The circle around the porch heater was popular spot - notice there's nobody out on the deck!
There was much more activity inside around the food table!
My hospitality assistants did a fantastic job!
The grillmaster had the grill "full" of chicken breasts....
A few brave souls atually ate outside on the porch...
Jackie and Kat grabbed the "warm corner"
After the crowd left, Glenda decided to try a little yoga...
That apparently didn't work, so she tried this....(don't ask)
Jackie and Kat brought a nice housewarming present - some gorgeous sounding wind chimes with a "guard rooster"!
And, as promised, here are the recipes passed on by the attendees:
My hospitality assistants did a fantastic job!
The grillmaster had the grill "full" of chicken breasts....
A few brave souls atually ate outside on the porch...
Jackie and Kat grabbed the "warm corner"
After the crowd left, Glenda decided to try a little yoga...
That apparently didn't work, so she tried this....(don't ask)
Jackie and Kat brought a nice housewarming present - some gorgeous sounding wind chimes with a "guard rooster"!
And, as promised, here are the recipes passed on by the attendees:- Deviled Eggs (from Donna)
6 hard-cooked eggs
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon prepared mustard (I use Grey Poupon Dijon mustard)
1/8 teaspoon salt
Paprika
Boil the eggs until they are hard-cooked.
Halve hard-cooked eggs length-wise, remove yolks and mash with a fork.
Stir in mayonnaise, white vinegar, mustard and salt.
Stuff egg whites with yolk mixture (I use my cake decorator with the widest fancy end I have for this)
Garnish with parika.
Makes 12 servings
If I am doing more than 6 eggs, I use my food processor to “mash” the egg yolks and mix the other stuff in. It makes the filling smoother, but mostly it is just easier on the arms and I am all about easy!!!
- Ribbon Cheese Slices (Provided by Janie Marshall, brought by Donna)
(Slightly altered from Taste of Home Appetizer book)
8 oz cream cheese slightly softened
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup dried cranberries diced
10 (3 in. x 3 in.) slices deli-type sharp cheddar cheese slices
Combine cream cheese, pecans and cranberries.
On aluminum foil, place 2 slices of cheddar cheese side by side.
Spread 3 rounded tablespoons cream cheese mixture over cheese slices.
Repeat layers ending with cheddar cheese slices.
Fold foil tightly around layered cheese.
Refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
Remove from foil.
Cut lengthwise three ways.
Slice across making 1/4 inch slices.
Serve with crackers. - Marbled Chocolate Treats (from Ginger)
8 1/2 graham crackers cut in half (17 squares)
6 squares semi sweet chocolate
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 squares white chocolate
Line a 13x9 pan with aluminum foil leaving enough hanging off to use as handles
Arrange graham crackers in bottom of panmicrowave semi sweet chocolate and peanut butter for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until chocolate is completely melted when stirred. I stirred every 30 seconds until melted.
Pour over graham crackers; spread evenly repeat melting time for white chocolate and then pour over dark chocolate/peanut butter mixture; then take knive and swirl chocolates together.
Refrigerate for at least an hour or until firm. Remove dessert from pan and peel off aluminum foil and cut dessert into bars.
Store in covered container in refrigerator. - Honey Bee’s Rice (from Leza)
1 chopped onion
½ stick butter
2-oz. bag of slivered or sliced almonds
3 ounces raisins
1 cup white rice (uncooked)
2 cans beef consommé
Saute the top 5 ingredients. Place in casserole dish. Pour consommé over the ingredients and bake (covered) at 375 degrees for 50 min. – 1 hour. - Brownies (from Glenda)
1 walnut brownie mix
3 Symphony Bars (with toffee and almonds)
Prepare brownie mix according to instructions on the box.
Pour 1/2 of the mix into a 9x12 pan, then place the 3 Symphony bars over the brownie mix. Pour remaining mix on top and bake according to mix. - Oriental Cabbage Salad (from Paula)
1 pkg cole slaw mix
1 package slivered almonds
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup vinegar (apple cider or red wine)
3/4 cup oil (olive, canola or vegetable)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon pepper
1 pkg ramen noodles (do not use the seasoning packet)
Brown almonds and sesame seeds in a small amount of butter and combine with cole slaw mix in a bowl.
Combine sugar, vinegar, oil, soy sauce and pepper in a shaker (or some kind of container) – shake it up and pour over cole slaw mixture
Break up ramen noodles and add them to the mixture just before serving (so they are crunchy, when you eat it!) - Betty’s Famous Mexican Wontons (not brought this year, but usually a staple!)
Wonton Wrappers (approx 50/pkg)
1 lb sausage, cooked & drained
2 cups monterrey jack cheese, grated
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
½ cup green pepper chopped (I use green chili peppers)
1 cup ranch dressing
1 cup black olives, sliced
Mix all ingredients except for wonton wrappers
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, spray muffin tins with non-stick spray.
Mold wontons in tin. Bake 5 minutes. Remove from oven and put a heaping tablespoon of mixture in each wonton. Bake 5 more minutes. - Chicken Braid (from Marian)
2 8oz. crescent rolls (generic brand works better)
1/2 - 1 cup cooked, chopped chicken (approx. 3 boneless breasts)
1 c. chopped broccoli (fresh or frozen, if frozen drain well)
1/2 c. chopped red pepper
4 oz. grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp. Dill mix
¼ tsp. salt
1/2 can water chestnuts (chopped)
1 garlic clove
*****************
to prepare braid for baking use 1 egg white & some slivered almonds
Preheat oven to 350.
Separate crescent rolls into triangles and lay them out to form a rectangle on a baking stone or greased cookie sheet. Use rolling pin to seal triangle seams. With a paring knife, cut strips approximately 1 - 2 inches apart across rectangle leaving 3 – 4 inches uncut in center. Mix remaining ingredients in order until creamy. Spoon and mound mixture lengthwise down center of crescent roll rectangle. Starting at top of rectangle, pull strips of dough from each side toward center over chicken mixture, twist and join them. Continue until all strips have been done. Brush top and sides of braid with egg white and sprinkle with slivered almonds. Bake at 350, 25-30 minutes or until dough is golden brown.
Here are some of our purchases: A small vase and S&P shakers
My friend, Donna, made this patriotic (and delicious!) dessert for our dinner.
Our neighbor, Donna and Raymond drove up on Friday to join us. Raymond settled right in...
And the boys...