For a weekend or a pre-holiday meal, enjoy my Holiday Best Snacking Board with savory dips, a variety of dippers, along with some nuts, fruits, and sweets.
Holiday Best Snacking Board
What better way to get people to join you at the table than with a wonderful snacking board that holds a plethora of delectable goodies. A snacking board is the ultimate and easy way to gather. They are great for parties when we can all have them, but for now they are the perfect way to bring the family together.
With some help from Trader Joe's I was able to pull together two outstanding snacking boards. You don't have to make things homemade all the time, so take some help from some special gourmet items and put together a spread that's healthy, appetizing, and filling.
The first board is full of toppings and dipping vessels. From hummus, to a goat cheese log, to crostini that you put together your way with a variety of toppings. The second board is full of finger snacks. From dried fruits, to various nuts, and some sweets thrown in the mix. This is definitely a sweet & salty board.
All together we have one decadent meal ahead of us!
When would you use a snacking board?
- Family get-togethers
- Game night
- Girls night
- Pre-holiday meals
- Holiday snacks
- New Year's eve
- An appetizer party
- Movie night
- Weekend Brunches
- Snacking Lunches
- Cocktail parties
- Pool party
What ingredients do I need?
For the: Finger Food and Dipping Board
- Mango Salsa
- Crumbled Feta Cheese
- Trader Joe's Spicy Hummus Dip
- Homemade Bruschetta (recipe below)
- Homemade Butternut Squash Crostini (recipe below)
- Homemade Crostini (recipe below)
- Tortilla Chips
- Trader Joe's Pistachio Pomegranate Crisps
- Trader Joe's Brioche Toasts
- Carrots
- Cucumber slices
- Bell pepper slices
- Trader Joe's Cranberry Chèvre Fresh Goat Cheese
For the: Fruit, Nuts, and Sweets Board
- Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Stars Shortbread Cookies
- Trader Joe's Candied Pecans
- Dried Apricots
- Marcona Almonds
- Walnuts Halves
- Pecan Halves
- For the dips try pico de gallo, tzatziki, white bean dip, other flavored hummus, spinach & artichoke, jams, fruit salsa
- For the dippers try pita bread, pretzel chips, bagel chips, or pita chips,
- For the vegetables try celery, broccoli, endive, and snap peas
- Don't like nuts, do an olive tray, or a sweets only tray
- Add more fresh fruits such as strawberries, grapes, and sliced apples
- Add other dried fruit such as apples, pineapples, figs, and dates
- Use a large wooden tray or platter as your board
- Make sure your tray is food safe, otherwise line with a piece of parchment paper
- Arrange big items first on your board and fill in with the smaller items
- Use most of the space on your board for an abundant look
- Dips and spreads should be placed in small bowls and spread out in different areas on the board
- Fill in the spaces under the dips and spreads with the dippers.
- Fan pieces for a nice look
- Groups similar items together for impact
Butternut Squash Crostini
cubed butternut squash (store-bought)
olive oil
salt & pepper
garlic powder
ground sage
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cut the cubed butternut squash into small bite sized pieces. Place on a large rimmed sheet pan, and drizzle with olive oil. Season well with salt, pepper and garlic powder plus a small sprinkle of ground sage.
Toss to evenly coat and roast about 25-30 minutes or until the squash is fork tender but not too soft. To serve use place feta cheese and some squash on a crostini.
2-3 ripe Roma tomatoes seeds removed, finely diced, and gently patted dry
3-4 fresh basil leaves sliced into thin ribbons
2 cloves garlic finely minced
1 1/2 - 2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 baguette, cut into 1/2" slices
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
flaky kosher salt
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Lightly coat both sides of bread with olive oil and arrange in single layer on a baking sheet.
Bake on the center rack for 10 minutes, flipping them halfway through, until golden and slightly crisp. Sprinkle with salt and serve.
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