12 Monday Aug 2013
Posted in Entertaining, Table Design
We had our good friends over for a birthday celebration. The menu was casual: cilantro and lime marinated chicken fajitas with all the fixings (caramelized onions and bell peppers, cilantro lime brown rice, refried beans, etc.), corn on the cob, and a southwestern green salad. For dessert, Caribbean Bananas from the New York Times cookbook – topped with vanilla ice cream, of course.
13 Thursday Jun 2013
Posted in Baking, Dessert, Entertaining
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I finally made Ina Garten’s lemon yogurt cake when my mom visited a few weeks ago. I must say – it is delicious! The cake can certainly stand on its own as a dessert (or breakfast at my house). But my mom and I started talking about its versatility. Of course, using it for strawberry shortcake would be yummy. Or, you could make a layer cake by slicing it horizontally and covering each layer with homemade flavored frosting. You could use it in place of traditional pound cake in trifle or drizzle it with a delicious sauce (raspberry comes to mind). The options are endless, which makes it the perfect cake to have in the freezer for all sorts of occasions, including last-minute guests.
14 Tuesday May 2013
Posted in Entertaining, House, Table Design
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I recently invited two other couples, who also love cooking and entertaining, to start a gourmet group. My mom has been in a gourmet group for years, and I loved the idea! Here’s the concept: every few months, one couple hosts a dinner party. The host is in charge of creating a menu, and dividing up the cooking responsibilities between couples. It’s a great way to try new recipes and get together with good friends. I hosted our first gourmet group this past Friday…it was a success!
My menu packet:
John served refreshing and delicious (and strong!) French 75’s to start the evening.
I wanted to incorporate fresh and in-season fruits and vegetables into the menu, like the mango and zucchini. The zucchini tart was a favorite, and the light and fruity kale and mango salad was the perfect complement to the rich angel hair flan.
(This tart, prepared by a friend, makes such a statement)
Both the mango salad and the flank steak (marinated in soy sauce, sesame seeds, ginger, and scallions) have Asian elements. I continued this theme to the table setting with a vibrant blue Asian toile tablecloth and some tall green grass centerpieces, which I secured with raffia. I also wanted lots of color to keep things “springy.” The bright coral pillar candles placed down the center of the table worked with the blue and green. I arranged tulips and other bright flowers around the house.
Jessica at Home 