Setting the table...

Occasionally my sister, Terry, and I will have a small soiree with a few friends as we create recipes for our cookbook.  This weekend we planned a small menu with some close friends to get their thoughts on a few dishes.

As some may know, I am in the middle of moving from my hometown of Green Bay, WI to Holiday, FL in the next few months.  My house is partially packed in boxes and the other half is ready for the last moving sale.   Nothing is in its place. I believe in saying... " A place for everything, and everything in it's place."   If you know me, you know I am going crazy with an unorganized house.  However, life moves on and you have to put such silly things to the side.  Many other things need my attention.  So, Terry came to Green Bay over the weekend to help put on a little dinner party.

We came up with an amazing menu.

Soup - Potato, fennel and asparagus topped with 3 cheeses.

Three different tacos:

Pork with Plum Chutney and Jicima

Chicken with Hummas and Picante

Salmon and Cucumber Dill Salad 

Dessert - Pannekoeken filled with Boston Cream, topped with Dark Chocolate

Soup - Potato, Fennel, Asparagus 

3 different tacos

Pannekoeken

Then what to do with the table?  I, like many others, worry about what to do with the table. I decided to keep it simple since so many things are packed.  I reached for my favorite dishes from our childhood, the Currier and Ives dishes and glassware from my grandmother. I picked a few hydrangeas from the garden and here is what I came up with. 

In the end it really doesn't matter what you serve the food on.  If you have great friends like I do you know they are coming for the company and food.  I could have served it on paper plates and they still would have had a great time.  However, if you want to make it a bit special it really doesn't take much.  You have everything you need in your house.  Even in the middle of packing you can pull something out to make it elegant, casual or fun.  Whatever you are looking for... you already have it.  

Look around your house and try out different items.  You will surprise yourself with your imagination and creativity.  It doesn't have to be conventional or what all the magazines say it has top be. What do they know what you like or what your personality is?

I follow a few simple rules:

• I am not trying to impress anyone.
• I want everyone to come and be comfortable.
• I want everyone to leave with a full tummy
• I want everyone to go home with happy memories of the gathering. 

So let yourself shine and just have fun.