Wednesday, January 6, 2010

A Dinner Party for 14 Day After New Year

Foodie Friday is hosted by Michael over at http://designsbygollum.blogspot.com/. Visit her to see more scrumptious food.
Susan of http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/ is hosting Tablesape Thursday. Go check out some amazing tablescapes by going there.

I was scheduled to have a dinner party before Christmas but I got sick so I rescheduled it to Jan. 2nd. Since it was originally intended to be a Christmas party, I left my Christmas decorations up. I set 2 tables, the formal dining and the kitchen by the fireplace. I used the same tablescape I already showed with a very slight change. I took out the tray with a tea set and I added the tall peacock candle holders.
I wanted it to be a sit down dinner but I had so much food that I knew would not fit on the table so what I did was served the salad on their plates and told them after they finish eating the salad, I will collect the salad plates and then they can get their food from the buffet table set on the kitchen counter. I used place card holders so all the guests would know where to sit.
I placed the adults in the dining room and put the kids, not really young kids but teen-agers, in the kitchen.
Below is the dining room. For salad, I used spinach drizzled with Balsamic vinaigrette dressing, sprinkled with goat cheese and I added a slice of tomato on top and then dabbed tomato pesto over it. Very simple and the guests liked it.

Here is the setting for the youngsters. One of them commented that my kitchen looked like one of the shows on TV, lol.
There is the buffet. I served stir fried noodles with shrimp and veggies (Pancit), baked stuffed chicken, baked tenderloin stuffed with crawfish, baked cubed potatoes with rosemary, chicken tinola (a chicken Filipino soup dish with papaya and spinach), Pork Afritada (another Filipino dish with potatoes and bell peppers sauteed in tomato sauce) and beef with macaroni. For dessert, I made flan, (recipe of which is posted below), fruit salad, rum cake and fudge.

I made 2 kinds of punch, one with just fruit punch with 7 Up for the youngsters and a Vodka spiked one for the adults.
I used clear Princess House Fantasia clear dinner plates and green salad plates and goblets.

Coffee and tea were served on the game table in the family room.

We were stuffed. After we ate, we played Guesstures and we had a blast. You could hear laughter all over the house. What a fun evening!

Here is my recipe for the Flan:
1 can condensed milk
1 can evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 doz. egg yolks
caramelized sugar
When I make flan, I always double the recipe.
Preheat the oven at 325 degrees F.
Mix all the ingredients except for the sugar. Set aside.
Melt the sugar in a pan on the stove, stirring occasionally so it does not burn.
Once melted, pour into a baking dish. It will liquify as soon as it touches the pan. Pour the mixed batter into the pan with caramelized sugar. I usually use a strainer to make it smooth.
Bake at 325 degree F for about 45 min to an hour, until set and toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center. Enjoy!
Thanks Susan and Michael for hosting these 2 events.
And thanks y'all for coming by!

37 comments:

Kammy said...

Hi Christine !
You did such a wonderful job for so many people ! I love the details of your table and menu...you are one great hostess !
Hugs ~
Kammy

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

Oh wow Christine. I havn't had that many for a dinner party in a long time. All of your tables are just stunning. I love all of the china and all the accessories and centerpieces. Your buffet looks beautiful and the menu sounds wonderful. You are a really good cook. I would have loved to have been there. Hugs, Marty

Lynn said...

That is beautiful! And you let children in there too!
I am in awe! :0

Cindy (Applestone Cottage) said...

Holy Cow Christine!
Your table is breathtaking! Your guests must have been in awe and the food sounds fabulous! Your a great cook too? So many talents! Hugs, Cindy

Melissa Miller said...

So elegantly beautiful Christine!

The flan you made looks really delish. My Mom makes that too. Yum!

Martha said...

Lovely tables! And I LOVE flan!

Sue said...

Wow...that menu sounds wonderful. I love flan...mmm! Everything looks amazing, I'm sure your guests were thrilled.

Sue

Mari @ Once Upon a Plate said...

What a beautiful, sparkling FEAST Christine!!

Everything looks absolutely lovely ~ and your flan is perfection!

Your lucky guests ~ thank you for sharing the beauty you create. xo

Chandy said...

Ok, you're making me wish I was invited to that party! Beautiful and delicious, a killer combo when hosting a dinner party!

Your home must have been a sight to behold that night. Wow...

Kathleen said...

Wow, Christine, what a party! It looks wonderful..
Those green salad plates are calling me! Are they a recent purchase?
They would be great for St Patrick's Day too!
I see Chandy commented..I am going to go say hello to her!

Tootsie said...

you sure have been busy...and brave! You did a fantastic job with the table lady...and I am sure your guests are grateful!

Debby@Just Breathe said...

You amaze me, I am in awe of you!
Beautiful table settings and a lovely menu. I don't know how you do it all.

Anonymous said...

Christine, you really outdid yourself. Everything looks so beautiful. And it all sounds so delicious. You really treated your guests very well. It sounds like they were quite impressed. Rosie

Bill said...

Hi Christine,
Everything looks absolutely beautiful! Your menu sounds amazing as well ... what a great hostess you are! I love your attention to detail and, OK, I'm lusting after those peacock candleholders! Where'd you find 'em??? ;)

Bye for now,
Bill
P.S. I saw your comment on BNOTP .. you're kidding about that number you said, right? No way!

Anonymous said...

Christine,
Looks beautiful..Glad you are felling better....Sorry I haven't visit...been busy with family at Christmas and New Year...Lovely Tablescape....foods sound delicious! have a wonderful weekends..katherinellen

Unknown said...

Oh what a feast! This looks like a wonderful party!! Beautiful!

~Liz

Mid-Atlantic Martha said...

Oh what a beautiful feast! I know everyone had a wonderful treat with this lovely dinner.

Lynne (lynnesgiftsfromtheheart) said...

Wow Christine, your buffet is stunning. We don't have dinner parties around here any longer and I miss pulling out all the stops and putting one together. Your dishes are amazing. I can hear the laughter from all the guests. I can see why they all like coming to one of your dinner parties... some day I'll pop in and surprise you and we can have our own dinner party..lol.. hugs ~lynne~

joybuzz said...

You certainly were one busy lady cooking and tablescaping for so many people. It does look like a magazine shoot with all those lovely colors and the amazing foods. I think I need to come to your house next year for a visit:)
Joyce

Decor To Adore said...

What a way to start the new year~it would be such a special treat to sit at your table.
Everything looks so festive and yummy!

Kathysue said...

Hi C, you are the hostess with the mostess. It amazes me how you always can pull together a dinner party with such ease. You made flan it is one of my favorites,I will have to try your recipe. Hugs Kathysue

Happy To Be/ Gl♥ria said...

Oh girl you out did yourself with all this cooking and your tables looked just wonderful...I bet everyone was stuffed with all that YUM food...Many Blessings to you this year C/X hugs and smiles Gl♥ria

PAT said...

Wow, Christine, everything looks fabulous!

Kathy @ Sweet Up-North Mornings... said...

Just the most amazing detailed scape Christine...
I just wanted to pull up a chair and join in the fun...beautiful!
xoxo~Kathy @ Sweet Up-North Mornings...

Blondie's Journal said...

Christine~~~

I am so impressed by this whole dinner party. I so wish I could have been a guest!! The tables were gorgeously stunning (did you do your own centerpieces?) and all of your dishes so pretty. I don't know that I have seen pictures of your kitchen, but I love it. It really is large and pretty with all of that dark wood. The buffet is scrumptious. I am afraid that I would have been too full to play games after eating! lol! The menu sounds delicious. Did you do all of the cooking??

Thank you so much for the recipe. I have always wanted to make a flan and you have inspired me, so I will start by using your recipe! It's pretty, too!

Have a wonderful weekend. Are you staying warm?? We are not bad, getting up to 20 degrees during the day but we are having a lot of snow and it will continue until tomorrow night. Our plows are out so the streets are clear. I just make Abby shovel the walks!! lol!

xoxo
Janie

Deb said...

everything looked so nice and yummy...I bet a good time was had by all..

Dining Delight said...

WOW!!! Your tables look beautiful - so festive! And the buffet with all the food - Fabulous! I would have loved to be a guest at that special dinner!

DD

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

Christine, I agree with the young person who said that it looks like something on t.v. So pretty, and the food looks wonderful. I already have your recipe for Flan, but haven't prepared it yet. This reminder might make me get that recipe back out. I meant to try it right after I got the recipe. Hope you're having a great trip. laurie

Marigene said...

Christine, the tables are stunning! Your guests sure didn't go home hungry by the looks of that spread...everything looks delicious, especially the fudge, it is my favorite candy. Glad that you are feeling better.

Unknown said...

WOW!!! what a FABULOUS!!! table, so FESTIVE!!! and the buffet with all the food look AWESOME!!!
Geri

Kathysue said...

Hi C, thankyou so much for your sweet comments on my new blog,it means a lot to me, you are always so supportive.hugs Kathysue

Tara said...

Your party looked gorgeous! I can see why they thought they were on a TV set! It looks like you had a little drama too with the fire and all. Isn't it fun to see things from a whole different perspective and you got a post out of the whole thing, what more could you ask for!

Rattlebridge Farm said...

I've never seen such a splendid buffet. I know the food was delicious. Your tablesetting is beautiful--love those layered dishes!

Tardevil said...

As always, your tables/dishes/food are gorgeous! That buffet looked and sounds delicious! I'll be waiting for the leftovers! LOL! Especially the fudge. I don't know how you had such a fantastic menu. I couldn't have done it without a caterer! ;O)

Mary Bergfeld said...

What a wonderful party this must have been. It all looks very festive and elegant. The flan sounds marvelous. Have a great Foodie Friday.

Denise Marie said...

OMG, I can't believe the love and care and beauty in your heart that you poured out over your beloved. It's gorgeous beyond compare.

Kerri Deitsch said...

Everything looks so pretty! How did the potatoes turn out? I love your place settings, the kids table is really nice, those napkin holders are gorgeous! I'll bet it was fun to play guesstures! We'll have to play when I come!
Hugs & kisses to both of you!
Kerri

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