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This Fall Floral Charcuterie Board Is Perfect For Game Day (Or Any Day)

By  Kirsten Nunez
Herbed cheese game day snack board Kirsten Nunez

In This Article

This autumn, get creative with your game day spread by making this fall-inspired snack board. Featuring a savory herbed cream cheese log and food disguised as flowers, this board looks just as good as it tastes. What's more, you can customize this seasonal board based on your guests' preferences.

Ingredients for herbed cheese logKirsten Nunez

To emphasize the fall theme, reach for food items with a warm color palette. The classic snack board ingredients — deli meat, cheese, and crackers — are the perfect place to start. Veggies like baby carrots and red, orange, and yellow bell peppers also fit the bill. Round it all out with mini pumpkins and edible flowers for that quintessential autumn vibe. (Just be sure to use flowers that are specifically grown for culinary uses, which may be sold in the herb/produce section of your supermarket.)

Mini pumpkins with flowers and herbsKirsten Nunez

Ahead, you'll find steps for making the herbed cheese log, three kinds of deli meat flowers, and blooming onions sans breading. Feel free to pick and choose your favorites or make more of a certain item. Most importantly, have fun creating this herbed cheese game day snack board — and don't forget to take pictures!

Edible flowers and bell peppersKirsten Nunez

Herbed Cheese Log

Things Needed

  • 2 8-ounce cream cheese bars, softened

  • 4 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped

  • 4 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped

  • 4 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Ingredients for herbed cheese logKirsten Nunez

Step 1

In a bowl, combine the chopped herbs. Set aside half of the mixture for coating the cheese log.

Mixing chopped herbsKirsten Nunez

Step 2

In a bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, half the chopped herbs, salt, and pepper.

Mix cream cheese and herbsKirsten Nunez

Step 3

On a sheet of parchment or wax paper, sprinkle the reserved herbs in an even layer.

Add chopped herbs to parchment paperKirsten Nunez

Step 4

Roll the paper around the cream cheese, molding it into a log. Don't worry if there are some areas without herbs, as you can always add more later on.

Chill the log in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours, or overnight.

Wrap the cream cheese logKirsten Nunez

Salami Flowers

Things Needed

  • Salami

  • Jar or glass cup

Ingredients for salami flowersKirsten Nunez

Step 1

Fold a piece of salami over the edge of the jar or glass.

Fold salami over edge of jarKirsten Nunez

Tip

Make sure the salami is folded in half, so that there's an equal amount of meat on each side of the jar's edge.

Step 2

Fold another piece of salami over the edge, overlapping the first one.

Fold another piece of salami over edge of jarKirsten Nunez

Step 3

Continue adding salami around the edge of the jar, pressing down each piece to secure.

Continue folding salami over edge of jarKirsten Nunez

Step 4

Carefully turn over the jar using a cutting board or your snack board's surface.

Turn over the jar on a cutting boardKirsten Nunez

Step 5

Remove the jar to reveal a salami flower.

Remove the jarKirsten Nunez

Two-Tone Meat Flowers

Things Needed

Ingredients for two-tone meat flowersKirsten Nunez

Tip

This project works best with deli meat of similar thicknesses, like sliced turkey and ham. It won't work well if one of the deli meats is firmer (like salami plus ham, for example).

Step 1

Using the circle cookie cutter, cut out turkey and ham circles.

Cut deli meat with a cookie cutterKirsten Nunez

Tip

Save the scraps for quiche, salad, or soup. Or, depending on the size of your deli meat, you might be able to use the scraps to make the rolled meat and cheese roses (tutorial below).

Step 2

Fold the turkey and ham circles over the edge of a jar, following the technique above.

Fold deli meat over edge of jarKirsten Nunez

Step 3

Flip the jar to release the two-tone meat rose.

Remove the jar from the meat flowerKirsten Nunez

Rolled Meat and Cheese Roses

Things Needed

  • Square cheese slices

  • Deli meat (slices or scraps)

  • Toothpicks

Ingredients for rolled meat and cheese rosesKirsten Nunez

Step 1

Slice the corners off of a cheese slice. Slice across the middle portion in a diagonal line.

Cut sliced cheeseKirsten Nunez

Step 2

Now, cut two strips of deli meat, making sure they're about the same thickness. If you're using scraps, trim each piece so they're about the same size.

Cut two strips of deli meatKirsten Nunez

Step 3

Place the pieces side by side, overlapping the edges.

Layer the slices of deli meatKirsten Nunez

Step 4

Add a larger piece of cheese to the center, then a triangle (the corner) along the left edge. The triangle will become the center of the rose.

Add cheese pieces on topKirsten Nunez

Step 5

Roll up the deli meat and cheese, left to right, so that the triangle cheese piece is in the center.

Roll up deli meat and cheeseKirsten Nunez

Step 6

Insert a toothpick through the meat and cheese rose. You can also use this technique for meat-only roses by layering and rolling up strips of deli meat.

Secure meat and cheese rose with toothpickKirsten Nunez

Blooming Onion Flowers

Things Needed

  • White or red onions

  • Olive oil

  • Salt and pepper

Ingredients for blooming onion flowersKirsten Nunez

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a baking dish.

Slice off the root of an onion so that it sits flat on the cutting board. Try to cut close to the root to avoid removing too much of the onion.

Cut off root and stem of onionKirsten Nunez

Tip

If the stem is very long, you can trim it down. But again, avoid removing too much, as the top will shape the edges of the "petals."

Step 2

Carefully remove the papery peel.

Peel the onionKirsten Nunez

Step 3

Using a sharp knife, slice a cross into the top of the onion, about halfway to the bottom. Avoid cutting too close to the root, as this will cause the blossom to fall apart during cooking. You should now have four equal-sized wedges.

Cut a cross into the onionKirsten Nunez

Step 4

Slice diagonally across the cross, so that two of the sections are cut in half.

Cut the onion diagonallyKirsten Nunez

Step 5

Slice another diagonal cross in the opposite direction, so that the last two sections are cut in half. You should now have eight equal-sized wedges.

Slice another diagonal cutKirsten Nunez

Step 6

Repeat with the other onion(s). Add the sliced onions to a greased baking dish, then drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Drizzle onions with oilKirsten Nunez

Step 7

Cover with foil, bake for 25 minutes, then remove the foil. Bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the onions are translucent and have opened up. Remember that every oven is different, so keep a close eye on your onions.

Bake onions until translucentKirsten Nunez

Tip

Don't worry if the onion flowers are slightly falling apart or misshapen. When arranging your snack board, you can place each onion in a small ramekin or the ring of a mason jar lid. This will help keep the flower together. Also, you can coax the "petals" open once it's supported by a ramekin or jar lid.

Step 8

Add to your snack board while warm.

Blooming onion flowersKirsten Nunez

Herbed Cheese Game Day Snack Board

Things Needed

  • Herbed cheese log

  • Meat and cheese flowers

  • Blooming onion flowers

  • Crackers

  • Pretzels

  • Fresh herbs

  • Edible flowers

  • Sliced bell peppers

  • Baby carrots

  • Grapes

  • Pumpkin butter

  • Mini pumpkins (for decor)

Ingredients for herbed cheese game day boardKirsten Nunez

Tip

Only use flowers that are specifically grown for culinary uses. You might be able to find edible flowers — like marigolds, pansies, day lilies, and hibiscus — in the herb/produce section of your supermarket. You can also use edible flowers from your garden, if you're sure that they're safe to eat.

Step 1

Place a piece of parchment paper at the center of your board. Add the herbed cheese log, then arrange the other ingredients around it.

Herbed cheese game day snack boardKirsten Nunez

Start with the larger items, like the salami roses and mini pumpkins, then add the loose foods, like crackers and strips of bell peppers. From there, you can fill in the spaces with the edible flowers and rolled meat and cheese roses. Add the fresh herbs around the edible flowers to create the illusion of stems.

Herbed cheese game day snack boardKirsten Nunez

Don't hesitate to make it your own by adding your favorite veggies or snacks, too.

Happy fall!

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