Foyer Group 7 rocks!
Ok,,,yes, we just about killed ourselves getting ready for the dinner. Nah, not the food, that was about a thirty minutes prep! Nope, but when you basically don't clean house for six months, oh Jeez, the dust that doesn't just accumulate, it ADHERES to surfaces!
Thursday morning, we worked out how to set up tables for our dinner. Then it was full bore into the major dusting, scrubbing, packing up that we did for almost four days. All of which NEEDED to be done and the dinner just gave us a timely incentive.
Then Sunday was time for the fun! Our guests began arriving at six and we had a grand evening visiting, eating and carrying on until almost 10pm!
Allan played host to the group in the dining room, I joined the group out on the porch. What a lovely space that porch is! We garnered many compliments for our efforts with the house which were most gratifying!
Speaking of Allan, it is so wonderful to have a husband that fully participates in cleaning and hosting! I tell ya, I am spoiled rotten!
Foodie alert!
I have this dish I made up for Lacey who doesn't eat onions. You take equal parts of fresh red peppers and tomatoes. Slice and brush with olive oil, salt, pepper and roast in oven until they have brown crinkly edges( No I did not blacken then!). Let cool and then chop up. Take a large deep skillet and cook peppers and tomatoes until liquid is reduced by half. Add whipping cream until mixture is no longer red, but pink. I pour the sauce over cheese raviolli( frozen three cheese ravioli from Sam's), which just coats the pasta.
I have now made this for two, five and thirteen and gotten raves every time. What makes this so grand, is there is no last minute juggling of seasoning to get it just right. The peppers and tomatoes stand up well to the cream addition without extra seasoning!
BTW, a chef taught me this trick with bell peppers: Slice off the top, and stand the pepper up, cut side up. Holding the center with one hand, use a small knife to cut the meat between the ridges. When you finish you have a pepper skeleton with just the veins and seeds left standing and chunks of cut, clean pepper ready to dice.
Thursday morning, we worked out how to set up tables for our dinner. Then it was full bore into the major dusting, scrubbing, packing up that we did for almost four days. All of which NEEDED to be done and the dinner just gave us a timely incentive.
Then Sunday was time for the fun! Our guests began arriving at six and we had a grand evening visiting, eating and carrying on until almost 10pm!
Allan played host to the group in the dining room, I joined the group out on the porch. What a lovely space that porch is! We garnered many compliments for our efforts with the house which were most gratifying!
Speaking of Allan, it is so wonderful to have a husband that fully participates in cleaning and hosting! I tell ya, I am spoiled rotten!
Foodie alert!
I have this dish I made up for Lacey who doesn't eat onions. You take equal parts of fresh red peppers and tomatoes. Slice and brush with olive oil, salt, pepper and roast in oven until they have brown crinkly edges( No I did not blacken then!). Let cool and then chop up. Take a large deep skillet and cook peppers and tomatoes until liquid is reduced by half. Add whipping cream until mixture is no longer red, but pink. I pour the sauce over cheese raviolli( frozen three cheese ravioli from Sam's), which just coats the pasta.
I have now made this for two, five and thirteen and gotten raves every time. What makes this so grand, is there is no last minute juggling of seasoning to get it just right. The peppers and tomatoes stand up well to the cream addition without extra seasoning!
BTW, a chef taught me this trick with bell peppers: Slice off the top, and stand the pepper up, cut side up. Holding the center with one hand, use a small knife to cut the meat between the ridges. When you finish you have a pepper skeleton with just the veins and seeds left standing and chunks of cut, clean pepper ready to dice.