Meze Tray with Charcuterie, Sliced Cucumbers, Greek Olives, Pepperoncini, Sweet Gerkins, Dolmades (Stuffed Grape Leaves), Marinated Mushrooms, Pickled Okra and red grapes. If you’re  not familiar with Charcuterie, your local deli can assist you with great selections.

Sliced Deli Mortadella, Salami, Coppa, Pancetta, Pita wedges, Roasted Vegetables with Olive Oil, Marinated Mushrooms and Marinated Artichokes.

To build a great cheese tray, include an aged cheese, soft cheese, firm cheese and a bleu cheese. You can also select your cheese using a variety of cow, goat or sheep cheese. I like to include an unusual cheese for visual appeal. Include a fruit jam, mustard, honey, caramelized onions, nuts and dried fruit to round out your tray. Serve with sliced baguettes or crackers.

Trays can also be very simple. This tray includes salami, carrot hummus, and sea salted pita chips. It’s accompanied by a second tray with goat cheese topped with Lemon Curd and Poppyseed, Red Grapes and Cracked Black Pepper crackers.

For a super quick, impressive platter, serve goat cheese with flavored curd, fruit and crackers. This is UNBELIEVABLY good.

Another very quick option is to create a Crostini or Bruschetta tray. Cut a baguette into slices and top with olive tapanade, ricotta cheese and balsamic roasted tomatoes and toast. If you look in my fridge at any given time, you will find homemade ricotta cheese and a bowl of balsamic roasted cherry tomatoes. They are a heavenly combination!

If you have cheese, bread and tomatoes on hand, you have a great appetizer! This snazzy little number is comprised of baked goat cheese topped with Rosemary and Black Pepper Roasted Balsamic Tomatoes. Serve with a sliced, toasted baguette or Sea Salted crackers.

If all else fails, you just can’t beat a good dip in a bread bowl. Shown here is a Lobster and Crab Salad in Sourdough. Other great options for bread bowl dips are Spinach and Artichoke, Buffalo Chicken, Chicken Salads or even egg salad.