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. . .

Leah

Leah is the guidance counselor at our school.  I think that is supposed to mean she helps "guide" students through choosing classes, college scholarships and post-graduation decisions.  In reality it means she guides kids through life.  At any given time, on any given day, you can find one or more students crying in her office, working on homework or napping on her couch.  She patiently  manages it all - there are some days you can even find staff members crying in her office, pulling out their hair. . . (well, you get the picture, we try to draw the line at napping on her couch, but boy is it tempting)  I know all this because she is my dear friend and I have a bullet proof glass window (don't ask me why) that looks from the library into her office.  

Leah has three dogs, several cats and has even been known to take in stray children.  Over Thanksgiving weekend,  she watched ten dogs for people in the community who were traveling. She was at my house the evening before they all arrived ( see above picture) trying to figure out where they were all going to sleep.  Did you catch what I just said???  Ten dogs!!!  I equate that to taking in ten children for a weekend and instantly want to run screaming from the house.  I am so not a dog person (I do like kids, but in moderation - please!) and Leah is still my friend, I find that amazing. . .  

Leah came into the library the day before Thanksgiving vacation to pick out some books to read.  We loaded her up in case any were not of interest to her.  She returned all the books the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and had read all but one.  Thought it might be 0f interest to post her Thanksgiving weekend reading list:

• Maise Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear (also the title of the first book)- she read books 2-4.  Birds of a Feather, Unpardonable Lies, Messenger of Truth. These books are set post-World War I and are about a young woman who becomes a detective after nursing dying soldiers through the war.   If you like mysteries, these are a great read.
• Steel Wave by Jeff Shaara  - I have not read this book, but Lance loves this author. He writes historical fiction.  This is the second in his series about World War II.  Since you cannot see the book, let me tell you - it is thick.  Impressive. . . ( but that should not surprise you)
• Her Royal Spyness - by Ryhs Bowen - I would classify this book as pure brain-candy.  Just an enjoyable, low-demand read.  It is a mystery that is classified as a "cozy".  
• Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult.  She didn't actually read this during break but finished it the week before.  I know this because she passed it on to me. It is nightmare inducing. Written in typical Picoult fashion, it has a  great story, strong characters and unpredictable plot twists.  Honestly, I got over half way through and wimped out.  I skimmed the last 1/3 and then read the ending.   Sorry, I'm like that. . . 

This list is not to be guilt inducing about how much you are not reading. . .  just more options for when life finally slows down and you can read. . . I just re-read that - how silly!  Life will probably never slow down.  Maybe you can add some of these titles to your vacation reading list.