LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Charcuterie boards are a popular and easy appetizer for a party or date night. Dr. Tionna Jenkins with Plate it Healthy is putting a creative twist on that idea with charcuterie jars.
Ingredients:
10 wide mouth mason jars
25 slices of vegan sausage/deli slices
20 slices of vegan cheese
10-15 Gherkins or mini kosher pickles, or pickled okra
25 pitted olives
35 grapes
50 pineapple chunks
45 fresh strawberries
45 raspberries
4 cups of vegan chocolate chips
5 cups of granola
5 cups of assorted dry nuts
10 large purple lettuce leaves
Assorted Breadsticks (long and short)
Rosemary or Thyme branches for garnish and freshness (optional)
Short Skewers or Long Cocktail Toothpicks, For Arranging (50 +)
Cream cheese, vinaigrette or Jam (optional) for a dipping sauce
Directions:
- Make sure that all fruits, vegetables are appropriately cleaned and dried.
- Cut the cheese slices into squares (lay them flat and to the side).
- If using sausages, after cooking them according to the instructions, (cut them in half) and lay to the side.
- If using deli slices, after cooking them according to the instructions, (lay to the side). Please note, fold the deli slices into quarters before putting them on the skewers.
Assembling the Wide Mouth Mason Jars:
- In the bottom of each glass or jar, pour about 2–3 tablespoons of granola and assorted nuts.
- Begin threading the ingredients one by one unto the short and long cocktail skewers. You may choose to keep some of the skewers tall and others shorter.
- For example, you may want to put 1–2 pickles per skewer, 3 olives each per skewer and 4 grapes and 1-2 cooked sausage link or cooked deli slices per skewer and so on.
- However, you combine your skewers, make sure to have fun with it and add your own variation of each ingredient to each skewer.
- Stand the assorted skewers up into each cup. Stabilize with about 2-3 breadsticks each and assorted nuts (at the bottom), until the cups are crowded and arranged to your liking.
- Sprinkle chocolate chips within each jar.
- If desired, stick in a rosemary or thyme branch for garnish and freshness.
Please note:
1. Having different height variations with the skewers help to make the presentation esthetically pleasing to the eye.
2. Having different colorful fruits also helps to magnify the presentation of your jars.
3. You may also want to tie a ribbon or bow around the glass or jar to add a decoration.