They Say It's Your Birthday...

I'm still around :), we've had a lot going on. I assure you, I'm still cooking up a storm!

It was Quinn's second birthday on Wednesday, so we're having our family get together tomorrow. I'm trying to get as much done now as I can, so I can focus on those inevitable last minute details (or early guests) tomorrow.

What's on the menu? Thanks to some incredible contributions from my friends, and some incredible foodies on LSG and the Desert Garden Farms group, I can't wait to dig into the layout this year!

- Meatballs in the crockpot with Diana Sauce (a sweet BBQ sauce to those who don't know what that is)
- Veggie Pizza (crescent roll crust, cream cheeese and veg soup mix, finely chopped veggies on top)
- Buffalo Chicken Dip (I'm DYING to try this)
- Tzatziki, Roasted Red Pepper dip, Hummus, possibly some Tapenade
- Assorted olives (that my Father picks up at an incredible deli)
- Possibly some cheese
- Assortment of crackers, toasted pita wedges, pretzels
- Carrots, celery, peppers, radishes
- Chips, onion dip, dill pickle dip

And for dessert, a chocolate cake, carrot cake, and lemon raspberry bars

Hopefully something for everyone.

I am a firm believer in finishing as much ahead of time as I can. I poached a chicken breast along with the chicken we ate last night for the Buffalo Chicken Dip, as well as completing the lemon raspberry bars (the trick now is NOT eating them all before the party).

Today, I've mixed the cream cheese and soup mix for the veggie pizza, chopped the veggies for said pizza, and am currently baking the carrot cake. Later tonight I'll bake the chocolate cake and the crust for the veggie pizza.

That will leave chopping veggies for crudites, assembling the veggie pizza, making the Buffalo Chicken Dip, throw the meatballs and bottled sauce in the crockpot, and lay everything out. I'll probably try to get a little balloon bouquet (it's a superhero theme) and put up the birthday decorations...oh and decorate Quinn's cake.

And if there is one thing that I would consider a lifesaver when you're hosting a party is to run the dishwasher before everyone arrives, and make sure it's empty for the party. That way you have all your dishes available, and as stuff gets dirty, you can tuck it away, saving you clean up time in the end.

That's the part I hate most :)