Casual entertaining: recipes and decor
I am sharing with you today some easy ideas for casual entertaining that feature a to die for Caesar Salad and an elegant yet simple Hot Brown open-faced sandwich. Then we will top it off with homemade ice cream. You can make this menu casual or formal to suit your occasion. I am going to take you to my weekend lake cabin, that was originally built-in the 40’s for fishermen and then for a boat ride and supper under the pergola. Ready….come aboard mates!
I used martini glasses stuck down with Scotch removable putty to stabilize the glasses. The putty has a thousand uses like keeping pictures from moving on a wall. Try to find some interesting bowls or trays to serve your appetizers. It’s all about presentation. Perfect place for a little WINK here!
My friends Frieda Minor and Cynthia Frey are enjoying some appetizers, as we sail along with our husbands and Pennie and Gary Ahnquist. I prepared cherry tomatoes, cheese wrapped in prosciutto with a tooth pick inserted in them, small fresh mozzarella balls, crispy bacon strips, pistachios, dried cranberries, and cracked pepper crackers. This is really a colorful, simple boating menu.
You can add a lot of flair to your presentation by using cotton cocktail napkins folded in interesting ways or colorful paper napkins. If you are serving wine take along the glass wine glasses. Notice the “Weekend Waterford” plastic glasses my friend Bennie Thompson found for me. They are always the topic of conversation on the lake. WINK! WINK!
This is my little get away log cabin on a lake, located fifteen minutes from my big house. It was built back in the 40’s as a fishing cabin. I turned it into a little french cottage in the Bluegrass area of Kentucky. But it really has turned out to be a rock farm!
This one-of-a-kind twist on a traditional Caesar salad makes a great appetizer or light entree salad. Grilling the Romaine lettuce quickly adds another dimension. The addition of Crispy Black-eyed Peas provide textural excitement. Store-bought dressing can be substituted for homemade since there are so many tasty ones out there.
INGREDIENTS (Jonathan Lundy)
- 3 whole heads of Romaine lettuce
- 3 cups of dressing
- 1 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup diced roasted red peppers
- 2 cups of Crispy Black-eyed peas
METHOD
- Cut the whole head in half from top to bottom
- Submerge into ice water and soak for a few minutes.
- Remove and shake off excess liquid.
- Stand half-heads core side down and refrigerate. One day in advance will be fine.
- Preheat grill and allow fire to burn down. If you can keep your hand over fire for 5 minutes it is ready for the heads.
- Rub dressing on outer edges of lettuce.
- Place heads with inner side down on grill for 2 minutes.
- Place on cutting board and cut each half into quarters and remove cord.
- Place the 2 quarters on the plate, slightly overlapping for each serving.
- Drizzle more dressing over Romain. Garnish with peppers, Parmesan cheese and Crispy Black-eyed Peas.
Serves 6
(This salad can be topped off with grilled chicken, shimp, or beef if desired.)
The recipe uses fresh roasted turkey breast, Country Ham or Baked Ham, tomatoes and Applewood Smoked Bacon over thick-sliced bread and finish with a white cheddar cream sauce. The dish is baked,then broiled just until the top starts to brown. It is served in its own baking dish per serving. For the recipe shoot me an email and I will send it out.
Here I used my country french kitchen chairs, that are upholstered in a Pierre Deux fabric as seating for the pergola around the outdoor table. I love using inside furniture for the outdoor rooms. But be sure they are not left outside over night because the moisture will effect the padded fabric. That’s a WINK!
One of my favorite things to do is to serve pitchers of cold water with sliced cucumbers and lemons. Note the artichoke cut out for a votive candle.WINK, WINK!
For dessert we had the electric ice cream maker going full speed while on the lake. There are a number of machines. I recommend the a 4 quart Nostalgia Electrics Wooden Bucket Electric Ice Cream Maker which provides a homemade ice cream experience with modern convenience. Serve straight from the container to the table. Another thing you could do is pass a tray with sliced fruit that compliments the favor you are serving.
For a really simple dessert you could always call my friend from Myanmar who sells slices of watermelon to drop by!
If you have a question, comment or a subject you want me to discuss please go over to the contact page and leave a message. Always love hearing from fellow design enthusiast! Have a terrific week.
