Tuesday Night #2 - 12/7/10

Oh boy, well, I have already fallen behind.  It is already the Wednesday after Dinner #3 and I haven't blogged about #2.  I must improve.

I once again had to email/call invites.  I think this is how it is going to be until Tuesday Night Dinner Party catches on.

I feel that this meal was an improvement over the first.  The menu was as follows:  Appetizers = Auntie Kathy's Chex mix, dill herbed cream cheese piped on vegetable crudites, Entree = bolognese sauce on linguine, Salad = mixed baby greens with my favorite vinegarette, Bread = italian herb, Dessert  = Auntie Kathy's chocolate peanut clusters and assorted chocolates.

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/flavored-cream-cheeses

I loved the herbed cream cheese.  It is so fun and cute to pipe it onto veggies!  This is from martha Stewart's Hors Devours  cookbook.  I did them for christmas one year.  The bolognese sauce is a favorite from the Dean and Deluca cookbook.  I loved Lynn Rossetto Kasper's bolognese from The Splendid Table (or maybe it is the Italian Country Table) but her recipe is much more complicated.  My italian herb bread didn't excite me.  I won't use that recipe again.  Auntie Kathy's treats are super!  That is why I am glad to have them out of the house.  Too tempting.

I'm pleased to say that everyone mixed nicely and we had a good time.  Everyone had second helpings! :)  Beer and wine was plentiful.  We even had a nice italian red to go with the meal.  There were only enough leftovers for Jason's lunch.  None for me.  :(  We girls played Bananagrams after dinner and listened to the guys talk--very entertaining.  Overall, good friends, good food, good hooch and a good time.

I have figured out that for the future 6 is the right amount of people for dinner.  We can fit that amount comfortable around the dining table without having to pull out folding chairs.  We have a smaller living room that 8 gets tight in.  It is also way easier to cook for 6 than 8 so far.  I'm still a novice.

Thanks to Jason for all his help getting the house ready for guests and thanks to Tara, Sean, Mark and Sandra for making it a good night.