When I was a young mom, I would tell people ..."What I do ... I do for Nicole." Now, I am happy to tell you ... "What I do ... I do for Phoebe." This granddaughter of mine has a little bit of interest in cooking ... and a little more interest in tablescaping! If you follow me, you know that I have promised her a Sunday Dinner a month, complete with a holiday theme. We don't care if we can't celebrate a holiday on the actual appropriate date. This family is so busy, it is difficult to do that. We celebrate when we can, but we always celebrate! For me, getting my family around the table for my food is a celebration that I love.
Our centerpiece was all about the table runners and colorful miniature masks! I added lots of beads and a few larger masks.
Pioneer Woman's Celia pattern dinnerware is filled with Mardi Gras colors, so they worked perfectly.
I would never pay the price for beaded place mats. However, I found a deep, deep discounted set at Kohl's a couple years ago. They were the perfect foundation for this place setting! I've had this multi-colored flatware for so long, I don't remember where they came from or who made them! It doesn't really matter,
but the colors added a lot to this casual setting!
Purple napkins, purple faux gemstone napkin rings ... cute tiny masks and my favorite vintage Bull's Eye goblets ... round out the colorful setting!
Cajun or Creole food is a part of our standard menu in our households, so thinking of something extra special for this Sunday Dinner took creativity. We have a new Amish market that has an incredible array of luncheon meats, so mini Muffaletta Sandwiches was an easy decision! Phoebe, Nicole and I visited the market the weekend of our event and I loaded my cart with a variety of meats and cheeses. I happy to find a big jar of Muffaletta olive relish on their shelves, too! I sprinkled the tops of my little French rolls not with sesame seeds (as is the usual), but with a garlic butter sprinkle, and that made the sandwiches even better. Sharp cheddar, German balogna, Genoa salami and honey glazed ham filled the rolls.
I made an easy egg salad to serve with crackers. In keeping with the theme, a little Muffaletta olive relish mixed with the chopped eggs and mayo created an egg salad with a spicy bite!
Our Cajun shrimp was actually quickly stir fried! I tossed the shrimp in a Cajun spice mix and a little olive oil, and then added chopped asparagus to the fry pan. A quick toss and a little sauce made with 2 Tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce, 2 Tablespoons of Sriracha, a sprinkle of brown sugar and a cup of seafood stock. I used the stock as the liquid for a cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce and stirred in half a stick of butter to finish it. I served it over brown rice, which created a nutty flavored background for the spice.
Do you see a King Cake in my collage? Nope! Miss Phoebe asked for Cherry Pie, so that is what we had.
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