entertain

Salad Bar Night

January 14, 2015

Last night was dinner with Izzy and it was my turn this week.
I have written before how we love salad bar night around here and it’s even more fun when we can share it with guests.

Last night I put on the works and served an array of toppings including bacon, avocado, shredded carrots, cucumber, pickled beets, hard boiled eggs, slivered almonds, dried cranberries, tuna, garbanzo beans, edamame and quinoa.
I roasted an entire cast iron skillet of sweet potatoes doused in coconut oil and made a batch of pita chips.

It’s so much fun setting the bar up but it’s just as much fun seeing everybody’s creations.

And there is always a trip back for seconds.

Pie on the Porch

August 10, 2014

A few days before we left for the lake we had a little “Pie on the Porch” party. I like to host monthly pie parties in the summertime for an excuse to bake with seasonal fruits and to eat it with friends. May and June flew by too fast so before July left us we invited some of our favorite people over to eat peach/cherry crumble and calflouti. Yep no pie. But there was sangria so all was forgiven.

How to host a “pie on the porch party”

Don’t have a porch? No worries! The idea is to get outside on a summer night. A patio, balcony, deck or backyard will suffice just fine.

Don’t have enough time to make a pie? Pie crust just isn’t your thing? Don’t fret! Crisps and crumbles take no time at all and are just as yummy if not more. Or how about a calflouti. a tart, brown betty or trifle? It’s all about enjoying fresh seasonal fruit in some form or fashion so how about just fruit atop whipped or iced cream.

To make things simple serve a featured drink of the evening. Making a pitcher or punchbowl of something like sangria or mojitos can allow the host to sit back and enjoy. Highlight what’s growing in your garden by using fresh herbs like mint,lemon verbena, or basil. There are so many delicious summertime cocktail recipes out there. Ice is key for many drinks so make sure your freezer or cooler is stocked with it!

Serve a few savory things to nibble on to balance the sweet. I made the watermelon-basil-feta cubes I wrote about a few weeks back.

Make a playlist of your recent favorite tunes. Or break out the record player and vinyl.

String some twinkle lights around tree branches to make things a bit festive.Scatter votives about and have a lighter in your pocket ready for sundown.

Keep bugs at bay. Have a few bottles of natural bug spray on hand for guests. Light a few citronella candles. Bring out an oscillating fan. (we have found this to be the most effective way to keep bugs away!)

For the younger folk offer a basket of flashlights for flashlight tag, sparklers, or mason jars to collect fireflies.

At some point in the evening tuck a little pie or crisp away for breakfast in the morning!

Making pretty with what you have

May 27, 2014

We hosted a little birthday celebration for my mom yesterday.
As we were driving back from the beach in the morning my mind began to wander as to what needed to be done once I got home to prepare for the party. Bake a strawberry rhubarb cobbler, clean the bathroom, marinate the chicken and asparagus for the grill, make a few flower arrangements…..

I wanted to be able to entertain mostly outdoors since it was going to be a warm evening but I began to get into a funk as I thought about our back porch which is looking a bit run down (plans to rebuild it next month!) and the fact that we needed new outdoor furniture and that I wished there was some money in the budget for some new plants and …… you get the point.
I stopped myself and said “Amy you can do this. You can get creative and make a beautiful outdoor experience with what you have. I know you can!”

After the car was unpacked and a visit to the market I got to work.
I swept the patio and porch clean (what a difference a clean swept space makes!) and unearthed the patio umbrella from the garage. I brought out a woven rug and laid it out on the porch. To serve hors d’oeuvres, I set up my antique ironing board with a pretty cloth napkin and glass jars filled with stems of Solomons Seal and Honeysuckle. I placed a piece of large flagstone on top of a clay crock and one on top of the stand that holds our fire pit to make little tables to set food and drinks on. I used a basket tray to place on top of one the tables for a homey feel and set out a bouquet of flowers and a votive. Instead of buying flowers, I made arrangements from my own garden of Lambs Ear, Catmint, Hosta leaves, Enonymous and Comfrey. I got out the birthday flags and stuck them in arrangements and planters and set out a chalkboard wishing my mom a Happy Birthday when she arrived.

When I was finished I stepped back and fell in love with the cozy outdoor party space made entirely with things found around my home and garden. Later that night as I was blowing out candles and cleaning glasses off of my makeshift tables I realized I hadn’t noticed all night how run down the porch was. I sort of like it now.

Dessert and Drinks

January 19, 2014

one of my goals for 2014 is to have friends over more.
and to make gatherings simple, enjoyable and affordable.

yesterday i woke up and said “i’m going to invite a few people over”. it was last minute and i had a workshop to attend that would take half of my day so i decided on desserts and drinks.

i made a huge batch of chocolate covered strawberries and a chocolate almond torte from 3191Q issue 9 that i had been itching to try. there was some cheese and bread, wine and brew and a bouquet of yellow tulips.

we sat around the fire nibbling on sweets until midnight.

recipe for a simple, stress free, last minute dessert party.
:: don’t hesitate to bake something new when having guests over. but choose something with a few simple steps and ingredients to keep the stress level down.
:: serve something a little savory like cheese or spicy nuts to go along with the sweets.
:: serve some fruit like strawberries and clementines. easy, peasy and who doesn’t like fruit?
:: fancy up fruit by dipping in chocolate or break out the fondue pot and make it a fondue party!
:: if you aren’t a baker or have run out of time don’t cancel the party! buy a batch of cookies or cake at your local bakery. i don’t know what i would do without the selection of yummy sweets at trader joes.
:: keep a set of decorative paper napkins and tea lights tucked away to be ready for last minute gatherings.
:: say yes to guests who offer to bring something. a extra bottle of wine or snack can help with your budget and time.
:: offer a fun cocktail, punch or wine that pairs well with dessert. i like to serve drinks that align with the seasons. warm up your guests in the winter months with irish coffee, a hot toddy or mulled wine.
:: a bouquet of flowers and candles is all you need to spruce things up.

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