I'm excited to share this smoked salmon board with you. Charcuterie boards (or meal boards... basically anything served on a large wooden tray. ha) make the most delicious meals.

I didn't think smoked salmon would be their thing, but 3 out of 4 INHALED it so quickly I had to set some aside for Steve for later.

Start off with smoked salmon. A little goes a long way, so don't feel like you need 4 pounds for your party.

Or if you're smoking your own salmon, get some really fresh salmon. I got some salmon from Catch Sikta and smoked it myself, but they all sell pre-smoked salmon and other fish which is totally delicious, too. They have the best quality fish, and it's always super fresh.

Here's my EASY tutorial on How to Smoke Salmon. Getting all of those smoky flavors into salmon is easier than you think. I hope you have a pellet grill (like a Traeger or a CampChef)!

What to serve with smoked salmon

Traditional foods that go well with smoked salmon are cream cheese, red onion, lemon juice, fresh dill, and black pepper. Things that are creamy, herby, and acidic/briny compliment smoked salmon really well.

Don't be limited to just those things, though. When you're creating a charcuterie or snack board you can add lots of different things. Things that are creamy and briny make great options. You can find everything you need at the grocery store.

Here's what I put on my board:

• Mini Brie bites (from Trader Joe's)
• Two kinds of crackers
• Two kinds of dip (a sour cream based Green Goddess dip & hummus)
• Carrot sticks
• Sliced Cucumbers
• Dill Pickles
• Sliced Pears
• Pomegranate wedges
• Spicy Dill Pickle Almonds

Tips for creating a meal board:

Add something creamy

Soft cheeses and creamy dips are always a great choice to add some richness to a charcuterie. Creamy cheese and spreads like crème fraîche are always a good thing, too. I'd go as far as to say that adding salmon dip wouldn't be a bad thing. More is more during the holidays, right?

There are even dairy-free options for dips and cream cheese now!

Add something crunchy

I always add 1-2 kinds of crackers for building a little salmon crostini. Small sourdough bread toasts, pretzels, bagel chips, and slices of rye bread are a fun choice. Nuts and veggie sticks work well, too. Just cut them into small pieces.

Add something fresh

Fresh fruit, vegetables, & fresh herbs give your meal board a fresh look. I've found also, that if I put fresh veggies and fruit out along with the more indulgent things (like cheese & crackers) my kids eat more veg. A little counterintuitive, but it works.

Add something sweet

Fruit is always a good choice and almost all fruit can be easily eaten as a finger food. I liked pears and pomegranates this time since they're seasonal for December. Depending on the purpose of the board, some candy or chocolate might be good, too.

Add something pungent, briny, and/or spicy

Covering all kinds of flavor is always a good idea and takes your charcuterie board to a whole new level. I chose pickles and spicy dill pickle almonds. Lemon wedges, pickled red onions, olives, Dijon mustard, spicy brown mustard, and marinated artichoke hearts would also compliment your smoky salmon well.

Another tip is to let your board sit at room temperature for an hour or so before serving. The flavor of the salmon and cheese will be better if they're not chilled.

We're big fans of meal boards. You can add whatever you like to your smoked salmon platter and make it as small or as large as you like. Here are a few other meal board ideas we really like.

More Meal Board Ideas on Perry's Plate

Healthy Holiday Charcuterie with Cheese Fondue -- Charcuterie and fondue is a perfect combination. My fondue recipe is easy to make and non-alcoholic. And you don't even need a fondue pot!

Rainbow Salad Board -- A beautiful rainbowtized salad board we love to pull out for St. Patrick's Day or Pride Month. I love all of the different

Valentine's Day Breakfast Board -- I surprised my kids one year with this giant breakfast board with waffles, bacon, and alllll of the toppings. And some chocolate, too.

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Holiday Smoked Salmon Board

Yield: Serves 8

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

This Smoked Salmon Board makes a beautiful presentation, and it's a great way to please everyone in your group because it's so customizable!

Print

Ingredients

• 8-10 ounces hot smoked salmon
• Crackers, mini toasts, or something to build crostinis
• Fresh fruit and vegetables, cut into bite-sized pieces or spears
• Creamy dips like hummus, ranch, or Green Goddess Dip
• Briny things like dill pickles, pickled red onions, or olives
• Soft cheeses like brie, herb cheese like Boursin, or another cheese you prefer

Instructions

1. Place the smoked salmon in the center of a large cutting board or food-safe wooden tray.
2. Arrange the rest of the items around the salmon, putting dips into small bowls.
3. Serve

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I’ve always thought fondue=fancy. It was something you ordered at that “melty” restaurant and paid a lot of money for. But nothing I’d tackle at home. Until I did! And guess what? It’s much more simple than you think! (And you don’t need a fondue pot!)

Why you'll love this Easy Cheese Fondue Recipe

Why is this recipe so great? Most fondue recipes contain wine or beer, but this one is alcohol free. It’s also gluten free (in case you’re concerned with food allergies) and you can make and serve it in a regular saucepan on the stove. I also have some tips to ensure your cheese fondue is silky smooth and not clumpy.

We have been making cheese fondue for Christmas Eve dinner for YEARS and it’s such a special tradition that my kids love. That particular night is already busy and it’s fun to have something impressive, yet easy to make to celebrate being together for the holidays.

Ingredients to make Cheese Fondue without Wine

• Gruyere Cheese
• Baby Swiss Cheese
• Tapioca starch or arrowroot starch
• Garlic clove
• Chicken broth
• Apple cider
• Lemon juice
• Salt and black pepper

What kind of cheese is good for fondue?

Classic cheese fondue is made with gruyere and maybe Swiss cheeses, but you can use any other cheese as long as it melts well. Gouda, fontina, and Monterey Jack are good ones. (Psst. Gruyere and fontina are both types of Swiss cheese -- did you know?)

Mozzarella melts well, too, but it's incredibly stringy, so I wouldn't recommend using it.

Do I need a fondue pot?

It's best to have a pot with a heat source to keep the fondue warm. It keeps it from clumping as it cools. If you don't want to buy a fondue pot, you'll have to put the pot back on the stove periodically to keep the fondue warm.

If you anticipate having fondue nights throughout the year, then investing in a fondue pot would be a good choice! There are several different kinds -- electric, gas-heated, and candle-heated. I have an electric one (but borrowed a candle-lit one from a friend for this post).

I linked to a couple different kinds of fondue pots in the recipe card (including the electric one that I own). You can use any of them for chocolate fondue as well. (We sometimes do chocolate fondue on Christmas Eve, too! Or on Valentine's Day.)

You could also use a small slow cooker!

How to make this Easy Cheese Fondue Recipe without Wine

1. Put the grated cheese in a medium bowl and sprinkle the tapioca starch over the cheese. Toss to coat the cheese evenly. (Don't skip this step. The starch keeps the cheese from clumping and makes the fondue smoother and thicker.)
2. Cut the garlic clove in half and rub the cut side all over the inside of the pot or bowl in which you plan to serve the fondue.
3. Put the broth and cider in a medium saucepan and heat it to simmering. Reduce heat to medium-low until the liquid is no longer bubbling, but steamy and hot.
4. Begin adding the cheese to the pot a little at a time by grabbing a small handful and sprinkle it into the hot liquid while stirring with the other hand in a figure 8 motion.
5. Continue gradually adding handfuls of cheese (after the previous handfuls have completely melted) until all of the cheese has been added and the fondue is thick, stringy, and relatively smooth.
6. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. If you'd like a stronger garlic flavor, use a microplane grater and grate ½ of the garlic clove into the pot.
7. Pour the fondue into the bowl of a fondue pot or desired serving dish.
8. Serve with your choice of dippers.

How to make a Cheese Fondue Platter

Choose healthier bread, chip & cracker alternatives

A charcuterie board without some kind of chip or cracker for dipping is just a meat & veggie tray, right? Dippers are ESSENTIAL and kids LOVE to dip things!

Find some healthier dippers like homemade sourdough bread cubes, veggie chips, grain-free tortilla chips, and gluten-free seed crackers.

Let's get back to charcuterie building.

Choose veggies & fruit they like

This will 100% depend on your kids. My kids happen to like most of their vegetables in raw form, so I can put a variety of things on here and they'll eat it. If your kids only like baby carrots and grapes -- put baby carrots and grapes. And maybe one or two things that are new or unfamiliar or happen to be in season -- like pomegranates and mandarines.

I've learned that if you just set out a platter like this and walk away, they'll get curious enough to try new things. Or sometimes they'll eat all the crackers and run off. Raising healthy eaters takes a lot of time and patience. Ha.

Add some protein

To round out a healthy charcuterie board, add some protein! For this platter I cut slices of ham and turkey in half and rolled them up. I also added some protein-rich hummus and.... cheese fondue has quite a bit of protein, too.

You could add hard-cooked eggs, cheese cubes (if fondue isn't their thing), beans or a bean-based dip.

Use different kinds of dips

Dips are the fun part! Have fun with this and get 2-4 different kinds for them to try.

Sadly my kids aren't huge ranch eaters, so I usually put out guacamole, hummus, and maybe one dairy-based dip. For our Christmas Eve charcuterie, I usually buy the creamy jalapeño artichoke dip I'm addicted to.

Or some kind of thick ranch-based dip. Mostly for me. I'm a ranch kid.

Tips for assembling this Easy Cheese Fondue Platter

Now that you've got your ingredients, start assembling! There aren't any hard, fast rules for this, but here are a few tips I've found to be helpful:

• Put the dips and crackers/chips in small bowls or ramekins. This keeps things neat and you avoid soggy chips if they've been sitting next to something moist for a couple of hours. It also helps to contain the dippers and make them look nicer so they aren't sliding around the platter.
• It helps to put the containers on there first and arrange the rest of the food around them.
• Be aware of what the components are touching -- don't put things together that would adversely affect their taste. Like, pomegranates shouldn't be rubbing up next to the ham and turkey. That kind of thing.

Let's talk about fondue now.

By the way, those Crunchmaster® crackers are delightful dipped in cheese fondue. Typically bread cubes are served with fondue, but crackers and chips do just as well!

Easy Fondue Recipe Serving Suggestions

Fondue nights are fun, but the thought of small children waving sharp sticks with hot, stringy cheese-covered objects around makes me nervous.

For kids under the age of 5, I fill a very small bowl with cheese and set it on their plate for them to dip. This also works if you're doing fondue for a lot of people and sticks wouldn't be practical.

Good luck with your charcutering and fonduing!

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Easy Cheese Fondue Recipe Without Wine

Yield: Makes about 3 cups

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

This easy cheese fondue recipe is non-alcoholic and kid-friendly! Serve it alongside a healthy holiday charcuterie for a fun Christmas Eve meal.

Print

Ingredients

• 8 ounces grated Gruyere cheese (about 2 cups)
• 8 ounces grated baby swiss cheese (about 2 cups)
• 2 tablespoons tapioca starch or arrowroot starch
• 1 whole garlic clove
• ½ cup chicken broth
• ½ cup apple cider
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• pinch of salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Put the grated cheese in a medium bowl and sprinkle the tapioca starch over the cheese. Toss to coat the cheese evenly. (Don't skip this step. The starch keeps the cheese from clumping and makes the fondue smoother and thicker.)
2. Cut the garlic clove in half and rub the cut side all over the inside of the pot or bowl in which you plan to serve the fondue.
3. Put the broth and cider in a medium saucepan and heat it to simmering. Reduce heat to medium-low until the liquid is no longer bubbling, but steamy and hot.
4. Begin adding the cheese to the pot a little at a time by grabbing a small handful and sprinkle it into the hot liquid while stirring with the other hand in a figure 8 motion.
5. Continue gradually adding handfuls of cheese (after the previous handfuls have completely melted) until all of the cheese has been added and the fondue is thick, stringy, and relatively smooth.
6. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. If you'd like a stronger garlic flavor, use a microplane grater and grate ½ of the garlic clove into the pot.
7. Pour the fondue into the bowl of a fondue pot or desired serving dish.
8. Serve with your choice of dippers.

Recommended Products

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• 
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Do you do something fun for your kids for Valentine's Day?

We do a surprise Valentine's breakfast for the kids, and this year I'm doing a Valentine's Breakfast Board with pink waffles! Eek!

The best part? They don't know when the breakfast will happen. It's not always on Valentine's Day either.

I find that when planning things for your kids, if there's an element of surprise, it elevates whatever effort you have put into it.

So, if you put minimal effort into something and make it a surprise, the effect is greater.

I'm all about minimal effort for maximum output.

This year I'm making some Gluten-Free Cinnamon Oat Waffles.

I'm still working the kinks out of the recipe so I can post it for you! The kids don't care about my "test runs". They'll eat pretty much any waffle if they can put maple syrup on it.

I added some beet puree to make them pink and festive, too.

For this year's Valentine's Breakfast Board, I put some strawberry "sauce" (aka Strawberry freezer jam that wouldn't gel correctly because I was trying to get stingy with the sugar. Sigh.), maple syrup, Greek yogurt, fresh berries, and granola. Mmm.

I'll put a full list of what's on this board at the end of this post!

Cheap ways to decorate a table for Valentine's Day

• Check the Dollar Store or Bull's Eye Section at Target (the part in the front of the store that sucks me in EVERY TIME.) for some cute, reusable decor. Valentine's themed melamine plates can be reused, too!
• Add a simple gift for every person -- I just put some sweets and bath bombs in a cello bag. Stuffed animals are sweet, but they're taking over our house, so.... pass.
• Cute paper straws make anything more fun to drink.

• Snag some silk flowers and silk flower petals to scatter around the table. These dollar store ones are on their third year of surprise Valentine's breakfasts.
• Use a simple, versatile tablecloth. This one is also the one I use for Christmas -- it's white with silver threads.

What to put on a Valentine's Breakfast Board

I went with a waffle theme, but you can put whatever breakfast items you like on here!

I added some sweet treats because it's Valentine's Day and grabbed some candy and chocolate from Trader Joe's, Thrive Market, and the grocery store. There are a lot of options out there if you're looking for gluten-free, dairy-free, and additive-free treats.

• Pancakes or waffles are easy and arrange well.
• Bacon (because is it even breakfast without bacon?)
• Yogurt & granola
• Toppings -- this is where you can go nuts and make your board fun and colorful! I added lots of fresh berries, chocolate hummus, strawberry sauce, maple syrup, mini chocolate chips, and sprinkles.
• Sweets -- Valentine's themed gummies & chocolate, chocolate covered pretzels, wafer sticks, chocolate covered marshmallows.

Other breakfast ideas:

• CREPES. Mmm.
• Chia pudding parfaits
• Bagels & toppings
• Mini quiches
• Breakfast sandwiches
• Omelet bar (This one would be better for a small group. Put the fillings/toppings on the board and make the omelets to order.)

Tips for Arranging a Charcuterie Board

This Valentine's Breakfast Board isn't technically a charcuterie board ("charcuterie" is a French term referring to cured meats and is traditionally known as a meat and cheese tray) but these tips can help you arrange whatever kind of meal board you're setting up!

1. Decide what the main focus is and add that to the board first. For my board, I wanted the bowl of berries and the waffles to be the main feature so I put them in the middle. Then fill in the rest with sections or piles of the rest of the items.
2. Use smaller bowls or containers for dips and foods that don't stack or pile well (like sprinkles and small things like mini chocolate chips). Ramekins are great for this because they aren't very wide.
3. Mix up colors and textures. I like to split the items into 2-4 piles scattered around the board.
4. Make sure the bottom of the board is covered with either food or a container. Charcuterie boards look best when they're full!
5. If your board or tray isn't food-safe, add a layer of parchment paper to the bottom. Some trays and boards you find at stores are purely decorative. Check the label to see if it's food safe before putting food directly on the board.

Where can you find a charcuterie board?

If you've got a wooden cutting board or a big platter, you've got something already!

If you're wanting something bigger you can find great prices on serving boards and trays at outlet stores like TJ Maxx, Home Goods, and Ross. They also have fun little bowls and containers to use for toppings!

In case you're wondering, my board is the Big Board from Reluctant Entertainer! It's the 26" round maple board, and it holds a LOT of food. It's super fun to fill up for parties!

I wouldn't recommend getting one this big unless you're a crazy food blogger or you plan on feeding 8-12 people.

More Pancake & Waffle Recipes

Crepes are a fun option for a breakfast board, too! My Gluten-Free Crepes recipe is SO GOOD. And no one even knows they're gluten-free. Oh, and make my Easy Berry Sauce to go with them!

Paleo Chocolate Banana Protein Waffles are a great choice for Valentine's Day and would pair well with a lot of toppings!

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

This post may contain affiliate links. Any purchases made by using these links won't cost you any extra and helps keep my content free. These links may be Amazon links as I am part of the Amazon Associate Program.

The post Valentine's Day Breakfast Board appeared first on Perry's Plate.

After making a Valentine's Day Breakfast Board, I couldn't resist doing a fun rainbow board for St. Patrick's Day or any Pride Month!

Salad might not be the most exciting meal for a kid. (Or a grown-up, if we're being honest.)

But working a salad into a giant rainbow with golden nuggets at the end? It'll definitely score some points.

(And you don't have to dye anything green, which is an added bonus for everyone.)

In case you're wondering, my board is the Big Board from Reluctant Entertainer! It's the 26" round maple board, and it holds a LOT of food. It's super fun to fill up for parties!

First, I want to share some tips on making a salad board...

Tips for Making a Rainbow Salad Board

• Line your surface with paper towels, parchment, or a thin kitchen towel or cloth napkin.
• If you're doing a rainbow board, use a sheet pan to plan out your colors as you're prepping vegetables and fruit.
• If you have picky kids, remember that some fruits and vegetables come in lots of colors and you can prep them in different ways.
• Have a few "fun" toppings for vegetable-loathing eaters.
• Put items in containers that are very small, hard to pile, or things that you may not want touching other things.
• Put some gold at the end of the rainbow!

What is a rainbow charcuterie made of?

I just wandered my produce section for rainbow inspiration, but here's a list you can use as a guide! This list is by no means exhaustive, but it should give you some good inspiration.

• RED: Bell peppers, tomatoes, apples, salami, bacon, radishes, berries
• ORANGE: Carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes, roasted sweet potatoes or squash, oranges
• YELLOW: Bell peppers, carrots, tomatoes, hard-cooked eggs, cheese, pineapple chunks, roasted corn, apples
• GREEN: Cucumbers, bell peppers, broccoli, snap peas, sprouts, pickles, olives, avocados, apples, grapes, zucchini, fresh herbs, cabbage
• BLUE/PURPLE: Carrots, blueberries, cabbage, red onions, roasted beets, olives
• WHITE: Cauliflower florets, cheese, jicama, daikon radish, mushrooms, tuna, shredded chicken, chickpeas

I used two kinds of cheese and diced apples for the "clouds" in my rainbow. I also added a dish full of cooked bacon.

I find that my kids are more likely to venture out and try new things if it's mixed up with things that they like. I mean, who doesn't like cheese, bacon, & apples?

Use different color vegetables of the same type to your advantage! Your kid only eats carrots? No problem. Use both shredded carrots and baby carrots. You can also use rainbow carrots (orange, yellow, white, & purple).

Even if they're super picky, sometimes they'll eat a familiar food in a different color because it might seem safer than an unfamiliar food.

Our kids inhale bell peppers -- luckily those come in lots of colors, too. So do cherry & grape tomatoes.

My family is pretty split when it comes to salad dressing. Not all of them like ranch or vinaigrettes. So I keep both on hand.

I also added a container of sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds. Other kind of crunchy things would go well here -- like tortilla strips & croutons.

By the way, I've got a great Dry Ranch Dressing Mix recipe if you need one. It's dairy-free and paleo friendly, too!

Whether your salad board is big or small, having vegetables arranged in a rainbow makes a killer presentation.

I got my 26" wide salad board here, if you're wondering. It's made by House of Hyacinth paired with Sandy from Reluctant Entertainer. I love it so much, but it does require a LOT of food to fill it.

Needless to say, we had a salad bar "box" (the board doesn't fit in a fridge haha) for a few days that I loved making salads from!

FAQs

Other Charcuterie Board Ideas on Perry's Plate:

Lazy Deviled Egg Board - Want deviled eggs without having to scoop out the yolks and pipe them back into the whites? Do it the lazy way!

Holiday Smoked Salmon Board - A smoked salmon charcuterie board makes the perfect appetizer (or meal!) during the holidays!

Healthy Holiday Charcuterie Board & Easy Cheese Fondue (non-alcoholic) - Putting together a healthy charcuterie for the holidays is easy. And so is this classic cheese fondue that’s non-alcoholic and kid-friendly. It’s our family’s favorite Christmas Eve tradition!

Valentine’s Day Breakfast Board - Putting together a sweet & festive Valentine’s Breakfast Board is super easy and fun to do for your family!

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Rainbow Charcuterie Board

Yield: 1 Charcuterie Board

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Making a giant Rainbow Charcuterie Board is a beautiful and vibrant way to serve salad – Because let’s be honest, salad isn’t the most exciting meal. This board would be perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or Pride Month, don’t forget to add some gold at the end of the rainbow!

Print

Ingredients

Red:

Toggle ingredient group

• Bell peppers
• Tomatoes
• Apples
• Salami
• Bacon
• Radishes
• Berries

Orange:

Toggle ingredient group

• Carrots
• Bell peppers
• Roasted sweet potatoes
• Squash
• Oranges

Yellow:

Toggle ingredient group

• Bell peppers
• Carrots
• Hard-cooked eggs
• Cheese
• Pineapple chunks
• Roasted corn

Green:

Toggle ingredient group

• Cucumbers
• Bell peppers
• Broccoli
• Snap peas
• Sprouts
• Pickles
• Olives
• Avocados
• Grapes
• Zucchini
• Fresh herbs

Blue/Purple:

Toggle ingredient group

• Carrots
• Blueberries
• Cabbage
• Red onions
• Roasted beets
• Olives

White:

Toggle ingredient group

• Cauliflower florets
• Cheese
• Jicama
• Daikon radish
• Mushrooms
• Tuna
• Shredded chicken
• Chickpeas

Gold:

Toggle ingredient group

• Foil covered candy
• Gold chocolate coins

Instructions

1. Line your surface with paper towels, parchment, or a thin kitchen towel or cloth napkin. I do this even if my board is sealed and food safe, just for protection.
2. While you are preparing your vegetables, use a sheet pan to plan out your colors. This will give you a good idea of how much of each color you actually have, and you won't have to rearrange things on your board quite as much.
3. Include a few "fun" toppings for vegetable-loathing eaters.
4. Place some ingredients that are very small, hard to pile, or things that you may not want touching other things in little containers.
5. Add some GOLD at the end of your rainbow.
6. Serve!
   

Notes

I did not include exact amounts of each ingredient since it depends on the size of your board and the size of your vegetables.

Assemble the board to suit your tastes. Start off with choosing fruits and veggies that pair well together. Add your larger items first then smaller items to fill in the gaps.

Recommended Products

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• 
  Reluctant Entertainer | The Big Board 26

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Want to hear my emotional deviled eggs story?

Back when I was pregnant with my first kid, Easter was about 3-4 weeks from my due date and we were hosting Easter dinner with some family in our tiny college apartment.

My grandma was coming. I love my grandma. I love how passionate she is about food. At that time she was also pretty strict about holiday food traditions.

And, according to her, deviled eggs were non-negotiable for Easter.

I decided to make some -- for the first time ever. And because I was young and determined, I hadn't yet learned that delegating food assignments should also be non-negotiable.

Anyway...

I prepped the rest of our dinner, and then I started on the eggs.

After my 8-month pregnant, exhausted, and emotional self wrestled with eggs that wouldn't peel and whites that kept breaking, I finally broke down and cried. I felt like a failure because those eggs (and my hormones) had gotten the best of me. And the eggs that "turned out" were mostly mangled looking.

Needless to say, it was a very long time before I attempted to make deviled eggs again.

We actually really love deviled eggs, though. And when I decided they weren't as traumatizing as my first experience, I made them more often.

What's a Lazy Deviled Egg?

TLDR: It's a simplified version of a deviled egg without removing the yolks and piping them back into the whites.

When I did my first round of Whole30. If you're familiar with the program, most people end up eating a lot of eggs because they're an easy source of protein.

Every week I'd make a batch of hard-cooked eggs to snack on during the week and smear them with some mayo + mustard or some chile mayo. Kind of like a deviled egg without all of the work.

And the lazy deviled egg was born.

I think this Lazy Deviled Egg Board would be a great option for Easter because:

1. You're going to have an abundance of hard-boiled eggs sitting around if you have children.
2. You can pick any toppings you want! You aren't limited to ONE kind of deviled egg.
3. Having make-your-own snacks and meals like this are easier for guests with allergies.

And because I'm anticipating this question...

What's the best way to hard boil an egg?

Guys, there are so many ways to do this. I'm just going to tell you my two favorite ways:

On the stovetop

1. Put eggs into a saucepan in one layer. Cover completely with cold water.
2. Heat to boiling and let it boil for one minute.
3. Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let it sit for 10-12 minutes.
4. Transfer the eggs to an ice water bath to stop them from cooking.

In the Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker

1. Put the rack and one cup of water into the insert of your pressure cooker. Lay eggs on the rack in a single layer.
2. Close the lid and cook on manual high pressure for 4 minutes.
3. For slightly gooey-centered eggs, flip the steam release button right away. For perfectly cooked eggs, wait 2-3 minutes before releasing the steam.
4. Transfer the eggs to an ice bath to stop the cooking.

Another note on hard-cooked eggs -- older eggs are usually easier to peel than fresher ones. And the eggs I make in my Instant Pot also peel easier than when I do them on the stovetop.

Usually. There are always those little rogue exceptions.

What toppings are good for Lazy Deviled Eggs?

What toppings AREN'T??

I'd recommend using some kind of spread, 1-2 toppings, and then an extra bit of flavor -- like a seasoning sprinkle, fresh herbs, or a strong flavored cheese.

For this particular board I went with three flavor profiles that could mix and mingle a bit with each other.

1. Mayo + mustard spread, smoked salmon, diced pickles, chives, Everything Bagel Seasoning
2. Pesto, tomatoes, basil, herbed feta/parm
3. Chile mayo, avocado, jalapeno, cilantro, chile-lime seasoning

Another variation on this is either type mayo + bacon + tomatoes + micro greens. (Tiny BLT? *swoon*)

There isn't a formal recipe for this post -- just cook some eggs, gather some toppings and go nuts!

In case you're wondering, my board is the Big Board from Reluctant Entertainer! It's the 26" round maple board, and it holds a LOT of food. It's super fun to fill up for parties!

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

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