Party Time

Last night I hosted a baby shower for a dear friends daughter. It was a very hot night but we kept cool under the shade of the Big Siberian Elm. I love hosting garden parties. I always try to use any fresh veggies and herbs from the garden in all the recipes. To say I get a little obsessed with these parties is probably an understatement. 

So every dish had an herb in it...mostly Basil, plus we have tons of Blackberries in the garden so of course they had to be included. Here was the menu...

Dill Snack Crackers 

Cauliflower/Broccoli Marinated Salad

Blackberry Cucumber Caprese Skewers

Basil Lemon Chicken Salad on Croissants 

Limoncello Blackberry/Mint Fruit Salad 

Baby Girl Sugar Cookies

Blueberry/Mint  Infused Water

Moscato Lemonade

All the food was great tasting and beautiful for the eye as well...

Here is the recipe for one of everyone's favorite:  Opal Basil Broccoli/Cauliflower Salad
Ingredients:  1 head cauliflower; 1 bunch broccoli ; 2 stalks celery; 1 cup sugar ; 2 TBlSP Poppy seeds; 1tsp salt; 2 tsp dry mustard; 1 onion finely minced;  1/2 cup Opal basil Vinegar;  1 1/4 cup oil.
Break Veggies into bite sized pieces. Add Celery that has been cut into bite sized pieces. Mix sugar, poppy seeds, salt, mustard, onion,  vinegar and oil.  Add to Veggies and and refrigerate for at least three hours. I like to turn it over at least once...  So Yummy!!

This gets better the next day .......

I will put up more of recipes on later blogs or by request.  Now I am going to go finish off some of that Lemonade...