You may have read my post a couple weeks ago ... about Phoebe wanting a party! We were shopping and she found something she thought would be good to decorate for our party. I told her I didn't think I'd have a party for Valentine's Day because we were going to a fancy dinner dance. She almost cried right in the middle of the fabric store, so I quickly decided that we would have our regularly scheduled party! I'm amazed at what she remembers, but I guess I'd better realize that she does, indeed, remember family events at my house. Here's our party.
I decorated the mantel in the dining room last week. You can see it right here! I saved the table decorating for Phoebe and her mama to do right before our dinner.
I could have chosen from lots of china, but I wanted to use these everyday Temptations dishes because Phoebe got them for me for Mother's Day! They are a pretty red color, with big daisy style flowers on them. So, I put Cricut to work and cut lots of hearts and daisy style flowers to use in creating a simple centerpiece. Silk flowers tucked down in clear barrel mugs with mercury glass votive candles fit the bill!
They are so easy to make and I haven't found anybody who doesn't love them! Back to the centerpiece. In the collage below, you can see all the elements I had ready for Phoebe's little hands to put together on the table! Flowers, hearts and more hearts! I almost never throw a piece of scrapbooking paper away, so all those little extra pieces turned into pretty little hearts. A few replicas of vintage Valentines add a comfortable appeal. We wanted casual and comfortable for this family dinner party.
Our meal began with something that was pretty cute. I found this heart shaped cheese molded in red wax. It is white cheddar with strawberries in it. When Phoebe saw it, she couldn't wait to get it opened!
Then we had a wonderful layered salad ... You know the one: loaded with cauliflower, peas, boiled eggs, radishes, tomatoes and iceberg lettuce. I always make my dressing using the bacon grease from frying the bacon for the topping! Add sharp cheddar cheese and you have a delicious combination of flavors. The cute heart shaped bowl is one of the new Temptations creations from QVC.
The rest of our menu included creamed corn ... cream cheese style; salt and pepper shrimp ... because Phoebe loves shrimp; and Coc au Vin over buttered noodles ... which I make a little differently than the typical recipe. I'll put that in a future post.
It was so cold outside, but so cozy in the dining room in front of the fireplace ... that we decided to put the food on the table and serve family style!
Somebody was waiting patiently under the table for any little dropped morsel! Jimmy Mutt was so excited all day long. He was looking for Phoebe beginning at 8:00 in the morning. I never know how he knows that she is coming over ... but he does. He waited all day long for her to finally arrive! Then, when they left after dinner, he parked right in front of the door and pouted because they had gone!
We ended our meal with coffee and this beautiful trifle. We love this combination: angel food cake topped with fresh strawberries (sliced) ... with cheesecake flavored pudding poured over it all. I added more fresh strawberries, then topped it all with Cool Whip ... Too easy! I use Cool Whip instead of whipped cream, especially when I know there will be some left. It holds up well!
