A great thing to do is make a nice cheese plate. Especially if you are short on prep time, as there is no cooking involved.
The key to a great cheese plate is variety. You want to get cheeses of different textures (hard, soft, creamy, blue), and different milks (goat, cow, sheep). Add to this a few types of crackers, or crusty bread and fresh berries and/or grapes to complement and contrast. I love salty or pungent cheese with some tangy and sweet fruit. Take it a step further by adding some olives, nuts, or fig spread. Arrange on a large cutting board or platter and you’ll be a star!
Just avoid processed cheeses at all costs. If it says Kraft or Velveeta you shouldnt be buying it. Go to a cheese shop and ask for recommendations. They can also help you pair a fantastic wine or beer to go with your cheeses.
Some of my current favorite cheeses are Piave (an aged italian hard cheese), Manchego (cave aged in Spain), St Andre ( a French Brie relative), Humbolt Fog ( a young American creamy tangy cheese, Roquefort (a great pungent bleu), and Morbier (a semi soft cow’s milk cheese with a layer of veggie ash in the middle).
Try putting out a platter of Strawberries and Roquefort with a bottle of decent champagne and your guests will think you are a classy genius.