake, and top with all the toppings you want. Go crazy!
 
It’s going to spill over onto the counter. It’s going to get messy. Embrace it. Go nuts and have fun!
987 Comments

Basic Grazing Board Demo

7/25/2020

1 Comment

 
Picture
​Charcuterie boards are one of my favorite things on the planet, but my friends typically make a face when I say “charcuterie.” Charrrrr… what? So, let’s call it a grazing board. K? K.
 
I’ve had several people ask me how to put a board together, so I created a demo. This one isn’t perfect or fancy, but it gives you a basic idea of how I put one together. Here are the things I typically include in my boards, and usually have them on hand so I can easily throw one together if someone drops by.
Picture
Aged Gouda
This is probably my favorite cheese y’all, and if you serve it right, you can taste the little salt crystals inside. DO NOT slice this cheese. I will come over there and smack your hand if you try to make slices out of this. Take the point of a knife, insert it into the cheese near and edge and twist off a hunk of cheese. Let the cheese break apart naturally. (see demo)
 
Blue Cheese
Cause, duh, it’s delicious, and a little stinky. Any kind will do. I like to leave it in a big wedge and let a few crumbles cascade down a corner. If you don’t like the bite of blue cheese, try drizzling honey over it. If you don’t like that, leave it off. It’s your board baby! Do you!
 
Brie
Mild and creamy. I like to stack them to create some height on the board. And do you see how cute that little one is? The cutest.
 
Hard Salami
You can use any cured meat, but this is a simple easy to eat option, and most people like it.
 
Pepperoni
Another crowd pleaser. I like to use the large thin cut pepperoni that you would find on an Italian sub. You can fold them into little pepperoni flowers (also shown on demo) which gives the board a fun texture and pop of color.
 
Rosemary Crackers
Crunchy, salty, and a mild rosemary flavor.
 
Fig Raincoast Crisps
These crackers also come in cranberry and orange, but this one is my favorite. It’s delicious with the blue cheese.
 
Fresh Fruit
For this demo I used grapes, strawberries, and blueberries, but I also like to use figs, raspberries, pears, apples, and citrus.
 
Dried Fruit
Dried cherries are my go to, but I also use dried apricots, apple chips, and coconut chips. You can also use dried cranberries and raisins.
 
Go Nuts
You can use any nut you like, but I like to use shelled pistachios and seasoned almonds.
 
Sweets
Honey or honeycomb are a nice addition to any board. I also like to include some kind of jam or spread like fig or strawberry.
 
Fresh Herbs
Garnishing your board with fresh herbs gives it a finished look to fill in any empty spaces, and they smell lovely.
1 Comment

Wine Tasting Party

6/22/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
0 Comments

Spanish Grazing Table

6/22/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
0 Comments

Grazing Tables

6/17/2020

3 Comments

 
Picture
​What occasion is appropriate for a grazing table? Ummm… all occasions! (giggle) Seriously, though, they’re pretty simple to put together, and they’re always a show stopper. I’ve done them for multiple occasions and they never disappoint.
You should know, though, there is a wrong way to do these, and trust me, I’m speaking from experience. Here are a few tips to help get you started.

TIP 1:  Use parchment paper that matches or compliments your surface. If it’s brown, use brown. If it’s white, use white. Also, it’s best to select a surface that is flat. If you’re working with a textured table, it can get pretty messy. You don’t want to be scraping blue cheese out of the grooves in your table.
 
TIP 2:  Pick a theme. Your theme can be a color scheme, a holiday, a type of food, etc. Just make sure that everything goes well together.
 
TIP 3:  Fill in the gaps. Use something small like edible flowers, popcorn, nuts, candy, etc. to fill in any random gaps in your grazing table. You want it to look full and bountiful.
 
TIP 4:  Be careful not to overdo it. Stick to your theme and keep it simple. I recommend you choose 1 or 2 at the most of your filler (see tip 3), otherwise it can start to look junky. You want your table to be artfully arranged, not a table that looks like you dumped out your grocery bags.
 
TIP 5:  Lastly, if you don’t know how to arrange your table, copy one from a photo! There’s no need to reinvent the wheel here. There should be no shame in your game! No one is going to walk in, see your epic grazing table, and search the internet to find out who you copied. Well, Karen might. Just don’t invite Karen. So, find one that you like, and copy it the best you can. You’ve got this. (and your secret is safe with me)
3 Comments

    Author

    Amber
    the Penney Farms Princess

    Categories

    All
    Christmas
    Events & Grazing
    Favorite Things
    Healthy Choices
    Journey To Baby
    Recipes
    School Lunches
    Stepmom Life
    Sweet Stuff
    Travel
    Wine

    Archives

    April 2025
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    January 2023
    September 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes & More
    • Restaurant Reviews
    • Favorite Things
    • Epcot
    • Healthy Choices
    • Meal Prep
    • Sweet Stuff
    • Events & Grazing
    • Christmas
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Stepmom Life
  • Subscribe
  • The Gram