Category — Entertaining

If you know anything about my entertaining style, you know that I love to offer a “Signature” or “Welcome” cocktail when my guests arrive.

For the European Dinner Party, I decided I needed two. That may seem a bit excessive for only four people, but I honestly couldn’t decide between apple or pomegranate on that beautiful autumn evening, so I settled on both.

Sangria is a Spanish and Portuguese beverage that is traditionally served throughout Spain and Portugal during the hot summer months. It is made with summer fruits and juices.

I figured, why not use fall and winter fruits and juices and serve it all year long? Ole!

Spiced Apple Cider Sangria

1 bottle Pinot Grigio
2 cups spiced apple cider
1/2 cup brandy
2 Honeycrisp apples, cored and then chopped
2 Bosc pears, cored and then chopped
1 cup club soda, chilled

Combine all ingredients together, except the club soda, in a large serving pitcher.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.

Pour sangria into ice-filled glasses; use a slotted spoon to add a few of the apple and pear pieces to each glass. Then top each with a splash of the chilled club soda.

Makes 8 to 10 servings

Note: I found the sparkling pomegranate soda for the next recipe at Trader Joe’s.

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A couple of weekends ago, we had dear friends over for an intimate dinner party. There were just four of us and it could not have been a more lovely and relaxing evening.

Both the husband and the wife of this chic and well-traveled couple are fabulous cooks – so obviously I wasn’t planning on serving them hot dogs and baked beans.

At first, I was thinking of French cuisine. Maybe Italian … or what about Spanish?

Oh, forget it, I’ll just do a bit of everything. From that, my Eclectic European Dinner Party was born.

I’ll be posting a different recipe from the menu- including appetizers, cocktails, soup, salad, and main course – each day this week.

First up: Antipasto Numero Uno….

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This is the fourth and final tapas recipe from Peggy’s dinner party. But before I share it with you, I nearly forgot to mention that I brought a Stone Fruit Crumble for dessert.

This time around, I used plumcots in place of the apricots and plums. Have you tried plumcots before?

If not, be sure to search them out and give them a go. They are not only tasty … but so very pretty too.

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We had a surprise addition to the Tapas Dinner Party when Peggy’s 17-year-old son, Stevo, came home a day earlier than she expected from a week-long camping trip in Yosemite National Park.

While Peggy busy was cooking for us, I was able to snap this cute photo of the two of them.

Thank you, Peggy, for such a fun and relaxing night.

This recipe is super easy and superbly delicious. It will disappear before your very eyes!

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You’ve seen my drink station…

… the crudités setup…

… which was cleared and turned into the brunch buffet.

Now it’s time for the Easter Tablescape 2013!

At the time, I didn’t realize that I had a theme going, but now I see that I did indeed.

“Eggs, Eggcups, Flowers, and Nests”

Eggs and Eggcups with flowers and succulents.

More of the same – with the addition of some nests.

More flowers, in tin buckets with nests on them… how original!

If you look closely, in the background you will spot my wind turbine turned hanging light fixture. Sweet!

Another hanging fixture that I love to highlight and use whenever I get the chance, is the chandelier vase that hangs over the sunken kitchen at the swim-up bar.

The pool was still much too cold to swim in, but I was grilling the pomegranate lamb chops down in the kitchen, so I wanted it to look pretty for the occasion.

Filled with stock and daffodils.

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It’s only April 4th and it’s already been an awful three days. I’m not sure if it has something to do with making a major life change on April 1st, or if that is just a foolish coincidence.

We moved my Mom and her 90-year-old husband, Bill, into assisted living on Monday and it’s been downhill since. I went to their house early yesterday to pack up more stuff to take to them, loading my car to the brim.

I arrived at their new place and only carried in one load before it became apparent that I was going to need to take Bill to the ER. I spent about 3 hours there with him, got him some anti-anxiety meds, and took him back. I wasn’t able to unload even one more thing because I had to get to work.

I dropped him off with a caregiver and headed home to put on some clean clothes and makeup. I was driving to work with my fully packed car when I was forced to slam on my brakes to avoid hitting the large truck in front of me, whose driver had just slammed on his brakes. The three cars in front of the truck weren’t so lucky, they rear-ended each other!

Oh, did I mention that there was an ironing board on the very top of all the stuff in my fully packed car?

No? Well, it came flying towards the front of the car and was literally an inch from slamming through the windshield.

The seat belt’s shoulder strap in the back seat is the only thing that prevented that from happening! I know, CRAZY!

If this continues, there may be fewer posts this month. I don’t know how I’ll keep up on cooking and posting while trying to help out with all this life drama too. We shall see.

OK, enough of the trauma drama… how about a nice little look at my calm, colorful, and relaxing appetizer set up for Easter brunch?

It was a gorgeous day, so of course, we ate outside. I placed my moss runner on the French buffet table and filled glass containers with crudites.

Two types of purchased hummus, from Trader Joe’s, were lovingly scooped in martini glasses.

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I’m working on my Easter buffet and tablescape today.

Here is how I’ll be displaying/arranging my crudites this year.

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I’ve got a packed Saturday today, but before I hit the ground running, I want to remind you of a few of my Easter egg decorating and entertaining ideas.

This LINK will take you to a previous post and two videos. Silk-Tie Colored Easter Eggs, an Easter Buffet, plus decorating ideas and tips. It also includes the “how-to” for the cute fruit and shrimp pots above.

This LINK will take you to the step-by-step instructions to make a moss runner, link the one you see on the Valley Dish video, for your table…

… and the prep needed for those “edible arrangement” pots too.

After you’ve watched the video in that first link for the Silk-Tie Colored Easter Eggs, go to this LINK for the step-by-step instructions. Beautiful and EASY!

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I received several emails from readers who wanted to know how to make the pocket fold on the napkins I used for Peggy’s birthday dinner.

Making them is easy as can be.  Here is your step-by-step guide.

1. Spread the napkin right side up on a flat surface.

2. Fold the bottom of the napkin up, in half, to meet the top edge.

3. Take the top layer and fold it down to the fold line on the bottom edge. The top layer will now have a fold line along the center of the napkin.

4. Carefully turn the napkin over. Be certain that it stays folded.