Mammoth in July

It was Memorial Weekend but for my family, 5 of mine had May birthdays.

I had the birthday dinner on Memorial Day.  We started the event with cheese and crackers as well as my cousin Barb's Dip.  I have a collection of "blings" which greeted each guest near the front door.

Dinner was Burgundy TriTip from Seaside Market nearby and my son, Dave manned the barbecue.  I roasted potatoes tossed in oil, rosemary and thyme (sounds like the old Simon and Garfunkel song?

Oh yes and it had parsley in it too.  

I had two desserts:  One was the Bailey's Chocolate Cheesecake recipe from a cookbook my niece, Cindy sent me after my house/swap in Ireland two years ago.  It has become a family favorite.

The second cake was a new recipe from the King Arthur Catalog.  It was made with Almond flour and Coconut flour.  After trying it out before the party I also ordered the special pan which arrived barely in time to make it for the party.  

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I used the special candles that got everyone's attention.  Plus the cake was very special with the special flours and decorated with strawberries.  King Arthur's Catalog has been a great resource-  it has a resource a little different from Williams Sonoma or Sur la Tab.  The candles were purchased at Solo in Solana Beach.  

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Weekend Company

Last weekend I had 2 company meals.  One was for friends and the other a family birthday meal.  To simplify things we barbecued hamburgers and I made Baked  Beans for both.  I also used the same recipe for hors d’oeuvres-  Bacon and olives on cocktail ryes.  The bacon was fried and crumbled then mixed with grated Swiss and chopped black olives.  It was mixed with a little mayo and baked.  The finished products were served on my entry table.

For the birthday dessert I made a Chocolate Apricot cake with Apricot roses.   The roses were made 2 days ahead.  Each sliced dried apricot was put between 2 pieces of waxed paper and rolled with a rolling pin until each was doubled in size.  Three apricots were used to make each rose.  They were then fastened with a toothpick.  

The rose decor decorated the chocolate cake which also had dried apricots soaked in Cognac mixed into the batter.

Two Great Recipies

My son Keith celebrated his birthday this week- yesterday in fact.  We celebrated yesterday with barbecue burgers and a Chocolate Cake.  I also had former school friends the day before.

The recipes were to include hot dogs from Tip Top meats in Carlsbad one day and barbecued burgers the next.. BUT Tip Top ran out of their famous wieners.  I could hardly believe it but apparently neither could they.  The desserts had to make up for the loss.

Saturday was to be the schoo teachers reunion.  I made the Strawberry Tart I have written about before but this time I made it with a Pate Sucre shell that combined an old favorite with a new favorite.