Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Pot Luck Dinner with friends!

Thai Chicken Satay Skewers w/
Peanut Sauce

Mini Spanakopitas

Lots of food and it all had not arrived at this point

I have been wanting to host a dinner for quite a while. I love to cook for people and think catering would be an awesome job. I know I can cook well, however, time management is a huge weakness that I need to improve on before I can even think about having a buisness. Anyway, I was hoping to do all the cooking and put out a wide array of appetizers. Realizing that I am not made of money, I decided on a pot luck dinner and had to choose a few items off my list to make. I made Thai chicken satay skewers with peanut sauce, mini spanakopitas (also known as spinach pies), roasted garlic bulbs for spreading on bread, and an apple pie (from the apples in my previous post). Joe made mac-n-cheese from scratch with roasted jalapeños and Anaheim peppers, Colby and cheddar cheese, and a pretzel crumb topping. It was very spicy, but so tasty! Heidi (friend and co-worker) made goulash and brought tea cake from Rambach's Bakery. Sam (friend and co-worker) brought brownies with peanut butter chips and challah bread. Katie and her boyfriend Chad brought roasted potatoes, roasted asparagus with balsamic, and a veggie frittata. So you are probably imagining that there were a ton more people attending this pot luck to help eat this insane amount of food, but you are wrong. Just the six of us. It was worse than Thanksgiving. Talk about "food coma." And holy left overs. I am not allowed to touch sweets for like the next who knows how long. I sent everyone home with giant plates of food and still had a lot left over. With tummies full and my cooking addiction fulfilled for a while, it was a success.

Apple Jacks Orchard

Joe, happily picking away!


YUM!

"Goat Mountain"

Coming for food

Love them and want my own!!

This past weekend, Joe (my love) and I went to Apple Jacks Orchard. We went last year and picked the most delicious Macouns and Macintoshes bigger then our heads. Unfortunately this year, the Macouns werent quite ready, but we picked a half bushel of delicious macs and cortlands. Later that day I made an apple pie (Better Homes & Gardens recipe) for a pot luck dinner that I had the following day. Emm it was so good. As for the rest of the apples, they will probably go with Joe to work in his lunch, and I will probably cut them up and eat them with Peanut butter. There will be no more pies for a while, as the winter weight is already packing on.
Also, if I were a pet goat, I would want to live here and play on their "mountain". Its amazing and they seem to really enjoy it. Last year while we were there they escaped and were scattering everywhere. It was too funny.

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Gift Baskets

"TASTE of NEW YORK"





"Breakfast in Bed"




I made this basket for a friends wedding! I love making baskets with as many local items as possible. So far I have made a "Breakfast in Bed" basket, a "Taste of New York" Basket for a bridal shower raffle, and a Hiker's Gift basket. Unfortunately I do not have a picture of the hiking basket, but it included natural bug spray, cliff bars, a pocket knife, homemade trail mix, mini toilet paper roll, dog treats (for the dog obviousley, lol), and a few other items.
The "Breakfast in Bed" basket includes, local adirondack roasters coffee, maple syrup, strawberry-rhubarb jam, honey from my uncle's apiary, Tazo tea, my homemade granola, and New Hope Mills Buckwheat pancake mix.
The "Taste of New York" basket was made up of all products made in New York. It included:
Michegan Sauce, Borderview Deli, Champlain, NY
Coffee, ADK Coffee Roasters, Peru, NY
Maple Syrup, Jordan, NY
Honey, Haine's Apriary, Auburn, NY
Chocolates, Candy man, Wilmington, NY
Pancake Mix, New Hope Mills, Auburn, NY
NYS Reisling, LongPoint Winery, Aurora, NY
BBQ Sauce, Dinasaur Barbeque, Syracuse, NY