i will be making this immediately!

baked fontina cheese...

Baked Fontinasource: adapted from How Easy is That? by Ina Garten

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs Italian fontina, rind removed and cubed into 1-inch pieces
• 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Adjust top rack of the oven so that it sits about 5 inches under the broiler unit. Preheat broiler.
2. Spread cheese out in the bottom of a 12-inch cast iron pan.  Drizzle olive oil over the cheese.  Mix together the garlic and herbs in a small bowl and sprinkle the mixture evenly over the cheese.  Sprinkle salt and pepper over the top of the cheese.
3. Bake for 6 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and melted through.  Carefully remove the pan from the oven and set it on a heatproof surface – the pan will be hot!  Serve immediately.

i love this table idea....

i have been holding onto 

this pictures for a very long time...

also holding onto the idea and i think

it's time to use it...

i have an amazing collection of 

clear glass bottles,

that have been collecting for years...

take note that the bottles are all the same height

the candles are different heights...

Dinner Party beneath the Golden Gate Bridge...

 i just adore this idea..

and i have been in the mood to have a party

and this is very inspiring...

this would be perfect beneath the ravenel bridge...

post originally found here...

"Dinner Party beneath the Golden Gate Bridge
Last month I reserved the day spot for Kirby Cove below the Golden Gate Bridge. So yesterday we hauled a bunch of stuff down to the beach and set up a dinner party. The trickiest part was figuring out the lighting since there are no plugs anywhere. We built a 'T' from a wooden pole and then strung battery operated Christmas lights overhead. The tea lights were also LEDs. We had a four course meal including Parsnip Soup, Salad, Risotto, Asparagus, and ice cream sundaes. We heated the food up on a burner at the day site and then brought the pots down to serve the food right before.

All the guests arrived at dusk and we watched as the sky got darker and the city lights got brighter. I don't think you could have asked for better scenery (or better company.)"

i love the big red napkins...

i always think large napkins are nice...

her color scheme

 is so nice and matches the scenery...

white chairs = water

beige tablecloth = sand

napkins = bridge

what a dream like setting 

for a dinner party...

photos by Paul Ferney for Oh Happy Day

the perfect afternoon...

i have had this picture on my desk top and i look at it all

the time thinking of wonderful scenarios....

this looks like the perfect afternoon...

 thought i would share...

try and imagine all the fun this table will have....

i hope everyone is having a lovely week...

MMUUAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!! it's that time of year again!!!!! EEEEKKKKK!!!!

HALLOWEEN!

every year i throw a fabulous zombie

dinner party!

          

i have this party the week before halloween and everyone brings

a pumpkin to carve!

  

having everyone dress like a zombie

just adds to the fun of the evening!

it makes a dramatic

statement!!

     

a fog machine adds to every halloween party!!!

creepy food is so much fun and can really be gross yet yummy!

Stuffed Intestines Recipe


Irresistible Chickpea Crust

• 1 c. cooked chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans)
• 3 c. flour
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 2/3 c. vegetable shortening or margarine
• 6 Tbsp. water
• Red/Blue food coloring for painting veins (this step comes much later)

In a blender or food processor, puree the chickpeas and set aside. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and cumin. Add the chickpeas, shortening, and water. Mix together until a dough forms. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 3-5 minutes. Cut dough into 4 pieces and use a rolling pin to roll each one into a long strip about 1/8″ thick. With your first strip of dough, experiment with the width since you will need to to leave enough room for filling and “seams” where you press together both sides. This size will vary depending on how long/thin you want the intestines and how big your pan is. (And no, this crust doesn’t taste like beans. The chickpeas mostly add texture and an amazing rich/crumbly mouth-feel. This stuff is SO GOOD.)
Green Guts Filling

• 16 oz. bag of frozen peas (canned won’t give the right color)
• 1 1/2 c. non-dairy milk (soy, rice, almond, etc.)
• spices to taste (we used an Italian spice mix and nutritional yeast)

this is a roasted local beet and arugula salad

with a sherry vinaigrette

and if you look hard you can see

the bloody body parts mixed in.....

mashed potatoes with 

eyeballs!!

the main course was a roasted pork

loin with a cherry 

port demi glaze.

  

to drink i served black vodka served with a splash of cherry juice and i froze flies and roaches in the ice.

i also made a white sangria

• 5 lady apples
• 1 bunch (about 8 ounces) green seedless grapes
• 1 bunch (about 8 ounces) red seedless grapes
• 2 bottles dry white wine, chilled
• 2 cups sparkling apple cider, chilled
• 6 tablespoons poire William (pear-flavored eau-de-vie)

lanterns and spider webs really give

a scary effect. tomb stones in the yard with your guest names on them

are fun and VERY eerie....

i have been giving this party for the past 10 years...

these pictures are from the past 5 years... every year gets better and better

i look forward to getting started on this year!

i hope this has gotten you in the HALLOWEEN

mood!

  BOO!