Entertaining "Barefoot" style. . .

One of my favorite things to read are cookbooks. I love looking at the pictures, reading the ingredients (trying to imagine my grocery store carrying things like haricort verts, fennel and celery root) and dreaming of dinner parties I am going to host. . .

Over Christmas, I received a Barefoot Contessa cookbook from my sister and that was all it took. I started talking recipes with my sisters (also major foodies) and with their help we came up a great dinner party menu. The occasion: Elaine's 40th birthday . . .


Menu:

• Starters: Goat Cheese w/ honey, Pan-fried onion dip w/ crackers and veggies, shrimp cocktail
• Main Course: Chicken w/ 40 cloves of garlic, Beet / Orange salad w/ raspberry vinaigrette dressing, sesame sugar snap peas, cheesy mashed potatoes, bread and green salad
• Dessert: Coconut cupcakes, toffee and strawberry yum

I wanted to be able to fit the whole party around the table so I switched my living room and dining room. This is a great project for a housekeeper like me (confession: I almost never move furniture to clean - won't even tell you what we found under the couch cushions. . .)

Connie and Christian showed up to help prep dinner. Connie ironed the tablecloths for the table and then set the table - a true friend!


My midgets hiding in a box, waiting to jump out and yell "Surprise!!" They made it for a long time . . . before coming up with plan B.


Table set and ready for dinner. . . Levi made the place cards, Tommi helped to set the table and Ty ran errands all day - I love my kids!!

Party Time. . . in the living room - the lack of lighting covered a multitude of housekeeping sins.


Coconut Cupcakes - made Barefoot Contessa style, with LOTS of butter. . . yum!




Elaine opening her gift from Christian and Tyler (sons) - 11 private ballroom dancing lessons. In the background, Mike is saying, "You've got to be kidding me!!"


Lance replied that our gift to Elaine was counseling sessions to be redeemed after the dance lessons. . .

One gentleman at the party kept telling Lance and I that we had such a beautiful house - "filled with love". From an architectural and design standpoint, our house is pretty simple. Yet, I find it amazing how a simple home is transformed with a lot of love and good friends. Open a cookbook today and read it. You never know what might happen in your home. . .