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Last Minute Cheese & Charcuterie Party with Ingredients from Costco

Do you love to entertain during the holidays but just don’t have the time?  If you love to entertain, just do it with my last minute cheese & charcuterie party with ingredients from Costco.I grabbed two bunches of sunflowers from the Farmers Market,  hydrangeas and pom branches from my yard and plopped them in one of my favorite vintage jars. Since it is early fall I wanted the party to have an Indian Summer vibe.  I used these caspari gold dot napkins found on Amazon (left over from Jenna’s shower). These would be great for New Years too by the way if you don’t use them all. I added these super cheap gold napkins (that I always have on hand) also found on Amazon.

FALL BOUQUET

Here is what you need to buy from Costco. Two of their already sliced packages of cured meats, and two bags of nuts.  They usually have a lot of options over the holidays. These are what they had when I popped in so this is what I got.

nuts

You will need about 5 oz meat per person if it is a cocktails only party. Of course, you could make it more interesting and more complicated if you have the time.  The point of this party is to make it as simple as possible. Lay it out on an interesting tray, add some blooms from your yard and you are good to go.

charcuterie tray

For cheese, I grabbed whatever they had in stock, manchego, burrata, brie, aged mimolette and gruyere. You will need one to two ounces per person. If you want to make it more complicated and more of a proper cheese tray follow these tips.

 

I used whatever crackers I had on hand and the others were found at Costco.  If I wanted to make it more complicated I would add toasted baguette slices, some interesting jams, and some dried fruit .The whole idea here is to not make a big deal of entertaining. Make it pretty and easy, and stick to your guns! It doesn’t need to be complicated for it to be a great party.  My mother in law was a master at this.  She was a terrible (and I do mean terrible) cook but she served everything with style in beautiful dishes.  No one realized that the food was awful because it looked beautiful!

wood tray filled with crackerw

Add some great wine and enjoy! If you would like tips on how to create a more complicated version of this check out my post Fall Entertaining Tips on how to Create a Beautiful Cheese Board in the Rough Luxe Style. You can find a cheese cheat sheet and more.

Now Stop by and visit our blogging friends for their beautiful offerings.

 

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Comments

  1. bayboxwood says

    That’s a terrific spread, beautiful table!

    We eat charcuterie/meat and cheese tray around here frequently – I get just about everything at Costco and keep it on hand. If we have a busy evening it will often become our main course with a cup of broth or a quick green salad. Thanks to Costco it’s pretty budget friendly, as it’s very satisfying, a little goes a long way , it keeps well, and it seems like a treat in the middle of the week, or with wine during cocktail hour on the weekends. Other benefits of keeping those sorts of bites and ingredients around are they contribute mightily to a good homemade pizza, and we always have something nice to bring when we’re invited to a casual get together.

    • Cindy Hattersley says

      So true! The only problem I have if they are in my fridge I eat them!! I have to throw them in the freezer for safety!

    • Cindy Hattersley says

      Hi Rachel
      Sorry for the late response a few comments slipped through the cracks while I was babysitting. That is pretty much how we roll as well. So many good tips for quick gatherings from you! I hope everyone’s reading the comments!

  2. Karen B. says

    Such a pretty example…makes me hungry! I may have to practice this weekend on some of the ideas you all have provided. I could make a meal off of the items you selected.
    xo,
    Karen

  3. holly says

    Inspired to host something to say another farewell to summer in the land of “endless summer”. Perfect to catch up on summer travels, books read, family updates and plans for the holiday season just around the corner … Egads! thanks for showing how easy it can all be.

  4. Sheri Silver says

    Cindy! So happy to be part of this charcuterie party – love your board, the ease with which you make it “doable” for anyone, and how stylish at the same time! Happy to have discovered your lovely blog too; as a 50+ blogger myself I am always thrilled to find a fellow blogger who is anywhere close to my age! Thanks for including me!

  5. Sandra Sallin - Apart From My aRt says

    Boy do you have style. Love your meat and cheese board. Beautiful and a great idea. I find in LA that everyone is a vegetarian, gluten free, no dairy etc. It gets discouraging. But your platter looks so enticing maybe it would break down their ddfensives. I love that you have style in everything you wear or do.

    • Cindy Hattersley says

      We deal with the same here too Sandra…I try to just eat healthy most of the time and not have so many rules that I can’t enjoy myself on occassion!

  6. Brenda says

    My problem is when everyone arrives, no one will be the first to choose anything from either of my plates that I set out. I find myself taking bites from cheeses and crackers just to get things started! They seem to act as though it is all for decorating!

  7. classic casual home says

    LOVE the flowers on your cheese board!!! So creative. And your floral arrangement is amazing. You are so talented. It’s great how you kept the deli meats in formation!!! Great job.
    Mary Ann

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