This was the final result of weeks of prep, days of cooking and hours of sweating! Looking at it now - it was all worth it, but during the frenzy - one had to wonder!
Our menu was split between 2 tables: The savory table and the sweet table!
The above picture was our savory table. It consisted of:
Mini crab cakes on a roll
Mini Rueben's
Baked, peppered shrimp
Cream cheese carmelized onion tartlets
Spinach and feta tartlets
Tiny Brie Bites (Thanks to Big Red Kitchen)
Hearts of Palms salad with pomegranates on Endive
Green pepper jelly over cream cheese and crackers
Crab Rangoon
Note to self: Too many hot things. Not enough oven space to bake it all before guests came. We got it done - but we were literally shoving pans in my garage as we were opening the door for the first guest!
This was our sweet table. The back of the table has the candy "cups" - I'll talk more about those in another blog.
Our desserts were as follows:
Homemade peanut butter and chocolate pudding cups
Pastel Mint Refrigerator dessert in tiny cups
Variety of cookies from the exchange
German chocolate tartlets
Dark chocolate covered almonds
assorted chocolate truffles
This assortment worked great since it all could be done ahead of time!
This was my dining room the night of the exchange. One idea we had this year that worked perfectly was the charger plates. Last year, after our exchange, I was left to return 30 different platters. Since everyone leaves the party at different times - everyone just left their plate and told me they would get it later. This year we did a preemptive strike! With each invitation we delivered a gold charger plate. We asked each invitee to bring their cookies on this platter for the party. After the party I was left with 30 plates - but I just had to walk them to my basement (Not carry them in my car for over a month)!
My sweet little friends - Sarah (who hosted the party with me), Jennifer and Melody!
L to R - Michelle, Cary, Andrea, and Denise!
Big Red Kitchen's Robin, Myself, and Sabrina from Bristikibar!
More to come about the night - check back Friday for some recipes!
7 comments:
It looks like a fantastic party and everyone had such a good time. The appetizers and cookies look amazing!!
Sounds like so much fun and your tables are beautiful! Love the idea of the chargers!
everything was gorgeous and delicious. Thanks to you and Sarah. Both of you are wonderful hostesses. I had the best time. Thanks for including me.
I featured your party today on Tip Junkie. Fabulous!! I can't wait to learn more about your candy cups. Thanks for the inspiration.
You are my kind of entertaining woman, I love the nut cones!
Just like you always do.... you always put on the Ritz with your shing-dings. Anyhow, My belly and butt thank you for the cookies. Next year do a veggie exchange! Call it a going green party. :) My Cholesterol will thank you. Hope you and your family have a great Christmas.
Wowy-zowy!! That is a LOT of cookies!! Wow!!
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