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Cheese boards are my love language. They are as diverse as people, coming in many shapes & sizes.

Whether it's a dinner for 2 or entertaining 20, a cheese board is the perfect way to go. It requires little to no cooking, can be prepped ahead of time & makes an impressive statement.

When it comes to assembling the perfect cheese board, I always include a few homemade components. For this particular cheese board, I added super tasty BLUE CHEESE + WALNUT CRACKERS. Little savory bites that pack big time flavor, these are delicious on their own or topped with meat & cheese from your board. Keep scrolling to find this easy, make ahead recipe. If sharp cheddar is more your thing, try these CHEDDAR CHEESE CRISPIES.

The key to displaying a luscious cheese board is variety. Don't be afraid to mix your favorite crackers & cheese with fruits, nuts & some delicious deli meats. I chose to slice a whole pepperoni for this board & wrapped dates stuffed with herbed cream cheese in pieces of prosciutto, the perfect sweet & savory bite!

It's nice to add a bit of crunch & while you can use plain nuts, I like to serve these SWEET + SPICY PECANS. They can be made in less than 20 minutes & are real crowd pleaser!

A delicious cheese board doesn't have to be fancy, in fact you can find a lot in your local supermarket. I add cubed extra sharp cheddar that you can find in any dairy case. Brie is also a great supermarket find. I love to top mine with store bought fig preserves. When it comes to crackers, I go for an assortment pack to really get more bang for your buck. This pack from Whole Foods is inexpensive & has a great variety. Add your favorite fruit with a little greenery from the garden & you've got one spectacular cheese board!

Now pour yourself a glass of wine & enjoy! Cheers to fabulous cheese boards everywhere!

BLUE CHEESE + WALNUT CRACKERS

1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, softened

8 ounces blue cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

In a mixing bowl, add the blue cheese & butter. With an electric mixer set to low, cream together until smooth, about 1 minute. Slowly add the flour, salt & pepper. Mix until it's in large crumbles, about 1 minute. Add 1 tablespoon water & mix until combined.

Dump the dough onto a floured board, press it into a ball, & roll into a 12-inch long log. Brush the log completely with the egg wash. Spread the walnuts in a square on a cutting board & roll the log back & forth in the walnuts, pressing lightly, & distributing them evenly on the outside of the log. Wrap in plastic & refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 days.

When ready to cook, preheat the oven 350 degrees.

Cut the log into 3/8ths inch thick slices with a small, sharp knife. Place the crackers onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 22 minutes until lightly brown, rotating the pan once durning cooking. Cool & serve at room temperature.

ENJOY!

Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten