As I may have mentioned, John grew up in New Orleans, so one of his specialities is Cajun cuisine. Although it’s a little early for Mardi Gras, we couldn’t resist creating this festive dinner for my mom. We had 10 people for dinner – including us! The purple and gold votives are from our wedding! And, yes, my mom wore her tiara! Nothing beats a house full of people enjoying good food, wine, and laughter!
Appetizers
Assorted Nuts, Olives (from the Channel Islands Farmers’ Market), and Crackers
Spreadable Blue Cheese from Trader Joe’s
Saint Andre Cheese – my favorite – John says it’s really butter!
Jack and Cheddar Cheeses
Salami
Mini Caprese Salad Skewers
These are elegant and colorful but so easy to make. The recipe comes from my brother & his Wife, Stephanie.
Drain one tub Ciliegine (tiny Mozzarella balls – literally “small cherries” in Italian)
Clean several bunches of Fresh Basil.
Line the serving tray with the largest ones, and reserve the medium-sized ones.
Rinse a pint of Cherry Tomatoes.
Using short decorative skewers (I purchased these bamboo ones at Cost Plus World Market), pierce the top of the Basil leaf at the pointed end.
Then pierce a Mozzarella ball, wrap the Basil around it, and pierce it again at the stem end.
Then pierce a Cherry Tomato and push it up to the Basil.
Place skewers on the prepared tray as you finish them, then drizzle with Olive Oil and sprinkle with fresh gound Pepper and Salt.
Make Your Own Salad
This salad bar was a hit because everyone created their own perfect salad with only what they liked. We served Sourdough Rolls with the Salad Course.
We featured:
Spring Greens
Sliced Beets
Broccoli Florets
Sliced Mushrooms
Shredded Red Cabbage
Green Onions
Celery
Zucchini Matchsticks
Shredded Carrots
Diced Yellow and Green Bell Peppers
Cherry Tomatoes
Crunchy Onions
Candied Pecans (from the Channel Islands Farmers’ Market)
Craisins
Bacon Bits
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| These gorgeous serving pieces are from my Duncan Miller Teardop Depression Glass collection and were made from 1935 – 1955. |
Crumbled Blue Cheese
Diced Avocado
Croutons
Country French Vinaigrette
Ranch Dressing
Blue Cheese Dressing
For the fabulous entree, John made a double batch of Paul Prudhomme’s Shrimp Etouffee. I took photos of the process, but unfortunately, was so distracted that I missed getting a photo of the plated dish, so you’ll just have to take my word for how wonderful it looks over rice.
The basic process consists of making a roux and adding minced vegetables and combining that with seasoned sauteed shrimp.
Instead of making home-made Shrimp Stock, we used Penzeys Seafood Soup Base.
You saw us feature this dessert last month. Since my mom doesn’t like overly sweet desserts with a lot of frosting (I don’t know where I got my sweet-tooth from!), we thought this would be the perfect cake for her – and everyone loved it.
Happy Birthday, Mom!
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| Terry, Chelsea, and my mom, Mary Lou! |
These recipes are provided for your personal use. If you publish them, or re-post them, please give me credit. Grazie e Buon Appetito!
Oh, my gosh…what a fabulous feast!!! Every detail is perfect…and the food looks incredible! Happy birthday to your sweet mom!!!!
This week I skipped Fridays with Dorie because I am not a fan of ribs. I had to check out your blog though, as I always do, because, well because I love it. It’s about time I wrote a comment. Never mind the ribs. I am drooling over the birthday dinner for your mom. I’m not just drooling about the food. Everything is so meticulously and lovingly prepared: the table setting, the flower centerpiece, the hors d’ oeuvres. How do you manage it all? Your bonne idée of creating a salad bar is indeed une trés bonne idée. Keep on preparing amazing meals!