I talk a lot about my own personal stories in this space. But rarely use it to walk you through the behind-the-scenes creative stories. So wanted to share that with you today.

It's day 33 of the #365Recipes Project. I can hardly believe I'm here. 33 days in the New Year. 33 posts on this blog.

Previous to this month, I'd posts a grand total of -4 times in a grand total of 6 years. So these 33 posts feel like a huge accomplishment.

But 33 days of recipes PLUS 33 days of client work can leave a gal feeling a little bit...well...busy.

I know we all are. Tapped out. Overscheduled. Oft exhausted. I know I'm not the only one.

So when I saw today's prompt was "Fruit Platter", I let out a huge sigh of relief.

I could DO a fruit platter.

(And here now is a tip for you: if you're ever, ever hostessing--or guesting, for that matter--and think you just don't have it in you to cook or create a dish to tote. Platter it. They're fun and simple and require negative zero cooking. So WE CAN DO THIS.)

I wanted to feature winter fruits. But had already used apples in this Cheddar-Beer Fondue Platter from Day 25, and had already gone the route of winter veggies in this unexpectedly titled Winter Veggie Platter, and really did want to conjure a plate as pretty to look at as it was to eat.

So started blasting myself with images. I do this, sometimes. Just eyeball Google Images to see what colors, recipe ideas and styles stand out.

And I kept seeing this deep maroon and off green--the colors of olives. But realized most of my favorite seasonal fruits fit within that color scheme. (I'm looking at you: blood oranges and red pears).

So hit the store, on a hunt for the colors and flavors that would go together.

Of course, pistachios were a must. Not only the right color, the nutty flavor of pistachios so beautifully offsets sweet fruit. And olives had to find their way amongst the fruits.

You know it's true because I said "amongst".

Within an hour, I'd driven to the grocery store, scoured the produce aisle, packed up groceries, driven home, unpacked groceries, picked a favorite platter, rolled goat cheese into a smoked pistachio-hemp mixture, piled it all on a plate and started snapping photos.

WITHIN AN HOUR. That means, you could do all of that, and still have time to slide into a cocktail dress before sharing the most beautiful plate of winter fruit that ever did reside in the known cosmos.

Just another day of being busy and awesome, you.

We so rock.

Winter Fruit Platter with Smoked Pistachio-Hemp Goat Cheese Balls

8 servings | 20 minute

2/3 cup shelled pistachios
1/2 cup hemp hearts
1 teaspoon Maldon smoked sea salt
2 (7-8 oz) logs goat cheese (I used plain but honeyed or cranberry works nicely, too)
1 red pear, sliced
2 blood oranges, sliced or wedged
1-2 cups cherries (if seasonally available)
1 bunch red grapes
1 bunch green grapes
2/3 cup castelvetrano olives
2/3 cup pitted kalamata olives (or other black olives)
fresh rosemary or mint, for garnish