Stay in......

If you don't want to fight the crowds on Valentines day, make a romantic dinner for two.
If you have a fireplace, set a small table in front of the fireplace and wine and dine your valentine.
Linens, Crystal, candles, champagne and silver.. a must.  A playlist of your favorite music and the mood is set.
Enjoy a night in.... don't forget the dessert!  Then pop in your favorite romantic move in the dvd player.

Dinner Idea's

Champagne or sparkling wine

Fresh strawberries with balsamic dressing topped with a spring of mint

Mushroom filled ravioli topped with a sage butter

Parmesan crisps

Chocolate torte topped with bittersweet ganache

Music selection

Bryan Adams- Everything I do

Righteous Brothers- Unchained Melody

Alicia Keys-  No One

Roberta Flack- The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

Kenny Rogers-Lady

Etta James- At last

Whitney Houston- I will always love you

Bee Gees- To love somebody

Elvis- Love me tender

Movie selection

Casablanca

Titanic

Love Story

Ghost

The Notebook



A Resolution....

.... to entertain more.
    Your next dinner party can look awesome!  Set a table that will WOW them. 
Dishes, glassware, linens and more available for rent.  Very reasonable.
Coming soon.... Catalog of items available.  Holiday, Seasonal, theme, serving pieces,
settings for 2 to 36+

Tis the season for food!

Entertaining our family and friends is our way of showing the ones we love how much we do love them.  There is nothing more satisfying than sitting down to a meal prepared with a pinch of love, a dash of hope and a teaspoon of sugar! 
We start the celebration of the importance of food with Thanksgiving.  We all have our favorites that we bring to the table each year.  One of my fav's is the sweet potato casserole. No marshmallows here, but a sweet delight that, if you are lucky to have leftovers, is great cold with a cup of coffee the next morning.  It's on my menu for holidays again this year and I hope you will put it on yours.

Ingredients

• 4 cups sweet potato, cubed
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
•  
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees  Put sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan with water to cover. Cook over medium high heat until tender; drain and mash.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the sweet potatoes, white sugar, eggs, salt, butter, milk and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth. Transfer to a 9x13 inch baking dish.
3. In medium bowl, mix the brown sugar and flour. Cut in the butter until the mixture is coarse. Stir in the pecans. Sprinkle the mixture over the sweet potato mixture.
4. Bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until the topping is lightly brown.

So, on the 23rd we will be celebrating with the sweet potato dish, the 24th will bring our annual pierogie night, Les gets in the kitchen and prepares the homemade dumplings in 3 varities.  Then  we gather the family and watch them disappear in record time.  With bellies full we turn in for the night, awaiting Santa's arrival.  Then up and at 'em Christmas to another tradition, biscuits and gravy.  Every meal has a new table setting, from the formal Christmas tree themed plates to breakfast with Santa juice glasses.  I get to set the table 3 days in a row, love it!

Play off fever

Getting married during playoffs, your new last name starts with a D and you love the Tigers...
Bride request is for these.....

Bake lots of cookies

Hand draw white chocolate D's

Make the frosting

Frost and Decorate

Go Tigers

Final Product....Happy Bride! :)

Falling for Fall

Crisp air, clear skies and the colors of Fall....

It's time for an end of the year celebration.  It's time to christen the Lobster dishes!
Mid September and a soggy night moved the celebration indoors.

Menu

Welcome cocktail

Salty Dog

Potato Leek Soup garnished with pan fried Scallops bacon and cheese

Spring mix salad  pears goat cheese and dried cranberries

champagne vinaigrette dressing

Fresh tomato slice topped with Parmesan

Best of the west baked beans

Oven roasted redskins

Corn on the cob topped with horseradish butter

Dry rubbed ribs

Raspberry cake with chocolate mousse center and bittersweet ganache frosting

Coconut cake with white chocolate pudding center

Lobster shaped sugar cookies

Sailing flags used as place mats

Details include lobster claw wine stopper

Silverware wrapped in barkeepers dishtowel along with hemp rope tied in a square knot

Tablescaping..... Items from the New England shore!



Summertime Entertaining

Tis the season for fun in the sun and alfresco fare.  There is nothing more enjoyable than being able to sit outside and enjoy a meal. 
Recently, I took on the challenge of preparing a sit down, 5 course meal for 60 people at one table- outside.
I dare say it tested me!  If not for the help of several of my nearest and dearest, this could not have happened.  The weather was more than perfect, the company exquisite, and hopefully the food was enjoyed by all.
The evening was capped off with an outdoor concert and dessert table.  I'm still recovering! 
So gather up some friends and pull out the tablecloth (no plastic), the silverware (no plastic) the napkins (no paper) the china (no paper) and enjoy a meal alfresco! Summer is only here for a short time.

One of my favorite recipes of the evening was a cold cucumber soup- Enjoy

• 5 cucumbers
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 6 scallions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 quart buttermilk
• 1 pint yogurt
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Peel cucumbers and cut them in half, scraping out seeds. Sprinkle the cucumbers with salt and let them stand 30 minutes. Drain excess water.

Chop the cucumbers coarsely and put the pieces in the blender along with scallions, dill, lemon juice, buttermilk, and yogurt. Blend at high speed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Chill well before serving.

Spring Time

Order your cookies early.  $15.00 per batch.

Batch generally yields

24 regular sized or

12 extra large

Bagging and bowing extra

click here to order or questions

4/18 last day to order for Easter

Easter Table Scaping