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April 7, 2026
Cortney LaCorte
  1. Recipes
  2. Apps

Spring Al Fresco Cheeseboard

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Apps, Dinner

The sun is out, the air is crisp but warm, and after what felt like the longest winter ever, it’s finally time for dinner al fresco. What better way to celebrate the season than with a beautiful, budget-friendly cheeseboard? I put this one together for under $50, and the best part? I had plenty of leftovers to make another one. That’s what I call a major win!

Needing new outdoor entertaining essentials? I just got these items from Target!

The Perfect Spring Cheeseboard

This board has everything—creamy cheeses, savory charcuterie, sweet fruits, crunchy nuts, and the perfect mix of crackers to hold it all together. Here’s what I used:

Cheese Selections:

  • Extra Sharp Cheddar – bold and flavorful
  • Double Cream Brie – ultra smooth and spreadable
  • Herb & Garlic Goat Cheese – tangy with a punch of flavor

Charcuterie Trio:

  • Prosciutto – delicate and salty
  • Soppressata – rich and slightly spicy
  • Capocollo – savory with a nice chew

Crunch Factor:

  • Artisanal Fruit Crisps – for a sweet contrast
  • Entertaining Cracker Collection – variety is key!

Extras for Texture & Flavor:

  • Pistachios – a little salty crunch
  • Dried Cherries + Cranberries – chewy and tart
  • Cranberry Pomegranate Preserves – a sweet, jammy layer
  • Green Olives – briny and delicious

Fresh Fruits:

  • Strawberries – juicy and vibrant
  • Grapes – a classic pairing

Finishing Touch:

  • Fresh Rosemary Sprigs – for a fragrant, rustic feel

Cheeseboards might look fancy, but they’re actually one of the simplest meals to throw together. Just arrange everything on a big board (or a baking sheet if you don’t have one), play with textures and colors, and let everyone dig in.

@chzgal

Replying to @Alyssa Case on a Monday ??? #fyp #hosting #cheeseboar

♬ Cheek To Cheek – Ella Fitzgerald

Enjoy!

Cortney

Cortney LaCorte

Cortney LaCorte is the creator of CheeseGal, a food and entertaining blog born in her Nashville kitchen that celebrates cheese, charcuterie and joyful gatherings

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Pepper Jelly and Boursin Dip 🌶️ Keep this 3 ingre Pepper Jelly and Boursin Dip 🌶️

Keep this 3 ingredient app in your back pocket next time you need something quick, easy and DELISH! You can make so many variations of this by just swapping out the toppings. 

2 rounds of Garlic & Herb Boursin
1 jar pepper jelly 
Minced chives
Cheesy French Onion Pasta with (or without) Mushro Cheesy French Onion Pasta with (or without) Mushrooms

All the rich, savory flavors of French onion soup, but make it a cheesy, bubbling pasta bake. Caramelized onions, mushrooms, a creamy mascarpone sauce, and LOTS of Gruyère. I mean, what more could you want?!

INGREDIENTS:

Kosher salt
1 lb dried ziti pasta
2 tbsp olive oil (love Juice @foodbymaria )!
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced (about 5 cups)
8 oz sliced cremini mushrooms
Coarsely ground black pepper
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp dried thyme (or 1 tbsp fresh)
½ cup white wine
2 cups beef broth (not low-sodium)
8 oz mascarpone
1 lb Gruyère, grated (about 4 cups), divided
8 oz low-moisture mozzarella, chopped
Chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until just al dente (about 2 minutes less than package directions), 8–9 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and mushrooms and increase heat to high. Cook without stirring for 5 minutes, until beginning to brown. Season with salt and pepper, then cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and tender, about 12 minutes.

Add butter and let melt. Stir in flour, garlic, and thyme. Cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add white wine and cook until almost completely reduced, about 30 seconds.

Add beef broth and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Stir in mascarpone until creamy. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Stir in 1 cup Gruyère and the drained pasta, tossing to coat. Top with remaining Gruyère and mozzarella.

Bake for 20–25 minutes, until bubbly and melted. Let cool for 5 minutes, garnish with parsley, and DIG IN!

PRO TIP: The secret to beautifully caramelized onions? Patience! If they’re browning too quickly or sticking to the skillet, add a splash of water or even beef broth and stir to loosen those delicious browned bits. You’re looking for soft, sweet, golden-brown onions, not blackened or crispy ones! (Take it from me 🫠)
Fall Appetizer: Jam + Ritz Baked Brie The best p Fall Appetizer: Jam + Ritz Baked Brie 

The best part is you can use whatever jam is on hand! Think: fig, apricot, cherry - could even go savory and do onion jam! Whatever! Make this and report back. It’s a good one to have in your back pocket.

INGREDIENTS:
8 ounce Brie cheese wheel 
2 tablespoons of whatever jam/preserves (I used fig)
Coarsely ground pepper
8 @ritzcrackers , crushed, plus more crackers for serving
1 tablespoon olive oil
Flaky salt and chopped fresh rosemary, for serving

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center position. Using a sharp knife, make 4 parallel cuts on one flat side of the cheese, cutting just through the rind but not much deeper. Turn the cheese 90° degrees and make 4 more parallel cuts. 

Cut a round of parchment a little larger than the brie. Place the parchment in the bottom of a small baking sheet or oven-safe skillet. Put the brie on the parchment, scored side up, on top. 

Spread the jam/preserves on top of the brie and season with pepper. In a small bowl, combine the crushed crackers and olive oil and stir until the crumbs are coated in oil. Sprinkle the cracker crumbs on top of the jam.

Transfer the brie to the oven and bake for about 10-15 minutes (keeping a close eye that your Brie doesn’t completely melt like mine lol) until the cheese is warm and the cracker crumbs are lightly toasted. 

Transfer the cheese to a serving plate. Sprinkle the cheese with chopped rosemary and flaky salt and serve immediately with more crackers. 
That’s it!

#fyp #fall #appetizer
“Traffic is so bad RN” “Traffic is so bad RN”
Spiced Pear & Rosemary Gin Sour 🍐🍸 Fresh pear, ro Spiced Pear & Rosemary Gin Sour 🍐🍸

Fresh pear, rosemary, warm spices, and gin shaken into a deliciously frothy little chic fall cocktail!!!

INGREDIENTS:
2 oz gin
½ ripe pear, peeled, cored + chopped
1 oz fresh lemon juice (maybe even more if you want it super tart)
¾ oz elderflower liqueur
¼ oz honey syrup
1 egg white
1 sprig fresh rosemary
pinch of ground cinnamon
pinch of ground ginger
Ice
Fresh pear slice + rosemary sprig, for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

First, make your honey syrup right in the shaker! Add a little honey and an equal amount of warm tap water, stirring until dissolved. Add the chopped pear, lemon juice, and rosemary and muddle until the pear is nice and juicy. Add the gin, elderflower liqueur, cinnamon, ginger, and egg white. Shake vigorously WITHOUT ice for about 15 seconds to create that gorgeous froth! Add ice and shake again until nice and cold. Double strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a chilled coupe, gently pressing to extract all that pear juice. Garnish with a fresh pear slice and sprig of rosemary. CHEERS!!! 🍸

PRO TIP: The riper the pear, the better! You want one that’s soft, fragrant, and juicy enough to practically melt when muddled. Bartlett pears are especially good here.

And go VERY light on the cinnamon and ginger. We want a whisper of fall spice, not a cocktail that tastes like potpourri. 🤣
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