As I was looking up other food blogs, not a rare occurrence, I came across this site, Cookie and Kate, where this recipe is from.  Don't be skeptical.  It's really good and you'll be glad you made it.  I think I ate this in 20 seconds flat.  I'm usually too lazy tired to put any forethought into lunch, but this was well worth the extra brain power.



Strawberry, Basil and Goat Cheese Panini (without a panini press)

serves 4 - make the sauce before you prepare the paninis

ingredients

8 slices of good bread ( I used a baguette I sliced wide on the diagonal)
5 oz. goat cheese
10-12 strawberries, sliced thin
basil leaves
black pepper
4 T. butter (probably won't need this much)


directions

Take 2 slices of bread and spread a layer of goat cheese over the inside of both slices.  Spread your strawberries over one side already covered with goat cheese, mmm, and the other with whole or chopped up basil.  Grind some black pepper over both sides.  Place your panini together with the basil side on top. 

Melt 1/2 T. butter in medium skillet over medium heat.  Add the sandwich.  Place a plate on top of the sandwich and then place a large can of anything, tomatoes work well, on top of the plate for weight.  Cook about 2-3 minutes, until sandwich is lightly browned.  Lift sandwich from pan, melt 1/2 T. butter and finish with remaining side.  Repeat with remaining sandwiches.

Balsamic Honey Glaze

ingredients

2/3 c. balsamic vinegar
1/3 c. honey


directions

Combine vinegar and honey in small saucepan over med-low heat.  Simmer, making sure to stir constantly so it does not burn.  Reduce by about half (or 1/3 if you're impatient like me).  Pour into a small bowl to cool while you're making the paninis.

My  mother-in-law and I had the privilege of recently throwing a baby shower for a good friend, Vanessa.  Her due date was one week from the date of the shower, so we were hoping she would make it!  Since the shower, Vanessa has delivered her precious beautiful baby girl, Chloe.  Please see below for recipes and for party inspiration!  Thank you, Vanessa for letting us celebrate your new bundle!

white cupcakes with raspberry buttercream

place setting

food and drink table

			handsewn chair bows

homemade caramel corn for guests to take home

baby's breath centerpieces with baby pink roses

pink lemonade and water

flower petal cupcakes

chicken salad croissants

chocolate covered strawberries with pink drizzle

ham and swiss rolls

strawberry caprese salad with homemade balsamic dressing

banana pudding parfaits

guest table

fresh cut flowers and gardenias

pom poms with ribbon

It's usually not smart to try out new recipes for groups of people, but the ones I tried sounded too good to pass up.  And I was right... I love trying new recipes and this gave me a good excuse to do so.  My poor husband Andrew never knows what he'll come home to for dinner.  Mystery Mondays aptly got their nickname from this.  Luckily the recipes for the party turned out better than I expected, and there were requests for almost all of them!  I really take deep joy when people like the food I make, so it was hard to fit my head through the door that day.

The following helped provide inspiration and recipes for the day...


the place settings and chair ties ................my mother-in-law, Caneva, made the chair ties....amazing; inspiration for our table settings and chair ties came from She Paperie, whose Sugar and Spice party you'll find at Hostess with the Mostess


chicken salad croissants.................Oh Yum Bakery in Bellingham, MA made the croissants and my mother-in-law made the chicken salad

ham and swiss rolls................. recipe is from One Charming Partyhttp://onecharmingparty.com/category/elephant-baby-shower/ ...these were really good and I've been craving them ever since

strawberry caprese salad with balsamic dressing........recipe adapted from Pink Parsley 

banana pudding parfaits..............recipe is from my sister-in-law, Michelle; parfait style inspired from Annie's Eats (one of my go-to food blogs). you can also find the recipe for the caramel corn here, too

white cupcakes with raspberry buttercream .........inspiration came from a variety of places;  I saw the cupcake holders on a blog that I now can't remember; they are by Wilton and are sold at A.C. Moore and Michael's; the raspberry buttercream was inspired by cupcakes from Wegman's that are out of this world; the buttercream recipe is from My baking addiction and the white cupcakes are from a Pillsbury white cake mix (yes, it's from a box and although I really like things from scratch, these are really good) If using the mix, make sure to use the one on the back that calls for egg whites
 

pom poms.............how to is on Martha Stewart's website



 ham and swiss rolls

12 thick slices honey ham
12 slices swiss cheese
1/2 stick butter, melted
1 T. poppy seeds
1/2 t. ground mustard
1 t. worcestershire sauce
24 pack of Hawaiian sweet rolls or other dinner rolls

Melt butter in saucepan and add in poppy seeds, ground mustard and worcestershire sauce and stir until combined.  In each roll, place 1/2 slice of ham and 1/2 slice of swiss cheese.  After all sandwiches assembled, brush butter mixture over tops of rolls.  Bake at 350 for 15 - 20 minutes.

recipe from One Charming Party


strawberry caprese salad

1 c. halved grape tomatoes
1 c. strawberries, quartered
7 oz. small mozzarella pearls
3 basil leaves, chiffonaded
Spring salad mix

Combine and enjoy!

recipe inspired by Pink Parsley

balsamic dressing

1/2 c. balsamic vinegar
1 c. olive oil
1-2 T. dijon mustard
3 T. sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Whisk all ingredients until emulsified

recipe from unremembered site; may not need all 3 T. of sugar

banana pudding

2 c. milk
2 pkgs. instant vanilla pudding
8 oz. sour cream
14 oz. Cool Whip (I used reduced fat)
9 bananas, sliced
1 box Nila wafers

Mix milk, pudding mixes and sour cream together.  Fold in Cool Whip and then layer, alternating between pudding, Nila wafers and bananas.  End with pudding layer and top with crumbled wafer OR for parfaits,  refrigerate for a few hours or overnight and then spoon into parfait glasses.  Top with dollop of whipped cream and 1 Nila wafer.

recipe from my sister-in-law, Michelle
inspiration for parfaits from Annie's Eats

raspberry buttercream

1/2 c. raspberries (blended into a puree and pushed through a sieve to remove seeds)
1 stick salted butter, softened
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c. shortening
1/2 T. vanilla extract
1/2 t. raspberry extract (I excluded this and used more raspberry puree, next time I will probably use the extract
1 1/2 lbs. powdered sugar
2 - 4 T. very cold milk

Cream the butter and shortening with mixer.  Add extracts and raspberry puree and combine well.  Begin adding in the powdered sugar and mix thoroughly after each addition.  After all p. sugar added and incorporated well, begin adding cold milk 1 T. at a time, combining well after each addition until you reach the desired consistency. I ended up adding about another 3 T. of raspberry puree since I didn't use the raspberry extract.  Although the frosting was still very good, I'll use the extract next time.


Add 1 inverted raspberry to top of each frosted cupcake.  Dust with pale pink sanding sugar.

recipe from My baking addiction

I love a good hamburger, and usually I'm a purist.  Meaning I like a juicy burger with some cheese and maybe ketchup, but that's about it.  Wait until you try this burger.  This is a Cook's Illustrated recipe, so you know there are a few steps involved.  They're well worth it, though and really not that many compared with CI's other recipes.  I really like my burgers off the grill, and very rarely cook one inside; so I was a little skeptical that this is cooked on the stovetop and finished in the oven.  Don't worry, though, this rivals any grilled burger.  And given the recent pink slime expose about meat, this is a great alternative that will set your mind at ease that the meat isn't mixed with cleaner.  Jamie Oliver, people are starting to listen to you.  Don't skimp on the shallots and watch closely as they cook up, as they easily burn.  This has become one of my favorite burger recipes for both me and my husband, Andrew!  His is the ultimate seal of approval.


Gourmet Pub-Style Burgers with Crispy Shallots 
serves 4

ingredients
2 lb. sirloin steak tips, trimmed and cut into 1/2" chunks
4 T. unsalted butter
1 t. canola oil
salt and pepper
4 hamburger buns


directions
Place beef on baking sheet in a single layer.  Freeze the meat until starting to harden around the edges but still pliable, approx. 30 min.  Melt 4 T. butter in microwave and let cool slightly when doing next step.  Place 1/4 lb of meat in food processor at a time, pulsing to grind into 1/16th" pieces.  Transfer meat to baking sheet and spread out, removing any long strands of gristle or big chunks of fat or meat.  Repeat with remaining meat. 

Heat oven to 300.  Drizzle melted butter over ground meat and sprinkle pepper over as well.  Gently toss with fork to combine.  Divide meat into 4 lightly packed balls.  Gently flatten into patties and refrigerate until ready to cook. (Patties will keep, covered, for up to 1 day)

Season both sides of patties with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in skillet over high heat until just smoking.  Place burgers in skillet without moving them for 2 minutes.  Flip burgers and cook 2 minutes longer.  Transfer to rimmed baking sheet (or use ovensafe skillet like I did) and bake until burgers are at desired doneness, about 6 -8 minutes for medium to medium-well.  Remove burgers from oven and let rest 5 minutes.  Place on bun that's been buttered and toasted and don't forget to top with crispy shallots!

Crispy shallots
3 shallots
1/2 c. canola oil

While beef is in freezer, heat oil and thinly sliced shallots in medium saucepan over high heat; cook, stirring frequently, until shallots are golden, about 8 minutes.  Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towel lined plate and season with salt.  Let cool and set aside until ready to top burger.

Creme Brulee

ingredients

1 qt. heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 c. sugar, divided
6 large egg yolks
2 qts. hot water


directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the cream, vanilla bean and its pulp into a medium pan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to sit for 15 minutes.

Remove the vanilla bean and reserve for another use. (This would be good to make vanilla sugar)

David turned ONE on Jan 22nd! I can hardly believe that he's already a year old. This year has truly gone by faster than any before it for me. I was looking at some pictures of David from when he was first born and was reminded of something my friend Miska said once about parenting, that it's the continual process of letting go. I can already sense that the changes ahead will be hard, but so beautiful nonetheless. I know that as David is able to eat all by himself and then able to put on his own clothes, it's important to remind myself that he will always need his mommy; it just changes in the ways that he needs me. My prayer is that he will come to know how deeply we love him and how deeply God loves him.

Kermit cake heads (sort of)...



Mocha cupcakes with espresso buttercream frosting and Chocolate covered pretzels (I forgot to put the fleur de sel on as they were drying so disregard the tag:))





We gave out some of the handmade marshmallows for favors...



Next up is Grandma with her hot cocoa moustache. To choose from was the Chevron, the Magician, the Texan and the Rich Uncle ..... she chose the Rich Uncle. Go Grandma!
















And here's David with his daddy at the end of his party...

















We love you, David!



Handmade Marshmallows ............ recipe from Alton Brown
Cranberry Curd Cups .......... recipe for cranberry curd from Not Without Salt
Hot Cocoa .......... recipe from Alton Brown
Mocha Cupcakes with Espresso Buttercream... recipe from Brown Eyed Baker
David's Chocolate Birthday Cake ...... All Recipes (this cake was so darn good)
Happy Birthday Banner ......... directions by Adventuroo
Moustaches ............ inspired by Pizzazzerie