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Create an Elegant, but Easy Cheese and Meat Board in Minutes

Updated October 22, 2025: A trip to Italy in 2015 inspired me to embrace simple entertaining. This post was originally written in 2019 for Halloween. Since then, these Italian-influenced appetizers have been my go-to for numerous gatherings. 

 My neighbor loves Halloween so much that she coordinated a progressive fall-inspired dinner party for our street. I volunteered to host appetizers. My goal was to keep it simple and look to Italy and Spain for inspiration for an elegant, yet easy, cheese and meat board that could be put together in minutes. 

 In 2015, I went on a press trip to a winery in the Marche region of Italy. The event set-up was simple, elegant, and perfect for tapas before a meal. I decided to do something similar with my own spin for this neighborhood get-together. 
Italian appetizer spread at Marche Winery
Liza loves Disney's Descendants movies. Last year, she knew she wanted to be the character, Mal, for Halloween. In my house, the song "Ways to Be Wicked" is continuously played. I decided to have a little fun with a "Ways to be Wicked" song. The lyrics say, 
                                  

"Apple, apple dip, dip
Wanna try it?

Tick, tick

Take a bite, c'mon, be bold
Change the way the story's told."


Descendants. Apples. Villians. Evil Queen. It all fell into place.


Evil Queen Costume with apples as the star of the party.
I used fresh apples for my centerpiece decorations, and the fall fruit is in season right now. An apple, from tart to sweet, pairs wonderfully with an Italian-inspired meat-and-cheese board.
Put together meat and cheese boards within minutes



I ordered apples from my Papa Spud's produce box delivery service. Apples were in abundance and cost-effective. I purchased everything else from Trader Joe's in less than an hour. 

Here's what I bought at Trader Joe's for my "Ways to Be Wicked" Inspired Party
Sparkling Apple Cider (non-alcoholic)
Draft Apple Cider
White wine
Bread Sticks
Several types of crackers
Goat Cheese with Herbs
A Spanish Cheese sampler with Manchego, Iberico, and Cabra Al Vino
Sliced Aged Cheddar Cheese
Two varieties of pears (One sweet and one standard pear)
Several cartons of the store's seasonal Greek Yogurt called "Trader Joe's Apple-Caramel Whole Milk Greek Yogurt." 
Dried Apricots
Organic Trek Mix with Cashews, Almonds, and dried Cranberries
Italian Hard Salami 
Two appetizer snack packs with Genoa salami cut into apple shapes and provolone slices. 
Red Grapes

I have two cheese boards that are simple and look like cutting boards. I also used three small glass dishes to hold olives, nuts in a trek mix, and dried apricots. 
Add sweet and salty to your cheese boards


I placed the four kinds of cheese first. I used the goat cheese on another platter separately with crackers, pears, and apples. For my hard cheese platter, I placed my nut bowl and my dried apricot bowl on the board. I put a few sliced apples on the tray, along with crackers and red grapes for garnish. Presto. The cheese board was filled in no time. 

On a round cheese board, I placed a bowl of olives in the middle. I then surrounded the olives with crackers, cheese, Genoa salami, and hard salami slices. 

For my third platter, I took the olive oil appetizer breadsticks and wrapped Prosciutto around each one. I used apples and grapes for garnish. 
Italian prosciutto wrapped around breadsticks can be put together within minutes for party


I was amazed at how quickly I was able to create this elegant yet simple cheese-and-meat tray for this party. The total time may have been 15 minutes for all three trays. 

I used the Apple-Caramel Greek yogurt dip with apple slices. 

This was a no-fuss party idea, and I will do it again. It didn't take much work, but it looked like it did. The hit of the night was the yogurt dip and the soft goat cheese. It all worked well because I had meat-eaters and vegetarians in attendance. 

Another neighbor served lasagna after my get-together, and my other neighbor served a homemade limoncello cake. It was a great night.



Quick and Easy Meat and Cheese appetizer trays that can be put together within minutes. #Appetizers #Easy #Cheese #Antipasti

Pin for a future Halloween Party Idea 

Ways to be Wicked Inspired Halloween Party with apples as the star. Evil Queen is the host. #Halloween #apples #Easy #Appetizers




Be sure to check out the new Holiday Collection from Counter, a leader in the clean beauty industry. 


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The Oldest Restaurant in Grindlewald, Switzerland Makes You Crave Swiss Macaroni with Meat Sauce dotted with Applesauce

Grindelwald, Switzerland

No doubt, the best things in life are usually unplanned. Typically, many things I do on vacations aside from confirming lodging, train, and airline tickets are unplanned. That's how my family of four spent our vacation in Switzerland this summer. 


Pinte Restaurant, the town of Grindelwald, Switzerland's oldest restaurant is Delicious


I remember our last night in the charming alpine village of Grindelwald, scrolling through Google reviews in our hotel suite at Hotel Spindle, searching for dinner ideas. Let's put the last night in a town after eating three restaurant meals a day for eight days in a row in some perspective for you. 


Food in Switzerland is quite expensive compared to restaurants in North Carolina. Entrees above $30 are what I consider high-end restaurant fare. In Switzerland, a McDonald's meal deal, which includes a quarter-pounder, fries, and a drink, costs 25 Swiss francs. That's about $30 in U.S. dollars. Once you visit a McDonald's in Switzerland, you gain a whole new appreciation for its trendy cafes and local, sustainable ingredients. 


Fondue may be the Swiss national dish, but the country has been influenced by both Italian and German cuisine with its own twists. The brown gravy and onions over a bratwurst, instead of a side of mustard and sauerkraut. The fabulous tangy German salad that I could eat by the gallon is also missing in Switzerland, and is instead replaced with Rösti, a pan-fried potato pancake. 


By night nine, a family can be a little disgruntled and tired of too much togetherness, no matter how much we love each other. My daughter misses a bagel at Starbucks, my husband is tired of paying for food, and my son, well, he doesn't want a repeat restaurant or lunch-type sandwiches for dinner. He and I are usually tasked with the food searches. He is browsing in his bedroom, and I am generally browsing from my bed. Occasionally, we will yell, "How about this place?" 

Scenie photo of Pinte Restaurant on a rainy day in Grindelwald, Switzerland



That's what happened on the night we went to the oldest restaurant in Grindlewald.






THE PINTE RESTAURANT 


I had admired the Pinte Restaurant building for several days while in Grindelwald and even took photos on my first day in the village because the building is so quintessentially alpine with its green shutters, gingerbread molding, and window flower boxes. It was less than a block or two from our hotel, so we passed by it frequently. 


We did not have reservations, but it's recommended that you make them. We got lucky as walk-ins, and we were seated at the very table next to the front door that you see in all the marketing photos. Fondue is only served outside. The inside of the restaurant is as charming as its exterior. 


Traditional Menu of Pinte Restaurant in Grindelwald, Switzerland



The menu is entirely in German, with only a few English words described for each dish. It's such an authentic Swiss menu that we asked numerous questions and even had dishes verbally translated as accurately as possible. 


Ghackets mit Hörnli

Ghackets mit Hörnli (Swiss Macaroni) at Pinte Restaurant in Grindelwald, Switzerland



I chose a macaroni pasta with a bolognese sauce served with applesauce. The traditional name is Ghackets Mit Hornli. The server described it to me as minced meat with pasta in a conventional bolognese-type sauce with applesauce. The applesauce is served on the side, but I dotted some on top of mine. I likely did not eat the dish as intended, but regardless, it was one of my favorite meals during my time in Switzerland. I want to create the dish at home. This recipe for Ghackets Mit Hornli is similar to what I had in Grindlewald.  



PLAN YOUR TRIP to GRINDELWALD, SWITZERLAND

My husband and son are big fans of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. I've seen one movie. We'll leave it at that, but when we were planning this trip, he mentioned that the Lauterburnnen Valley area was the inspiration for J.R.R. Tolkien's novel for the elves' home. We decided to put this area on our list of places to explore while in Switzerland.  When visitors visit this area, they tend to stay in one of four places: Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, Murren, and Grindelwald. We visited all, but Murren, which is a Rick Steves' favorite destination. Interlaken is the gateway to these destinations. Many tourists also stay there because it allows them to travel in many directions within the country with ease. When I travel, I prefer to dive deeper and stay in the surroundings I want to explore, rather than taking longer day trips. Grindlewald. I am so glad I chose Grindelwald because it turned out to be one of my favorite villages. It's larger than the other villages, and the hotels in the area met my expectations, which are relatively high for an affordable cost. The location, look, decor, food, and amenities must all fall into place. For our Grindlewald hotel, we chose Hotel Spinne, and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay there. 

Do you need help planning a vacation? My friend is a travel agent. Please let Kim at Bernbach Travel know that I referred you, and she will contact me to get my opinions on your vacation. I always have them, as you know. 




This post is brought to you by Counter, the Leader of the Clean Beauty Revolution . Some of my absolute favorite products launched on September 25.  Shop my favorite beauty brand. 

Liquid eyeshadow bottles by Counter Beauty

Colorful lip balm products from Counter Brand, a Clean Beauty Company a Brand affiliate of HinesSightBlog.com


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Reunion Food: Southern Shoe Peg Corn Salad

North Carolina, USA
Updated: June 27, 2025. If you've landed on this page, it's likely because you're searching for a recipe for Shoe-Peg Corn Salad that I wrote on June 1, 2012. It is my most popular recipe on my blog. There are many versions of this salad on the internet, but this one is a favorite. Sadly, we no longer have the "Christmas in June" reunion, but this recipe remains a classic for potlucks, picnics, and any gathering. Over the years, I've tried to reduce the amount of sugar. Enjoy!!! I will make a point to make this soon and update some photos. Thanks for visiting HinesSightBlog.com 



We have a "Christmas in June" family reunion this weekend.   That's right! I said, "Christmas!"  Each year, we gather with my husband's extended family, whom we do not see during the regular holiday. We play outdoors, eat a fabulous, casual Southern meal, and give the kids Christmas gifts.

 My kids love it. Both of my children have birthdays close to Christmas, so by June, they really look forward to getting new things. Honestly, it's just a fun time to get together.

 We've been doing this little celebration for about 9 years now. I typically bring a new dish to the event, but this year I'm going with an old favorite at my mother-in-law's request. She likes my Shoe Peg Corn Salad.

 It really is good. However, I'll tell you right now that it contains half a cup of sugar. So, how could it not be good?

 It's best to plan for the day ahead. Try it. You should take it to your next family reunion.

easy, shoepeg corn salad
This delicious corn recipe also serves a crowd nicely. 



Southern Shoe Peg Corn Salad

 2 (16-ounce) cans of shoepeg corn, drained (I've also used sweet yellow corn as the picture depicts)
1 (2-ounce) jar chopped pimientos, drained 
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil or olive oil
1/2 cup vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper


Mix together corn, pimientos, green pepper, onion, and celery.
Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl, and pour over the vegetables. Cover and chill overnight. Drain vegetables well before serving. 


This post about the shoe peg corn salad recipe is sponsored by Counter, a leader in the clean beauty industry.

Shop the Holiday Beauty Collection at Counter




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COUNTER Reignites The Clean Beauty Revolution in 2025

United States

If you are a loyal fan of the clean beauty pioneer brand Beautycounter, then the 2025 relaunch of its revised brand, COUNTER, is what you have been waiting for over the past year.  Gone are the days of consultants building a sales team. Instead, its products are streamlined, modern, fresh, and better than ever under the leadership of original founder, Gregg Renfrew.  The award-winning clean beauty products are available exclusively on the Counter website, at a future pop-up store in Nantucket, and through affiliate and referral link marketing, including my website.  As a selected Brand partner, I am part of the company's commission-earning marketing team, and host the brand's website on HinesSightBlog.com 


Counter Brand Skincare and Make-Up at HinesSightBlog
Ready for Even Better Clean Beauty? Shop COUNTER 



COUNTER LAUNCHES ITS NEW BRAND WITH STREAMLINED PRODUCT LINE  


The launch will contain reformulated formulas for some of Beautycounter's best-selling products. Some of the products I absolutely adore, like its clean mascara, are not part of the new launch —at least not yet.  Since Beautycounter's closing, I've had to branch out, seek out, and try other clean beauty products. I've discovered many products that I love and have shared with my readers. 

The first item I will put in my cart is the Lotus Glow Cleansing Balm, which I first wrote about years ago. I love it. I've tried other brands and hated them. One bottle also lasts forever. It's the product I'm most excited about in the relaunch. 

Andie MacDowell has been photographed in the Counter promotion, which confirms that the company is definitely targeting the over-50 beauty consumer. 


Actress Andie MacDowell photographed for Counter Skincare


SHOP COUNTER 


You can also join the loyalty program for free and earn $15 for every $200 spent. As a brand partner, I direct traffic to their site and earn affiliate sales. I have no way of knowing who ordered the products or what specific products are being ordered. If you order through my referral link, you're more than welcome to email me at hinessightblog@gmail.com or message me on social media so I can thank you. 


                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

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Unleash the Power of Clean Beauty in Your Beauty Routine for Mature Skin

North Carolina, USA
Updated: June 2025

You've stumbled upon an old post, but I've recapped the highlights for you, so it remains relevant in 2025. 

I've been a fan of clean beauty since 2016. I started researching the EWG site and paying attention to the ingredients in beauty products. 

I primarily buy products in my beauty routine from three places now:




Counter, formerly known as Beautycounter, was my first introduction to clean beauty in 2016. I like many of their products and was very sad when Beautycounter closed its doors to the public. But, sometimes change is good, and I forced myself to seek out and try other beauty brands. 

SHOP COUNTER at my Referral Link. The counter can be purchased through its website or via marketing affiliate links, such as the one I provide. This company is not a direct marketing company and does not employ sales consultants, unlike Beautycounter's model. As a brand advocate, I receive a sales commission for referring traffic to Counter. I do not receive a brand discount. Still, I do have insider information on the company, and I occasionally receive special discounts as a result of my business referral model for content creation. 

You must apply to become a Brand Partner. A loyalty membership program is available to all customers, which I participate in when making purchases. It's free to join, and you receive product credit just like you do when shopping in person at retail stores these days. 


Summer Fridays Sunscreen


I now buy many beauty products at Sephora. Among those brands are: Summer Fridays. Kosas, and Glossier


Glossier Eye Liner





I also buy many items from Dior. It's a brand that I love, but it doesn't have the Sephora Clean Beauty seal. However, it does base its product standards on International regulations which are much cleaner than US regulations. 


This spring, I tried a skin tint by the waterless beauty company Olive Rose. After my trip to France last year, I searched for skincare and cosmetics that are good for your skin. I love this product so much now, and I use a darker shade as bronzer.  This is a German-based company, and one of the first waterless beauty companies on the market. Oliveda uses an extract from the olive oil leaf instead of water. It enhances the products' potency and contributes significantly to sustainability.  One of the best things you can do when you go to this website is to take the Brain Quiz. It recommends products tailored to your specific skincare needs. 



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