Hors d'oeuvres, Dim sum, Tapas or Appetizers

Whatever you choose to call them, everyone loves a little bite...sweet or savory...for munching. The French and Italians call it like it is.
Hors d'oeuvre - apart from the main work.
Antipasto - before the meal.
Perhaps the purpose of these pre-meal morsels is to sustain guests between their arrival and being seated at the dining table. However, they are occasionally served in place of a meal, and can be served at a table or passed 'butler style'. (I don't know about you, but I think butler style hors d'oeuvres sound fancy!)
Suggested amounts per person vary between 6 and 12 (and some even up to 20, if replacing dinner) bites each hour. It's fun to offer guests a variety of tastes and textures in your appetizer selections.
Here is a menu for an appetizer reception I prepared last weekend, served in place of lunch.

• Bacon Chicken Brochettes


• Corn and Black Bean Salsa Cups


• Cornmeal Blinis with Mascarpone and Strawberries


• Crudite Shooters


• Garlic Hummus on Cucumber


• Pesto Turkey Sandwiches


• Romeo and Juliets (Guava Pate and Manchego Cheese)


• English Toffee


• Orange Glazed Pecans


• Swedish Raspberry Shortbread

I know you'd love to see some pictures of the service table for this event. The truth is, so would I. I had my camera, but I didn't have a spare minute to snap photos. Maybe sometime I'll have a staff photographer. ;)

a different kind of shopping list

There's a joke Midwesterners tell each other about the weather...Don't like it? Stick around for a day or two, and it will change.

The weather this week in Missouri has been no joke. My heart and prayers go to the people who have lost and are suffering from the recent tornadoes.

Since childhood, I have been a secret admirer of storms. They're big and powerful, and remind us of how little and powerless we are. Maybe I liked storms because I'd go outside on the porch with my Dad to watch them. At one point, I wanted to be a meteorologist. I made a tornado safety public service announcement with a local newscaster through a shadow program at school.

The forecast this week has been stormy....and more of the same for next week. Thinking about the forecast and trying to be prepared, I made a list and packed of some things in an 'Emergency Bucket' for our basement...and I'd like to ask you to do the same.

Emergency Bucket Contents:
bottled water
flashlight (and extra batteries)
first aid kit (with plain band-aids, even though big sister tried to convince me we needed Tinkerbell bandages!)
work gloves
whistle

I'm sure there are obvious things I have forgotten (please let me know), but it's a start.

I have a really good reason, you see...

I know I haven't been really good about posting here recently. Ok...I've been downright lousy! But, you see, I have a really good excuse! This little gal has had me on my toes...

(photo by Terri Stoff @ Life Reflections Photographic Art)
I'll try to do better in the next few weeks, and maybe post here or there!

winter menus...family night out at wcag

Jan. 5 - Broccoli and cheese stuffed chicken, salad, vegetable and dessert
Jan. 12 - General Chicken, fried rice, pot stickers, Asian slaw and dessert
Jan. 19 - Biscuits and gravy, sausage, fruit salad and French toast sticks
Jan. 26 - TBA
Feb. 2 - Chili, salad and dessert
Feb. 9 - Chicken Pot Pies, salad and dessert
Feb. 16 - Pasta Primavera, garlic bread, salad and dessert
Feb. 23 - TBA
Mar. 2 - Build your own burrito, chips and salsa and dessert
Mar. 9 - Pot roast, mashed potatoes, market vegetable and dessert
Mar. 16 - Pizza and salad bar with dessert
Mar. 23 - TBA
Mar. 30 - Creamy mostaccioli, garlic bread, salad and dessert

a lesson learned...

Sometime last summer, I was treated to a delicious dinner at Maggiano's Little Italy, at the end of which we shared one of the most scrumptious summer treats imaginable...Strawberry Shortcake. Not a fancy-schmancy dessert by any stretch of the imagination, but it was really well done. So much so, I wanted to try and re-create it a few days later at home.

I trolled around on the internet looking for light and sweet drop-style shortcakes, and found a recipe I wanted to try. So I promptly took the laptop to the kitchen counter, assembled the necessary ingredients and began to measure and mix.

Can you guess what my lesson here is?

Without incident (following the selected internet recipe) the shortcakes were removed from the oven, topped with fresh strawberries and whipped cream, and enjoyed. And here's where I really messed up. I turned off the computer without saving the link to the recipe or printing it. Which left me this week starting the internet recipe search all over again. I used a modified Alton Brown shortcake recipe from foodnetwork.com, and they turned out fine, but I'd still like to know what that recipe was a year or so ago!

hello, summer!

Is there anything as yummy as a cold bowl of fruit salad on a hot summer's day? Here's a favorite recipe for you to enjoy:

Calypso Fruit Salad

2 cups fresh pinapple cubes
2 kiwi, peeled and sliced
8 large strawberries, sliced
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 (11 oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained
1 teaspoon grated lime peel
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted (optional)

1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp. dark rum (optional)

Combine fruits in a large bowl, gently toss. Sprinkle with coconut. In a small bowl, stir sour cream, brown sugar and rum. Serve sauce alongside fruit. Smile.

ladybug baby shower storyboard

This weekend, I had the pleasure of co-hostessing a shower for a dear friend in anticipation of her baby girl's arrival at the beginning of August (or end of July, according to 'Mommy'). I wanted to share some of the fun decorations I created revolving around the pink ladybug theme.

Flower box ~ Partylite Lantern ~ 'Monogrammed' Chocolate ~ Pink Sweets ~

Ladybug Clothespins ~ Goodie Bags ~ Scripture ~ Candle

I'm so thankful to the folks at Hobby Lobby for putting their ribbon 50% off at least twice during the last couple of weeks, to facilitate my bow-tying fascination! A little ribbon makes the world go 'round!



I had such fun brainstorming and putting this party together, I might go through withdrawals soon. Fortunately, Independence Day is coming very soon. Maybe you have a fun event coming up and want some ideas, or maybe just some help tying bows? (wink, wink)

summer family night out menus

June 2 - Creamy Mostaccioli, Vegetable, Garlic Bread, Salad, Dessert
June 9 - Cheese and Broccoli Stuffed Chicken, Market Vegetable, Salad, Dessert
June 16 - Grilled Sandwiches and Salad Bar, Dessert
June 23 - Shredded Chicken Nachos, Corn and Black Bean Salad, Dessert
June 30 - Spinach Lasagna Rolls, Garlic Bread, Salad, Dessert
July 7 - Build Your Own Burger, Potato Salad, Fresh Veggies, Dessert