Martha Wasn't There and We Did Just Fine

Ok, so I didn't get Part II of Martha Ain't Comin' posted on Sunday.  Let's blame it on the time change.  Yeah, that's it.  I wanted to make sure I got my extra hour sleep.  After sleeping about 2 hours later than I normally do, which really made it THREE hours, I also had a 3.5 hour nap and then sort of just staggered through the rest of the day until I conked out at 9:00 pm.  So...here goes.

As I mentioned in my previous post, I too agree with fellow blogger, Carolyn Lackey that our homes don't have to be palatial, our tables decorated and set a la Martha Stewart to entertain friends and that we all should do it more.

We had my parents and another couple over to for a sort-of celebratory dinner for oldest one flying the coop for the second time.  Note:  I actually do miss him, but he is happy to be back in school.  So...  the table fit with the fall season, nothing like what Martha would do, but then I ain't Martha and besides, formal floral arrangements take up too much room and unless you get them low enough, you can't see across the table.

 

closeup of the napkin ring

No, I didn't iron the tablecloth - put enough dishes on it and the wrinkles are hidden.  Pulled out the pewter flatware and used some cute napkin rings I probably have used only once or twice - bought them at some home party.  I should use them more often.  I like the white dinner plates - they go with everything!  Round it out with a few pumpkins from the grocery store, fake leaves and "rodent" candles (yeah, there is a story behind that from oldest one when he was about four and wanted to have room service as he really liked the "rodent" candles that came on the cart.  Took his grandmother forever to figure out he really meant votive candle.  For our family, votive candles will always and forever more be called rodent candles.)



Some of the recipes I found on Pinterest and some were standbys I have made before.  We started the evening with a signature cocktail - a Ginger + Apple + Bourbon.  It was scrumptious - it works with or without the bourbon.  We also had Red Pepper strips with Hummus and Cranberry Brie Tartlets.  Easy-Peasy.  All three recipes came from Pinterest.  No, I didn't pipe the humms onto the red pepper strips and by pure accident I purchased pre-baked phyllo tart shells, which turned out to be the right things to do! 

The main course were porterhouse pork chops that I marianated for a few hours in Italian dressing.  You can either grill the porkchops, brushing them with apricot preserves or bake them with apricot preserves.  I chose the baking route.  Place the chops in a baking dish, plop a very generous spoonful of preserves on each one, bake at 350 for about an hour.  Sides were roasted (olive oil and salt) zucchini, baby carrots and yellow squash; mixed greens salad (with my special Crested Butte dressing - recipe and story below) and Sister Schubert rolls.  You can't beat a Sister Schubert rolls and you can pick them up in the freezer section of Sam's and your local grocery store. 

Now, every dinner party needs a good dessert and I tried out another Pinterest recipe - The Rolo Brownie Trifle.  I have an entire Pinterest board dedicated to "Food In a Jar".  I have been dying to try out one of those recipes. 

 I served trifles in individual pint jars (purchased at Walmart).  Let me just say that if you fill the entire pint jar with a serving for one, your dinner guests will be in a diabetic coma by 9 pm.  Suffice it to say the dessert was a hit.  For an extra special touch, each trifle was topped by a sparkler and lit.  Note to self:  Next time you use sparklers, you need about 6 extra hands to light them all at once.  Maybe if you handed out jewel encrusted lighters as party favors, everyone would be willing to light their own.  Also, you might want to make sure you purchase sparklers around the 4th of July and keep them on hand.  I could only find number sparklers.  Why the number 5?  That is a story for another day!

Let's start a wave to bring back entertaining at home.  Nothing fancy - just good friends, good food!  We will have a blast!

Crested Butte dressing
1 c. oil
1/3 c. balsamic vinegar
1/2 c. sugar or Splenda - both work well

Mix thoroughly in blender and yes, the dressing is brown.  Who cares - it is really good!

Why do we call it Crested Butte dressing?  We skied at Crested Butte a great deal when I was growing up.  It had yet to reach the popularity it enjoys today, but we would always eat dinner out one night during the trip at a steakhouse there.  They had the BEST salad dressing.  After many experiments, we figured out what we thought was probably the recipe.  It was originally made with regular vinegar, but I like balsamic better. 

Happy eating!  And let me know how you plan to entertain!