Category Archives: Entertaining

A Shower of Yellow and White

Posted on 03.25.2012 | 14 Comments

When Christine asked me on New Year’s Eve if I would plan Madelyn’s bridal shower with her, I said Absolutely Yes.  She is one of my loveliest friends and I am honored that I get to share in and celebrate this part of her life with her.

So, celebrate we did.

What I failed at: Getting pictures of the guests ensemble.  Getting pictures of anyone other than Madelyn.  Getting pictures of Madelyn doing anything other than unflattering shower game stuff.

So we’re just not going to go there.

Let’s go here instead.

On the tables: a mix of tulips, spider mums and daffodils.  Crystal candlesticks.  It was a lovely mix of high and low, and created a nice sight line across the table.

I didn’t even know I had that description in me.

For lunch: Party Salad.  Gruyere and Swiss fondue with the following dippers: Tots, Baguette, Broccoli, Bell Peppers, Apples.

Beverages: Raspberry Simply Lemonade.  Red and White Sangrias.  Water.

For the “Bride” frame (and some menu printables that didn’t really show up in the tablescape snaps) I used these Chevron Stripe printables from The Wedding Chicks.

I will be using them for everything in the future and you should too.  Because how easy is it to send something to your printer and cut it out/frame it and call it a day decor-wise?

I was completely miserable at getting snaps of the dessert display, which is basically a crying shame because we had the sterling, the cake stand and the cupcake tree going ensemble.

So, rather, here is a view of what remained in my house as of 7:30 PM CST.

The Orange Crunch Layer Cake.  For the record, even though it’s a profile shot, there’s still like 1/3 of a cake there.

And Christine’s infamous Crack Bars.

What didn’t survive: Emily’s German Chocolate Brownies.

All in all, it was a successful afternoon of feasting, laughter and celebration for one of our favorite girls.

What are the highlights of the best showers you have attended?

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Posted in Entertaining, Weddings

Like the Swan, Paddling Furiously

Posted on 03.24.2012 | 5 Comments

Kittens, I must be on a roll this week.  Or something.

Christine and I are throwing a bridal shower tomorrow for Madelyn.  We’re having it here.  I think it’s going to be 11/10 lovely.

Based on the flowers that have taken over my table, I didn’t believe such pretty things could happen in these four walls.

Apparently they will.

There will be time for that later.

But like the swan, even though everything looks fine above the water, underneath I’m paddling furiously.

Today I made my first layer cake.

Yes, seriously.

It went well, I can’t wait to tell you more about it.

And because I was majorly wanting to check things off of The List, I frosted it on the cake stand.

Not a big deal.

Except for that part where I decided that it should definitely take up residence in my already-packed refrigerator for the night.  And the revelation that apparently Crate and Barrel sells cake stands that don’t have covers.

Even with the skewers that I inserted into the cake, my attempts at fashioning a cake-sized pup tent out of tin foil and plastic wrap failed miserably.

I took a breath, I took a step back.

I found myself improvising once more.

White Trash Cake Stand Cover, get at me.

What has the most colorful part of your weekend been?

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Posted in Entertaining

Pairings Tasting Dinner

Posted on 12.04.2011 | 13 Comments

Last night’s tasting dinner at Pairings was an absolute hit.  When I found out I had won the event, I felt pretty darned lucky.  Last night made me realize that it was kind of like winning the beer drinker/foodie’s lottery.  It was the perfect night to be able to spend with good friends.

When we arrived, we were informed that another group was holding our room hostage.  It was not the most ideal situation, but thankfully we’re an extremely patient group.

Their events planner was incredibly apologetic and their beer/wine manager shared a sour cherry beer from Odell with us while we were waiting.  Beyond the odd lambic, I’m a total newcomer to sour beers, so it was really great to start off the night by sampling a new-to-me beer.

Once we got seated, things were really above and beyond.  In retrospect, I should have taken a menu with so I could do a better job of describing the Belgian beers we sampled, but at least I managed to get a snap of everything that was poured from a bottle.

For our first course we enjoyed a lovely cheese platter that included a couple of wonderful hard cheeses and a beautiful bleu cheese from Mankato (about 1.5 hours outside of the cities).  Three passes around the table later, we had devoured it all.

The second course was a crab cake slider with a saffron caper aioli and truffled fries.  The wooden boat-spoon combination is kind of lovely from a plating perspective, no?  Quite honestly, I could have called it a meal (and a night!) at that point, but what fun is a tasting dinner if the food doesn’t keep coming?

For our main course we were served a fried chicken breast covered in a whole grain mustard sauce with roasted root vegetables and brussels sprouts.  They also tucked in a few cornichons, which provided the dish with a  great texture/acidity contrast.

Last but not least (because obviously we were still starving), we had chocolate tarts for dessert.  They were a ganache base with a mocha whipped mousse topping and decked with crispy pearls.  I would be lying if I didn’t tell you that I ate all of mine and part of Marcus’.

To finish, we wrapped up the meal with a couple of glasses of Barley Wine.  Once the beer/wine manager found out that we were beer fiends, he felt that we should sample more than the basic Belgian spread he had originally planned.  Even though those capped off the meal as samples six and seven, they were 11/10.

Are you a slider person or do you prefer full-sized sandwiches?

There are a few sandwiches that I prefer in their full size (Burgers from The Bulldog NE, Reubens) but other wise I LOVE sliders 11/10.  Especially if there’s some sort of sampling involved.

Beer drinkers, what is your favorite beer?  Feel free to share a style or your favorite brewery/bottle!

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Posted in Entertaining, Going Out

1991 Called…

Posted on 12.03.2011 | 10 Comments

As I type this I’m enjoying a glass of Pinot Grigio and a bowl full of Healthy Pop kettle corn.  That stuff is magic.  We’ll be bolting out the door in a few minutes for the beer tasting dinner I won at Pairings forever ago.

When I sat down with their events planner in September, I basically gave them free rein to surprise us.  We’re beer lovers, and letting people do what they do best usually gives you the best end result.

It’s like we’re throwing another holiday party, except someone has gone and done all of the work already for me.  I can’t wait to relax and enjoy it.

Last night we threw our first annual Catanmas party.  It was a tribute to good friends, good beer, ugly sweaters and Catan.  Linds made me swear up and down that I would try to capture the glamour that happened.

Here is our one and only photo.  Behold.

It’s hard to process, really.  1991 called.  They want their Made in the U.S.A. polyester back.

Have you ever attended a tasting/pairing dinner before?

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Posted in Entertaining, Holidays

Wine Glasses and Cider Mugs

Posted on 11.19.2011 | 7 Comments

The most obvious sign that your dinner party was a success.

Besides the realization that you used the better part of a bottle of Windex to get ready for said dinner party.  And the fact that all of the linens you just washed to use for the party are now sitting on top of the washing machine, waiting to go through another spin cycle.

Tonight was the 2nd Annual Friend Thanksgiving.  Observed by my sorority sisters and I, it’s The Way to enjoy the best parts of Thanksgiving without any of the judgement and any of the stress.

There are no touchy subjects.  No problems to sweep under the rug.  No awkward moments.  No pressure.

If the Pilgrims got the chance to use a “do-over” on Thanksgiving, I’m 100% sure this is the way that they do it.

How it works: Everyone has to bring a dessert or a side.

Period.

Once you’ve set your heart on The Perfect Recipe, even if someone else says they’re bringing something from the same food group (example: potatoes, cream cheese, stuffing), you have to hold your ground and bring your dish anyway.

There is no turkey, there is no real structure to the meal.

Case in Point:  Tonight we had mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole and a mushroom-potato gratin.

Viva la vida.

If you had to pick one “best” part of Thanksgiving, what would it be?

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Posted in Entertaining, It Only Happens Once a Year, Sisters

Victory On All Fronts

Posted on 01.16.2011 | 17 Comments

Kittens, I have food on the brain.

Did I mention that I hate that on the brain-phrase?  Because I do.  But sometimes, the words are right.

In keeping with last week’s theme, the new recipes-frenzy continues.  Today, I made an attempt at actioning The Pioneer Woman’s Beef Stew with Beer and Paprika.

When I saw it on Friday, I knew it was exactly the kind of dish that would make a perfect Sunday Supper.  From a strategic standpoint, I was on the prowl for something that would make A+ leftovers.

I found Victory On All Fronts.

More victory?  Saturday night’s dinner party.

Like I mentioned in Date Night, Marcus and I are kind of manic schedulers when it comes to seeing friends.  So in November, we made plans with Ben + Tiffany and Charlie + Tawny to have a dinner party.  Sometimes you just have to set things in stone, you know?

Since we’re still in that Every Dinner Party Is Potluck-Style phase and we wanted a little more structure, Tiffany, Tawny and I agreed on working a Mediterranean theme for the evening.  The caveat was that each couple had to make a dish that they had never attempted, and you had to bring an appropriate wine pairing as well.

Sort of psycho, but not too complicated, right?

But saying that you want to make a Mediterranean-themed dish that you’ve never tried before, and actually trying to find a recipe for said dish are two totally different things.

Thankfully, Epicurious is an excellent resource when you’re looking for something interesting to make.  I just searched their International section for Mediterranean cuisine and skimmed until I found something that looked savory and appropriate.

I ended up settling on Tomato and Tapanade Tartlets, partially because they looked delicious, and partially because I’ve never baked with puff pastry before.

And I’ll be the first to admit that an aesthetically pleasing end-result is always helpful.

Tawny made a Guacamole with Basil and Shallots and Tiffany made Mediterranean Chicken Stew.  Despite the fact that none of us committed to a dish until the day before, we ended up with a balanced table, and everything turned out SO WELL.

Gold stars abounded.  AKA, it was a perfect Saturday night in with friends.

Last but not least, since I really didn’t follow the original recipe for the Chicken Asparagus Roll-Ups I made earlier this week, here’s the recipe for MY Chicken Asparagus Roll-Ups!

When you have friends for dinner, do you usually delegate dishes in The Potluck Spirit?  Or do you prefer to run the show yourself?

Do you ever make dishes based on their leftovers potential?

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Posted in Cooking, Entertaining, Going Out

A Flock

Posted on 11.20.2010 | 11 Comments

Yesterday I cheated y’all because I told you all about my flock-to-be and then didn’t give you anything to go  off of.

Behold.

In the mix: Kaleidoscope, Lady Gaga, Engagement Ring, Mime and Traditional turkeys.

Fantastic, no?

Speaking of engagement rings…

Behold.

Naturally, I’m sure you’re wondering, Kat, how did you mobilize so quickly to get a faux-Kate Middleton engagement ring? Isn’t that a little bit overboard?

The answer is yes, that sort of thing would be totally overboard, even for me.  And really, I’m not into the idea of purchasing a replica of someone else’s engagement ring.

But lest you think that Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde have overtaken me, you have to realize that as per My dead grandmother is cooler than yours., it’s a replica of Diana’s engagement ring.

Tricky.

And more authentic, really.

So, after 30 years, all I needed to do was to direct Mom as to its locale in the house, and voila.  On my finger.

I’m off to enjoy my Friend-Thanksgiving dinner!  Happy Saturday, lovelies!

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Posted in Entertaining, My Dead Grandmother Is Cooler Than Yours, Royals

Hand Turkey Flock

Posted on 11.19.2010 | 5 Comments

I love Thanksgiving.  I really do.  The switch flipped for me in college after years of not really “getting” the holiday.

Now?  I’m addicted.

And so this year, I decided that in order to extend the rollicking good fun (as if eating two dinners on the ACTUAL day isn’t enough), I wanted to have friend-Thanksgiving with some of my sorority sisters who…

A. Have kitchen skills.

B. Will likely be expected to unleash some or all of their culinary talents on their family and friends for The American Holiday.

So tomorrow night, Katie* & Kel, Brittany, Ems, Sarah, and Jenna will descend upon our home and we will feast on a meal made entirely of sides.

Having turkey on Thanksgiving is all right and good, but I’m far more concerned about the other things on your plate that get smothered in gravy and cranberry sauce.

Naturally, with decorating skills like mine, you’re probably wondering what I’ll do in lieu of a tablescape to really transform the space.

Fear not, for the solution is simple…

Hand Turkeys.

As far as I’m concerned, they are The Original American Art Form.

They involve a minimum of materials and produce an absolute wealth of creative expression.

While they’re not really mass-produceable, they’re exceedingly easy to produce en masse.

I think I’ll make a flock.

Hand Turkeys: Yes or no?

Back in the day (read: college) when I worked at The Daily, I had an employee who had never celebrated Thanksgiving before (they were an exchange student from China).  Naturally, we had to do an impromptu-Thanksgiving lesson including hand-turkeys.  His turkey ended up wearing a basketball jersey (he was a great fan of sport).  It was marvelous.

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Posted in Entertaining, Holidays, Sisters

Game Night

Posted on 10.24.2010 | 10 Comments

On Friday, Marcus informed me that he had invited “the guys” over to watch the Vikings-Packer game tonight.

So naturally, my first thought wasn’t Where are we going to put them all? but rather, What will we feed them?

When I returned from the grocery store with this week’s haul, I realized we still had five apples leftover from last week’s half-peck (yes, we eat that many apples a week).  Thank god fruit crisps/crumbles are something I now feel confident whipping out on an as-needed basis.

Enter:

Crisp Topping: 1 stick butter, 1/2 c flour, 1/4 c oats, 3/4 c sugar, 1/2 c sliced almonds and a pinch of salt.

Five gala apples, cored and thinly sliced. Sprinkled with cinnamon and nutmeg for good measure.

~45 minutes later @ 350 degrees. Otherwise the crust sometimes burns. No bueno.

Why is it worth knowing how to make a good fruit crisp?  Because you can’t buy them in the frozen section.  So it makes other people feel like you made an effort for them.  Making an effort for others is the point of entertaining.

Furthermore (new cooks take note!), I am a HUGE believer in being able to make homemade dishes that only require pantry staples and involve a minimum of steps.

In addition to making a crisp this afternoon (and some artichoke dip…which goes back to the concept I just shared), I managed to get my nails in order.  Thank god.  As far as I’m concerned, this weekend has been a complete success.

What are your go-to dishes for entertaining?

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Posted in Baking, Entertaining

The One Week Rule

Posted on 10.10.2010 | 3 Comments

Friends, thank you so much for your makeup recommendations!   I’m always afraid of buying a product and finding out that it’s just wrong.  For the uninitiated, it’s a freaking jungle out there.

This weekend has been full of addressing issues that I’ve been pushing aside for the past week.  Lest y’all think I’m dealing with Serious Things, please know that my chief accomplishments in this area have primarily had to do with overdue DIY manicures and pedicures (The good news about buffs and greiges?  They REALLY don’t show when they chip.  The bad news?  They Encourage Laziness in the realm of Mitts and Paws.), and FINALLY starting in on The September Issue of Vogue.

Cleansing stuff, really.

Sundays are typically my “errands-days.”  Translation: I always make a run to ALDI and Trader Joe’s and if necessary, I drop by Cub and Target.

While I was out today, I stopped by HomeGoods.  I love looking through their pseudo-gourmet foods section when I’m there, and I ended up finding a Tazo Tea sampler pack for $2.99.  Megan had recommended the Awake blend last week via Twitter as part of The Great Tea Hunt, and now I can try them all out.  It’s Fabulous Stuff.

While I was there, I also grabbed a serving platter I spied last weekend.

I mean, it was only $7.

I adhere to the theory that if you see something at the store and you continue to think about it over the course of a pre-determined period of time (in this case I gave it a week), then it’s safe to buy.  This dish passed the test.

Because of the wedding, Marcus and I are trying to avoid buying things for the house At All Costs.  But, our servingware situation is truly pitiful.  Since Holiday Party season is almost upon us, it couldn’t hurt to have a few more platters and such to be able to drag about town.

On a foodie note, if you love to cook and want need something new for your kitchen, check out Mads’ Giveaway for a copy of Ina Garten’s barefoot contessa: back to basics, and a Vic Firth rolling pin!

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Posted in Entertaining, Mags, Mitts and Paws