Hostess with the Mostest

I have an Italian Dinner meal plan for all you lovely hostesses and hosts to borrow next time you're having company! I have used this Italian Dinner Menu several times for company. This Menu works for entertaining because...

#1 Reason I use this Meal Plan is because there are not a lot of dishes that need to be cooked at different temps and for different times. This makes is SUPER SIMPLE so you can enjoy your night!

~ It is rich and delicious, satisfying most appetites with a signature taste...very defined and bold

~ Your guests won't think it's bland.

~ It is {almost} easy

~ It is easy to manage the prep work while you entertain your guests

~ It is basically a "one dish deal" which does wonders for us unfortunate hostesses who don't have a double oven....(and if YOU have a double oven, you are a kitchen goddess, lucky you)



The Appetizer
Homemade Artichoke Dip with toasted baguette bread slices
Email me for the recipe or leave a comment OR make your own favorite!

~Leave out the spinach this time! Spinach is great to add for a fun game night, but lets keep this menu a little classier by leaving it out...just the RICH cream colored dip.
~ Buy FRESH bread and toast the bread in the oven on broiler mode not the toaster


The Salad
Dark Greens with Beans and Extra Goodness and Homemade Creamy Parmesan Dressing
Again, email me or leave a comment for the dressing recipe.

~ To assemble the salad wash and tear a head of red leaf lettuce.
Add the following:

red kidney beans (rinsed)
garbanzo beans (rinsed)
sliced black olives
peperoncini peppers
fresh sliced roma tomatoes
red onions if desired
freshly grated mozzarella cheese

~ Buy a bottle of Balsamic Breeze Salad Spritzer and spray gently over salad RIGHT before serving
~ If your guests desire, they can still use some Creamy Parmesan Salad dressing too



The Bread
Homemade Loaf of Bread with Garlic Cheese (or loaf of bakery Italian bread if you're short on time)

~Slice your bread lengthwise and spread both sides with real butter. Sprinkle garlic salt over bread. Top alternately with provolone and mozzarella cheese slices.
~ Broil open-faced in oven until cheese bubbles
~ Don't leave out this FUN addition to your meal:...add a couple of oil dipping trays. Simply pour oil into a plate and season with your favorite Italian seasonings. You can even use garlic flavored oil if you prefer.
Some seasoning ideas are:
dried basil
onion salt
rosemary
parsley
Parmesan cheese.

~ Even if you are serving this meal buffet style, this portion of the meal must go in the center of the table, acting warm and inviting while being easily accessible.


The Main Course
Homemade Lasagna, Chicken Tetrazzini, or Baked Ziti
The choice is yours and they are easily interchangeable

~ Have some fresh parsley set aside to top off your main dish with right before serving. It dresses up your dish of course! ;)
~ Don't over bake but make sure it's still steaming hot
~ Keep an attractive jar of shredded Parmesan cheese at the table for your guest's preferences


{How did I forget to take a picture of the main course for my blog?! This particular dinner was homemade lasagna though } :(


The Dessert
I like to serve rich chocolate cake with ice cold vanilla ice cream after Italian food. But another excellent choice to pair with Italian food is anything lemon.

~ I have a little dessert secret to share with you. When making a cake I like to use these little bunt pans like I did HERE.
I make extra so I can easily send my guests home with an adorable small love token. It is a perfect way to close the evening out as you say goodbye.
~Dust the dessert with powered sugar for a prettier appearance. Fresh fruit looks delightful with powered sugar too!
~ Timing is KEY when serving dessert. Don't drag it out, it isn't polite to keep all waiting until the late hour. But don't rush it either. The meal is an event (as in Europe!).

Other Entertaining Tips

~ Make sure your home feels fresh and clean. It doesn't have to look like a museum or model home but it should feel clean so your guests can dine comfortably in an inviting atmosphere.

~ If you play music, set it softly and play something gentle

~ Don't burn any of those scented candles. The aroma of the meal is all you need

~ Don't use fat free or low fat ingredients THIS TIME unless your guests request it. You want it to taste like the rich flavor of your favorite restaurant. You can get back to the healthier options tomorrow...

~ Use the freshest produce, skip the pre-cut and bagged stuff

~ Be prepared before they arrive so the attention is on them not cooking

~Post It notes are ideal for scribbling down cook times and temps so you don't have to keep your cookbooks out on the counter. I simply write the bake temps and times on it and stick it on the cover of the dish.



SIT DOWN and enjoy this Italian goodness with a glass of sparking water. Ciao!

For other beautiful tablescapes click here.



For more Works for Me Wednesday ideas click here.

75 Surprises

My Grandpa turned 75 this August so our family of FIVE made a spontaneous decision to cruise over to Arizona, driving all night to surprise him for his birthday. My Grandma was in on the secret. We also whispered to her that we were decorating with GREEN, which is my Grandpa's favorite color. So she planned green clothes for both of them to wear the day of the surprise.

Part of his gift inspiration started with Grandma and Grandpa's Treasure Box. My Grandparent's had a treasure box packed FULL of toys and goodies ever since I was a VERY LITTLE GIRL. It was always locked and when we visited my brother and I took turns opening it every day with the SPECIAL KEY and choosing a toy. I still vividly remember the strong scent of the wood as we opened the lid and stuck our heads inside to pick our treasure. I must have pulled hundreds of Barbies, jewelery, dolls, candy, and crafts from that box over the years!

Wellll....they continued the tradition when I had kids. There is no longer any pink inside the box, but it is STILL full of toys! These days, there are a lot of big trucks and hot wheels instead. My kids are all fans of the treasure box and when we visit, now they take turns with the SPECIAL KEY.

Here is Dakotah as a baby sitting on top of the family famous TREASURE BOX

It only made sense that this year I should make a treasure box for my Grandpa (flip this around a bit!). The idea was to put 75 treasures in a box for him to open on his 75th Birthday. Wow, that is harder than it sounds. I looked into my red cart at Target and counted 28 things...and my mind was BLANK on what else to buy! But we did it...75 things!

Titus and Skyler decorating Grandpa's Treasure Box

We shredded lots of newspaper so he couldn't see what he was pulling out.

We made it there, got it all decorated and planned our positions as we waited in their house for them to arrive home from church.

Only Chris would think of choosing this spot to hide, so of course it made me smile. What a scary way to be greeted as you walked through your door! Don't worry...he moved.

Titus is Ready

Of course Kotah had to wear his party hat a LITTLE different than everyone else

Skyler is positioned

The green room is ready too...

It was a short time together, but exciting

The kids were very interested to see what Great Grandpa pulled out of the treasure box next

HAPPY 75TH GRANDPA!
For your guidance and energetic love...
we can't thank you enough!

Magazines in My Mailbox

Sometimes I find a sweet magazine full of fun information curled up like a tight scroll inside the mailbox. I have had different subscriptions throughout the years but this is what I subscribe to currently:

Money Magazine

There are a couple of really snazzy personal finance magazines available. I also am a fan of Kiplinger's. For personal finance, these two are loaded with info. Money is a smart choice for the average individual who wants to stay current, savvy, and informed in one's daily life. I really like Money's top picks, top 10s, and other like charts. If you want to get more analytical and more educated on finance you can't get anything better than The Wall Street Journal which my husband has subscribed to for a few years. Also try The Economist if you need to dig deeper.

Another of my subscriptions is:

LIFE:BEAUTIFUL Magazine

This is a beautifully created magazine and each glossy page holds a treasure. The large pages and artistic photos, coupled with current stylish ideas make this magazine a KEEPER. You can feel the quality as you're flipping through it. LIFE:BEAUTIFUL is a magazine that encourages Faith and celebrates home and family. What sets this apart to me is the quality, modern trends in style and ideas, with tradition still playing center stage.

The next subscription is:

WORLD Magazine

World is a news magazine straight from a Conservative and Christian perspective. What a breath of fresh air to finally read the news from a source that isn't biased in only one direction....instead, this is biased in the other direction for a change! ;) (Because we know all news is biased, right?) This is a great way to read up on current events so you can stay in the know. Another classic news magazine that I usually recommend is TIME Magazine...be a critical reader though.


The last current subscription that makes it's way into my mailbox is:

Oxygen Magazine

Oxygen is finally a women's fitness magazine that has the BEEF. It doesn't dance around health topics (like many women's fitness mags) but instead gets right to the point with direct and solid fitness advice. It gives extra boost and motivation and keeps us sharp learners with diet, exercise, and health knowledge.


AND MORE . . .
Those are my current subscriptions. There are a couple more magazines that I love!
Lucky is a fun fashion and shopping magazine and Conde Nast Traveler lets you escape to dreamland while you set goals for big vacations.

My newest subscription that I had before and am now anxiously awaiting again is Real Simple!!!




LISA'S TOP REASONS WHY MAGAZINES ARE IMPORTANT

1) Socially it gives you the edge as you stay current in a variety of topics. This enables to you carry on conversations intelligently with different types of people. Conversation skills give you a boost with relationships and your professional life.

2) Relax and take a break from heavy reading. Books are always first so don't waste all of your free time with magazines, but they do have a place when you want to rest your mind a bit and do some passive reading.

3) Books give you the core and timeless knowledge you need, but magazines keep you updated and feeds you fun trivia!

LISA'S MAGAZINE TABOOS

1) Don't subscribe to everything in the same topic. Collect a variety of topics to stay well-rounded.

2) Don't subscribe to a LOT of magazines. What a waste. You won't get to read them all. Save the trees and simplify your life by keeping a small selection of subscriptions. Five is max...and three is best! ;)

3) Never keep magazines in the bathroom. It is tacky. Period. Even if it's just a couple in a cute wire basket...don't do it. Seeing magazines next to a toilet is poor taste and doesn't help you present a graceful home.

No no

4) Don't keep a pile of magazines fanned out on your coffee table in front of your television. Seriously. No one wants to feel like they're in a Doctor's office waiting room. It doesn't have eye appeal and it gives a cluttered impression to your home.

No no

What sweet pages get delivered to you? What are your FAVORITE magazines...why?

Mini Mini Little Little

Love it,
How cute is this??

These are mini salt and pepper shakers and a mini ketchup! These would be ideal for playtime with little girls and their dolls....ahhh, but I have no skirt twirling, doll hugging, sweet voiced little girls.

However, my boys were just as pleased with this discovery on their very own "kids" table. Their table sits in our dining room right next to the big table. We have had this kid's table since all three boys were little. It is the table where they eat most their meals. They think its "very cool" to have their own! And this new addition to the center of the table is TOO CUTE!

Alright, now I'm ready for the lectures about keeping a salt shaker at my boys' table...

Does anyone else have a separate table that your kids eat some of their meals at? Does it make them feel like kings and queens in a castle? I'd love to hear...

Peachy Paradise

My Grandparents are visiting from Arizona and on this hot August Sunday we drove down to Palisade for the sweet juice of the Palisade Peach. Until you've cuffed one of these peaches in your hands and sank your teeth in for a bite, you haven't experienced a true PEACH. There are lines and lines of peach tree orchards in Palisade and every year they host a Peach Festival with Peach-food-everything. We drove up and down, and winded around these country roads on this toasty warm summer day and enjoyed the leisure pace of a Sunday in the country.

My Grandparents

My Parents and Chris
Treats to Travel Home WithLove this

Hmm, which one shall I choose?

Sticky, juicy, drippy Peach Sugar

The sweet lady let the boys step inside the VERY COLD cooler

Great Grandma and the Three BoysRomantic Summer Country

Titus all worn out...he fell asleep on the windy roads home

Fresh Peach Milkshakes

- 1 cup sliced fresh peaches
- 2 cups vanilla ice cream
- 3/4 cup milk
- sprinkles of sugar to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract if desired

Or Try a healthier option

- 1 cup sliced fresh peaches
- 3/4 cup skim milk
- 1 cup crushed ice
- a few sprinkles of Splenda to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract if desired

Blend these babies up and drink with a STRAW of course.

Check out RecipeZaar here for a list of peach recipes! What do you do with fresh peaches? Share your recipes that use this fuzzy fruit. Share how you use your peaches.