Planning my daughter's tea party, I quickly realized that all the food was geared towards kids. Not that that's a bad thing.
But I wanted something for those in the double-digits as well. So I stumbled across a pasta salad recipe that remarkably (1) didn't have mayonnaise in it and (2) I had almost everything on hand. A few tweaks later, and I had a pasta salad that most moms were asking for the recipe for!
Pasta Salad
1 pound bow-tie pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch slices, then quartered
1 jar diced sun-dried tomatoes, drained
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
Dressing
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon stone ground mustard
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Fresh cracked pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Cook pasta according to directions, tossing in the zucchini when you have two minutes left. Drain well. Toss with olive oil.
For the dressing, add vinegar to blender, turn on, and add everything but the olive oil. Blend until mixed. Leaving the blender running, add the olive oil in a slow thin stream.
Toss together the pasta, zucchini, tomatoes, basil, parsley and dressing. Serve room temperature. Parmesan optional.
This is my contribution for Meatless Monday. Check out other entries at the Green Phone Booth.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Fancy Nancy party prep: Gearing up for the big day
Fancy Nancy tea party. It's all we have talked about in our home for weeks. What to make. What to do. How to decorate. And today, the big day arrives.
And we're ready, or close to it. Our dining room will be fabulously decorated by my soon-to-be 5 year old, who was given free rein at Goodwill to do her best. So she shopped. And shopped. And shopped last Saturday.
She bought tea cups. And china plates. And pink cloth napkins. And a flowery tablecloth. And a tea pot. And cobalt-blue votive candle holders. And cordial glasses for her parfaits. And a stem of silk yellow flowers, shooting me a look of "This is non-negotiable."
I chuckle at her decisions and wonder to myself how in the world is this going to look. But I realize in the end, it's her party. And she has a definite idea of where it's going!
And we're ready, or close to it. Our dining room will be fabulously decorated by my soon-to-be 5 year old, who was given free rein at Goodwill to do her best. So she shopped. And shopped. And shopped last Saturday.
She bought tea cups. And china plates. And pink cloth napkins. And a flowery tablecloth. And a tea pot. And cobalt-blue votive candle holders. And cordial glasses for her parfaits. And a stem of silk yellow flowers, shooting me a look of "This is non-negotiable."
I chuckle at her decisions and wonder to myself how in the world is this going to look. But I realize in the end, it's her party. And she has a definite idea of where it's going!
Friday, June 25, 2010
Paying for parties: Now I get it
Shelling out two, three hundred dollars or more to celebrate your child's birthday was something I didn't get.
Until I had kids.
Somehow, the existence of the plural - that second child - and the realities of how quickly they could rip up your home made that party place concept all make sense. We don't want people in our homes, because we're terrified for people to see them. And, frankly, parties take work. The planning, the shopping, the cooking...and frankly, as a society, we're a want-it-now people, and we want to skip to the good stuff.
But here's the deal. The process can be just as fun as the main event. Take Christmas. I for one, love the preparations, the waiting, the expectations. And frankly, the unwrapping of gifts is only a few minutes of the entire season. I feel the same this year for my daughter.
For weeks we've talked about the Fancy Nancy tea party extraordinairre. And while page after page of Web sites share over-the-top ways to swag up your daughters, from swag bags overflowing with gifts and makeovers to fanciful, flowing tulle everywhere, we're taking a lower-key tone to the affair. But to her, it doesn't matter. At the end of the day, she's having a tea party with her friends. And the company is what counts.
Until I had kids.
Somehow, the existence of the plural - that second child - and the realities of how quickly they could rip up your home made that party place concept all make sense. We don't want people in our homes, because we're terrified for people to see them. And, frankly, parties take work. The planning, the shopping, the cooking...and frankly, as a society, we're a want-it-now people, and we want to skip to the good stuff.
But here's the deal. The process can be just as fun as the main event. Take Christmas. I for one, love the preparations, the waiting, the expectations. And frankly, the unwrapping of gifts is only a few minutes of the entire season. I feel the same this year for my daughter.
For weeks we've talked about the Fancy Nancy tea party extraordinairre. And while page after page of Web sites share over-the-top ways to swag up your daughters, from swag bags overflowing with gifts and makeovers to fanciful, flowing tulle everywhere, we're taking a lower-key tone to the affair. But to her, it doesn't matter. At the end of the day, she's having a tea party with her friends. And the company is what counts.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Fancy Nancy tea party: Coming soon!
Another fabulous contribution from the Green Eyed Monster, who is counting down the days until 5...
I want a Fancy Nancy tea party birthday. Mommy and I are going shopping today. I will have friends over and lots of people. We will cook parfaits. We will dance. I think that's all in my story.
Parental clarification:
The cool thing about a "Fancy Nancy" themed tea party is that the books are about a precoscious little girl who plays dress-up and uses big words and her imagination. So it's a fun opportunity to hit the resale shops for old tea cups, linens and decorative items and dress-ups! We'll write more about how we did it after next weekend's soiree.
I want a Fancy Nancy tea party birthday. Mommy and I are going shopping today. I will have friends over and lots of people. We will cook parfaits. We will dance. I think that's all in my story.
Parental clarification:
The cool thing about a "Fancy Nancy" themed tea party is that the books are about a precoscious little girl who plays dress-up and uses big words and her imagination. So it's a fun opportunity to hit the resale shops for old tea cups, linens and decorative items and dress-ups! We'll write more about how we did it after next weekend's soiree.
Me in another world
Summertime is one of those times when I admit being a bit green. With envy.
Stories of summer vacations and activities from my friends and co-workers seem to highlight the fact that we're that 10%-plus statistic of the less than gainfully employed. And while it's never intentional on their part, I admit it's made me wonder on more than one occasion: What if?
But maybe the grass isn't greener on the other side. In today's Green Phone Booth, I wonder what would have happened if that day my husband lost his job didn't occur. Not sure if we would have liked the result...
Stories of summer vacations and activities from my friends and co-workers seem to highlight the fact that we're that 10%-plus statistic of the less than gainfully employed. And while it's never intentional on their part, I admit it's made me wonder on more than one occasion: What if?
But maybe the grass isn't greener on the other side. In today's Green Phone Booth, I wonder what would have happened if that day my husband lost his job didn't occur. Not sure if we would have liked the result...
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