A Summer Soiree

I catered a lunch yesterday with a menu that I am so excited about!  It was such a beautiful representation of what you'd find at a Farmers Market in July - so fresh and delicious - I have to share. If you are not a big meat eater - I think salmon would substitute nicely for the skirt steak.

Provence Party

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love an excuse to host a party.  So when my married friends and I started a monthly dinner group, you can imagine how excited I was when it was my turn to host!

I want to share this dinner party as an example of how simple it can be to host a fabulous supper in style and stilettos ah!
The key is to plan ahead and decide on a menu that can be prepped days before and requires little hands on time during your party... for example a cheese, fruit and nut platter for an appetizer and slow cooked meat for your main...

Gorgonzola, Caramelized Onion and Apricot Chutney Flat Bread

Savory gorgonzola and sweet apricots make a heavenly combination

My friend Kate from Seattle (we met 3 years ago while living in Thailand) came to visit for a couple of days and on her last night here we had a Sex And The City, Wine and Flat Bread Marathon.
Kate is a great cook (enjoying healthy foods like me!) and so fun to be in the kitchen with.  We also made a Margarita with Eggplant (a specialty of hers) and a Pesto with Fresh Tomatoes (a specialty of my mom's).
Partially inspired by sipping wine while cooking, we'll credit our healthy appetites to the 3.5 mile run across Golden Gated Bridge earlier that day :o)

For Your Party, Start with Style

One thing I love most in life is throwing dinner parties for friends and family.
The other thing I love most is making a party beautiful, stylish, creative and chic!

Favorite Places to Get Inspired:
Hostess with the Mostess
Hello Naomi
Cakes Likes a Party
Society Picnic
Joyful Wedding and Events
Style Me Pretty

Favorite Places to Buy the Goods:
Acme Party Box Company
For Your Party
Paper Source
Luna Bazaar
Shop Sweet LuLu
Etsy
100 Layer Cake

And lastly, the proper placement of silverware

Moroccan Tangine

This is a "winner recipe" for sure

served over quinoa and topped with Cowgirl Creamery Creme Fraiche

I've served this for many occasions: private dinner parties over quinoa for the vegetarian, clients I'm a personal chef for and my Kid's Summer Cooking Camp.

Today we went to North Africa... enjoying pita too.

Potato Leek Soup with Hearty Croutons and Creme Fraiche

As my cousin said, "very flavorful and not too rich"

A soup before a meal really does not, and should not, have to be heavy and rich. You want to finish your soup feeling satisfied and ready for your main entree.

Eggplant Parmigiana

Eggplant Parmi-Yumma

I feel it's time I start posting more savory, salty, hot dinner dishes.

By the looks of my blog you may think I only eat sweets and vegetables. While that is mostly true, sadly, I do still enjoy cooking hearty meals for friends and family.

Coconut Cupcakes

with cream cheese frosting and a surprising bite of chocolate inside

I decided to make these mini for a friend's birthday celebration...bite size anything is just more fun, and maybe even guaranteed to taste better!

Plus, mini-ness helps with portion control, because 7 mini really equals one regular size cupcake, right? ;o)

Hazelnut Ganache Tart with Sea Salt

Um, Yum!

I am such a sucker for Sweet + Salt!

A perfect dessert to serve a crowd-

this is sure to impress your dinner guest

Perfect Summer Salad

Serve as a bite size salad on skewers at a cocktail party,

or on pretty small plates at a dinner party.

Union Street's 15th Annual Sidewalk Sale at Dahlia Boutique

Girls Dinner Party

My dear friend Alex came home for the weekend from law school in Boston, so what better excuse than this to have an All Ladies Dinner Party!?  The girls and I set the date and arrange who brings what- the best part is that all my friends eat super healthy and mostly vegan!

Erin, Kathryn, Alex, Jacquie, Kaity and Vanessa