Easter Dinner Re-Cap

Growing up we went to my Grandmas' houses for all of the holidays, except Easter.

Easter was always hosted by my Mom.

So, when my husband and I bought our first home and had our first child, my Mom "subtly hinted" that this would be a tradition she would like to keep up.

So, each year, we go to my Mother and Father In-Law's for their Easter celebration on Saturday, and then come back home, and we host Easter here for my family on Easter Sunday.

Our kids wake and find their baskets in the morning, we make breakfast, then head to Easter Mass.

After church, my brother and his family, my Mom and her husband and his daughter, our family and my husbands parents come for dinner.

the grandmas enjoying a beverage while the kids hunt eggs.

Before we have dinner, we have an Easter egg hunt for the kids, and take the traditional "picture on the porch" after everyone has found their eggs.

score!

After the egg hunt it's time for dinner!

I love to set the table differently every year.

Of course, I don't think I will ever compare to the year I made the PEEP Centerpiece!

Have I mentioned how I adore PEEPS?

This year I used one of my favorite tablecloths.

After the long and depressing winter we had, I wanted to go BOLD!

Love the colors of this tablecloth!

The only thing I bought new, were the two blue vases.

They were a steal at Tuesday Morning.  Do you have one of those?

Awesome store.

I hunted for some flowers that would go with the tablecloth and used the same colors for the 

eggs and the PEEPS.

I used the "pouch fold" for the napkins.

Originally I had the eggs and bunnies inside the pouches, but they got lost in there.  The napkins I was using are quite big.  This would have worked with a smaller napkin.

I think it turned out pretty cute?

On the Menu:

Baked Ham

Polish Sausage and Sauerkraut 

(from the best local place, Stoysich Sausage, in Omaha, NE)

Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Potato Casserole (with bacon)

Green Beans

Orange Glazed Carrots

Cinnamon Applesauce

Biscuits

...and for dessert

Strawberry Lemonade Cake

It was a fun weekend, and God granted us beautiful weather.

Welcome SPRING!

Bunny Napkin Folding

cute lil bunnies

Need a little "somethin' somethin' " to give your Easter table a little something special this year?

Well, if you have linen napkins and some satin ribbon, you can have this little Army of Easter Rabbits marching across your table, too!!

hut-2-3-4.....

Love how they looked all lined up on my kitchen table this morning, ready to conquer the drips and drops of Easter dinner!!

it's almost a shame to wipe your mouth on!!

Make sure you iron your napkins before, and it helps if they have a light starch on them.

Here's the video from Better Homes and Gardens on how to fold them!

Cocktails, Dinner and Dessert

Going back through some parties that I never told you about, I found this one.

napkin fold HERE

In August of 2010 I hosted a dinner party for my husband's sales team and their spouses. He owns his own company, and the sales team had consecutively achieved their monthly goals for six months, and we wanted to do something special for them. I made invites, and I was on my way to planning another event. Yay! ( have I mentioned how much I love throwing parties??) All of the team was able to come, including my husband's business partner and his wife, I was making dinner for sixteen. Everyone arrived shortly after six o'clock and were served their cocktail of choice and had an opportunity to get to know one another’s spouses. There were many hors d'eouvres to snack on while everyone made themselves comfortable in our home.

shrimp cocktail

hors• d'oeuvre (pronounced or-DURV) is a noun.

A small portion of a tasty food served as an appetizer before a meal or as at a cocktail party.

From the French, and literally means "outside of work"

hors d'eouvre table

yum....

My husband, Brian and his business partner, Steve, grilled NY Strip steaks, and chicken breasts, while the guys had a little healthy competition in our back yard with a few yard games. Most of the wives simply chatted and sipped wine while we awaited the main course. I had the tables already set, and everything else was prepared.

the tables were set in the company's colors

All of the wives took home one of the beautiful flower arrangements that were scattered throughout the dinner party, as a thank you for their support of the company, and of their spouse's work.

one of the arrangements

A great time was had by all. I received many compliments on the evening as a whole. I had a ball planning it. I told Brian I would do that every weekend, as long as he got me a cleaning lady next time! ;)

more arrangements and dessert

The Menu:

Hors• d'oeuvres: Assorted fresh vegetables with a dill dip, Baguette Bread and Bruchetta, Warm Spinach Artichoke dip and Home Made Salsa with tortilla chips, Assorted cheeses and Olives and a large

Shrimp Cocktail Ring

Dinner: "Olive Garden" Salad and dressing, Ciabatta rolls, Grilled 12oz NY Strip steak or 7oz Chicken Breast, Baked potato, with any or all of the following: butter, fresh chives, sour cream and bacon, and Fresh green beans.

Dessert: Coffee with either a Mocha Swirl Cheesecake or a NY Style Cheesecake with cherries.



Confirmation and Graduation Family Brunch

In celebration of our daughter's 8th grade graduation and her upcoming Confirmation, we hosted a brunch for all of our family this past weekend.

When I was planning the brunch, I couldn't decide what sort of "theme' to use.  I just did crosses for our twins' First Holy Communion, and wasn't crazy about using her school color, St. Patrick's green.  I decided to run with red, for the gowns they will wear on Confirmation.  (plus...my kitchen is painted "arresting red" so I LOVE decorating when I can match my back drop!)

We had seating for twenty-four people.  Three tables that each held eight.

the round black table

I used red, white and black on all of the tables, mixing the table cloth linens, napkins and centerpieces.

red oval table

The white table turned out a little wider than I wanted, but it worked out very well in the end.

the white table

I folded all of the napkins with the "Bishops Hat Fold," They were a hit with the kids, of course, having to try them on first!

I have done so many fresh cut flower centerpieces lately that I wanted to do something different.  I decided to head to my local green house for inspiration.  I found porcelain pots in my three colors.  I then potted them monochromatically.  I think it's so cool that they have a breed of petunias this year called "black velvet." They are gorgeous!

white centerpiece

red centerpiece

black centerpiece

Of course, what would a brunch be without a little morning cheer? We had bloody marys and mimosas for all.  Even the kids had an option instead of regualr OJ.... virgin mimosas, made with sparking cider instead of champagne. Each mimosa glass was garnished with fresh raspberries.  The bloody marys had all of the fixin's available!

bloody marys

mimosas

The highlight of any good meal, of course, is the FOOD!! Here is what our menu included:

Coffee, Mimosas, Bloody Marys, Brunch Enchiladas, Bacon and Swiss Quiche, Cracker Barrel's own Hash Brown Casserole, Bayou Brunch Casserole, Fresh Fruit Kabobs, Baked Apple French Toast, Chocolate Covered Strawberries, Lemon Blueberry Crunch Bars and Frosted Sugar Cookies.

at my daughter's request

dark chocolate with white chocolate drizzle strawberries

bacon and swiss quiche

Bacon and Swiss Quiche Recipe

ice cream sticky cinnamon rolls

Ice cream Sticky Roll Recipe

lemon blueberry crumb bars
RECIPE HERE

bayou brunch casserole with spicy italian sausage



Cracker Barrel's own hashbrown casserole

brunch enchiladas made with ham


RECIPE HERE



fresh fruit kabobs

Last, but most certainly, not least, each place had a cookie "favor" for dessert. These cookies were made by my friend, Tari, who runs Sunshine Cookies out of her home in Chandler, Arizona.  She made white doves, that had a glitter glaze to them.  If they weren't cute enough to begin with, she packaged them up so cute, tieing them with red and white ribbon and adhereing a silver cross to each bag.  As pretty as they were, they tasted even better!

sunshine cookies white confirmation dove

Find Sunshine Cookies on facebook

The celebration was fun for all.  God blessed us with beautiful weather that Sunday, and after brunch we all headed out to our patio to enjoy it!

Congratulations, Kenzie!!

God Bless You Always, Sweetheart