Bon Vivant 12

Bonnie & Janell

 "Happy Unbirthday!"

Check out our cute 'hosties' in their fancy aprons!! Janell's mom made them for the event--what a sweet lady she is. We are loving how family members get involved in the planning and preparation for these wonderful evenings. I'm convinced that every gal should own at least one frilly apron.

Check out the photos and recipes below to taste a little of our fun evening.
Thank you for the very merry un-birthday delight, Bonnie & Janell-- it was fabulous!

Pay close attention to the decor detail-- it was EVERYWHERE! So fun!!!

Our place settings were frames with birthday subway art that we were sent home with. Our place tags were found by the cute pinwheels with our birthday's on them! We were also sent home with those treasures.

We were spoiled! That is for sure!!

Cute take home gifts included taper candles as seen in our sweet desserts; some fun wrapped mentos that I popped in my mouth as I was browsing pictures after the party; & a very adorable ring that was used as a napkin holder.
AS I mentioned-- attention to detail!

The Menu:

Everything was so yummy.

Our first courses were delicious-- from the  dip to the sweet curry soup and every little bite in between... I am salivating remembering all the yummy-ness!

I confess-- I was too enamored with the grilled parm that I neglected to get a picture. I didn't realize that parmesain prepared this way is called "Frico." I love frico!! The crisp texture and cheesy flavor and was such a fun compliment to the Spinach salad.

I did need to include a picture --- I adopted one from another website boasting frico. *YUM*

Recipes coming!
The sweet curry soup was really flavorful and surprising with raisin's as the "sweet" in the recipe. Really tasty!!

SUMMER DRINK
1 can OJ concentrate
1 can lemonade concentrate
10 C. water
1 1/2 C sugar
1 tsp. almond flavoring
1 tsp vanilla flavoring
1 large bottle 7-up
Add 7-up just before serving

POPPYSEED SALAD
3/4 C sugar
2 T mustard
3/4 C vinegar
dash salt
1 1/2 T poppy seeds
1 1/2 C oil
1 1/2 T green onion
Romain Lettuce
Iceburg lettuce
1 red onion, sliced
1 lb. bacon, crumbled
1 1/2 C. cheese, shredded
1 C fresh mushrooms

SWEET CURRY SOUP
1/2 C butter
1/2 C chopped onion
2 large carrots, shredded
3 tsp flour

3 tsp curry powder

8 C chicken broth
1 apple, peeled and diced
2 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed very small
3/4 C white rice
3/4 C golden raisins
S&P to taste
two pinches dried thyme
1 C heavy cream
Sauté onion and shredded carrots in the butter in large pot. Add flour and curry cook five more minutes. Stir in chicken broth and ring to boil. Reduce to a simmer for 30 min. While simmering, cook the chicken pieces in a fry pan. Add chicken, apple, rice, raisins, thyme, salt and pepper to soup. Simmer for 20 more minutes until the rice is done. When there is about 2 minutes left, stir in cream.


Main Course:
Garlic Chicken Farfalle with Roasted Asparagus

 

Garlic Chicken Farfalle w/roasted asparagus

Courtesy: www.slcgourmetgals.blogspot.com

Ingredients:

            16 oz. Farfalle pasta
            1 c. heavy whipping cream
            3-4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
            2 to 3 cloves garlic, crushed

            1 Tbsp. pepper*
            1/2 c. butter
            1 lb. bacon, crumpled**
            1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
            1 (12 oz) Lawry’s mesquite marinade with limejuice
*Seems like a lot of pepper, but it has a wonderful flavor when everything mixes together. If you're apprehensive, do less pepper. You can always add more.

Directions:

            **Cook my bacon in the oven (400 degrees, convection). Way less messy. And it's crispy every time. Time varies, so you just have to watch it. I think it's usually around 30 minutes. Allow to cool and then crumple.  Crock pot chicken and bottle of marinade on low for 6 hours. Pull marinated chicken out of the juices, allow to cool a little bit, and shred (I pull it apart). Set this aside. Discard remaining marinade.  About a half-hour before serving, boil the pasta. In a small saucepan, melt butter, add garlic, whipping cream, pepper, parmesan cheese, and crumpled bacon. Whisk together on low heat for 3-4 minutes. In a large bowl, pour over cooked, drained pasta, add chicken and stir through. Sprinkle a little bit more shredded parmesan cheese on top.

What a fun spring menu. The chicken in this dish was so flavorful-- you're going to have to try out this dish for your next pasta night!

You might wonder how we can fully enjoy dessert  after such wonderful dishes....
Well... take a look and you will see just how... yum{EASY}yum ...it can be!!

See what I mean? How can you resist. Do you see that luscious looking cookie with the pink icing calling your name? It's too bad we can't just reach into the picture and snap it right up. I wasn't expecting the flavor that came from my first bite of that cookie. It was one of those "died and gone to heaven moments."
Imagine this: Cream cheese frosting mixed with RASPBERRIES. Heavenly goodness, folks.

CHOCOLATE SOUR CREAM BUNDT CAKE
Book: My favorite desserts
Chapter: Desserts
Serves: 12
1 pkg Chocolate devils cake mix
1 box chocolate pudding mix, (small)
1/2 cup oil
3/4 C warm water
3 eggs
1 C sour cream
1 C chocolate chips, semisweet
1 16-oz carton chocolate frosting
Mix all ingredients together except the chocolate chips and the frosting. Beat until smooth. Add chocolate chips. Grease bundt cake pan. Bake at 350* for 45-50 mintues. Cool & frost.

SUGAR COOKIES W/RASPBERRY CREAM CHEESE ICING
1/2 C margarine
3/4 C sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking pwd
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 egg
1/2 tsp almond extract (or vanilla)
Mix all the ingredients well then stir in 2 to 3 cups flour.  IF the dough seems too sticky to roll out, add more flour until it is the right consistency.  Dust a large surface with a little flour and roll the dough out to about 1/8 in. thick. You don't want to roll too thin! Cut out chapes with cookie cutter place on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 375 for 9-11 minutes (don't overcook). Makes approx 15 large cookies.
FROSTING:
4 oz cream cheese
1/4 C margarine
1 lb pwd sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 C. frozen raspberries
Mix well. If too runny, add more pwd sugar.