do you know how many times i have almost dropped an entire plate of food on someone at a party because i was trying to balance it with a gin and soda while forking up a piece of spinach while explaining exactly how i ended up on a sugar beet farm? many. many. many. and in a past life this would not have been a big source of anxiety for me because when my parents met, my dad dropped an entire plate of food at my mom's feet. so it's genetic and all that, but as i won't shut up about, i am not in the market for meeting a boy right now. 

which is why i love food on sticks. (or maybe this is just my new inner minnesotan coming out.) imagine all the things you can do at a party when you only need one hand for stuffing your face: you can shake people's hands, you can drink more easily, you can pick your nose. 

so here is an idea for a summery party food on a stick that is more bathing suit friendly than a corn dog, more filling than a carrot stick, and quicker to the table than a shish kabob. it's a salad kabob and it's made with one of my favorite salads, the panzanella. 

feel free to change up the veggies, and take liberties with your bread if you'd like. (because i'm assuming you all have seen the game changer that is shelly's grilled pretzel panzanella? i know!)

happy partying!

ciabatta panzanella kabobs with honey goat cheese dressing

makes 8 kabobs

ingredients

olive oil

1  small (4 inch x 4 inch) loaf day old ciabatta, cut into 1-inch cubes

salt + pepper

3 oz prosciutto

1 c spinach 

1 cucumber, chopped 

1 c cherry tomatoes 

2 peppers, chopped

dressing:

4 oz président plain goat cheese, softened

3 tb olive oil

2 tsp white wine vinegar

1 tb honey

1 tb milk

salt + pepper

clues

heat a little olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat and cook the ciabatta cubes until toasty, a few minutes on each side. season with salt and pepper.

assemble skewers with a few of each component and then set aside.

in a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients. drizzle over the skewers or serve on the side for dipping.

-yeh!

lactalis compensated me to license the photos and content in this post and provided me with complimentary président cheese products. all opinions are my own.

if you'd like to enter to win $50 worth of your own président cheese, visit artofcheese.com, where you can download a coupon and enter the pinterest sweepstakes, plus find more recipes and product information.