dinner party tonight
February 09, 2024
Hello! Today I'm popping in for a quick post about a dinner party we are hosting tonight. It's easy and I'll tell you why, it's for our dinner club and the hosts only have to make the main course, Butter Chicken tonight, and the guests bring everything else! Think of it as an elevated pot luck. The appetizer, first course, side veg, naan and pepper butter, rice and dessert will arrive at 6 PM all ready to go! Attached to each dish will be a smiling face who is ready to eat, drink and be merry. We meet once a month, the second Friday, and will have 14 people if everyone is in town. Tonight we will be 12. If you've ever considered putting together your own fun dinner club, please read this post, I wrote it just for you!
I set the tables and bar last night, but right before the guests come I'll set out the white wine, ice and a dish of sliced limes. In these pictures you can see the two cordless rechargeable lamps table lamps. I love them and move them all over the house, on the desk, on the dining table, and especially love them on the bar where they give a soft clubby glow in the evening.
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| The set of lamps are on sale right now. We were invited to dine at a friend's house over the holidays. We'd never been to their home before and were delighted to find they had the most beautiful minimalist esthetic with every item in the home beautifully and thoughtfully curated. In lieu of candles they placed these cordless lamps on the table. I had only seen these in restaurants and didn't know you could buy them for your home. They are gorgeous wherever I put them. |
I can't comfortably sit 12 in my dining room, so I set two tables, the one below in the kitchen. Since it's an Indian theme I was happy to use my Indian print tablecloths. I got them both inexpensively from Atosii on Amazon. Even though they are 100% cotton, they don't need ironing! The napkins are new, 12 lovely assorted prints for $33 which I thought was a good price.
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| set of 12 assorted cotton napkins |
I'm planning a Valentine theme for dessert, with Valentine chocolates, the slice and bake cookies above, and our favorite cookie, the cut out sugar cookie below. This cookie cutter is a real cutie pie. The set includes 3 shapes and tons of letters to create your own message. We love them for birthdays and all holidays. Sugar cookies are beautiful when iced, but if you want the wonderful flavor to shine, keep it simple. I've made these cookies for decades and experimented until I came up with the perfect recipe. The recipe uses shortening for a crisp-tender crunch, butter for flavor and is not overly sweet. It's perfect!
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| Message in a Cookie Cookie Cutter My grandson loves this cutter. |
I'm lucky to have several camellia bushes and was able to pink a sinkfull to place around the house.
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| I only know the name of this camellia, Debutante, a popular old fashioned variety in the most lovely shade of soft pink. It's still sold today. All my bushes are quite old but still healthy and going strong. They were already full grown and well established when we moved into this house 40 years ago. |
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| Remember these cuties from last week? I'm handing them out as party favors to my friends, grandparents all. |
I'll see you next week with a very long post about my 2024 knitting lineup. I have grandiose plans! Yikes!
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6 Comments
I love the posts about your parties. I get so many good ideas. The butter chicken was not too hot for your guests? I always worry about that sort of thing!
ReplyDeleteAww, thank you so much! OK, I hear you about the spicy factor, I worry about that too. It was not too spicy, thank goodness. It has an initial pop of spice, but it does not stay on the tongue, and almost as soon as you swallow, the burn is gone. And it's not really a burn, just a warm feeling. No one thought it was too spicy, but rather well spiced. If it had been too spicy, I had extra cream on hand and yogurt to mix in because dairy always tones down spice, but it was fine.
DeleteHi Kristen! I always enjoy your entertaining posts and of course the knitting. I do wonder how you decide on the seating when you have to split up the guests at two tables in different rooms. That is my dilemma:(
ReplyDeleteI know, I don't use place cards and I really do hate the mad scramble to find a chair seconds before dinner! When I have a small group, like 6 or 8, I plan ahead where I want people to sit and introduce them to a chair as they come up to the table. When I have a larger group, and especially when I have two tables, I asked everyone to sit boy/girl. At dessert, I asked the men and woman to rearrange themselves so the girls could sit at one table together and the guys at their own table. I know the guys like to talk to each other, and definitely know that the girls like that too.
DeleteHi Kristen, Thank you for the lamp idea! Love the tablecloths and Camellias!! Chloe
ReplyDeleteThank you Chloe! Those lamps were a find!
DeleteYou make my day when you make a comment!