I love how simple an invite can be to a dinner party. My friend recently sent this darling email to our family and one other (her son and family).

She was saying that they were open, and that they wanted to accommodate our schedule.

How lovely! (Our friend is sort-of a Mom figure to me. Wise and a wonderful mentor. So she calls herself “Mom.”)

Dinner at Mom’s
Saturday night
8/18
6:00pm
RSVP soon….
or Sunday?

And we JUMPED at the chance to go to dinner with them, because she is the Hostess with the Mostest!

Sometimes we can use humor and creativity when we invite others into our homes, can’t we? I’m glad. And for this invite we chose Sunday.

Oh, and the results of the invite? An amazing hot summer’s night with dinner outside with an incredible view and great people – the adults at one table and the kids at the other – with the food so delicious, I had to go back for seconds.

And then fresh peach pie …

Do you have a hard time doing the actual “invite” when you want to have guests over, or do you just pick up the phone and call or email?

I’m not afraid to be real here at RE, mistakes, messes and all – so I decided to show you what my kitchen looked like after we cooked our Zucchini Noodles Pasta dish the other night.

A mess indeed.

My daughter and I got in and cleaned it up after dinner.

Washed up the larger pans.

Ahh … much better. But still not perfect.

And then beautiful garden tomatoes on the counter. So lovely.

I think food bloggers show beautiful photos of cooking, but they rarely show the mess. Or talk about who ate the food. Or what the atmosphere was like while the food was being devoured. Or rarely do they share about hungry kids screaming in the background while they were taking these beautiful photos …

So today I’m not afraid to show you my mess.

Do you clean as you cook, or do you wait until after the meal and clean up the entire mess then?

One of my favorite recipes in my new book, The Reluctant Entertainer, is Zucchini Noodles. Inspired by a lot of zucchinis in our yard every year (doesn’t everyone who gardens have a ton of zucchinis?) and simply a great way to teach kids how to eat zucchini, we make this recipe in the Coughlin home year round.

Beautiful zucchini from the garden, you peel the zucchini until you get to the center. (Then compost the center part or put into a soup! Or feed to your chickens!)

So easy for the kids to take part in.

Make your garlicky white sauce. Add the parmesan cheese and season to taste.

In olive oil, barely cook the zucchini to tender in a hot pan. Do NOT overcook.

Mix the two together and ENJOY!

We like to add chicken and whole wheat pasta.

Makes a nice presentation and is tasty beyond belief. Especially with garden tomatoes and fresh basil. Mm-m-m ….

Zucchini Noodles with Parmesan Sauce
12 small zucchini
2 T. olive oil
salt and pepper

Sauce
10 garlic cloves, pressed
2 T. olive oil
2 cups whipping cream
1 cup fresh, grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

With potato peeler create long, wide zucchini ribbons by starting at the top of each zucchini and peeling down the length of it.

Heat a large skillet and add the olive oil and ribbons. Saute for approx. 2-3 minutes; do not overcook. Salt and pepper to taste.

In a saucepan, saute the pressed garlic in olive oil. Add the whipping cream, turn the heat to high, and sir until it begins to boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 10 minutes; Add the Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Pour over the noodles and serve.

What do you do with extra zucchini from your garden? Or do you have a favorite summertime zucchini recipe?

(This recipe is on page 55 in my new book, The Reluctant Entertainer! You can buy a copy from Amazon, here, or get a signed copy, here.)

I can feel it in my blood.

Busy is coming on.

Busy is right around the corner.

The school year, soccer season, and a busy schedule officially starts today for our family, which means that I, as the Mom, has to be very organized and creative with our meals.

A good old standby that feeds many, when extra soccer kids stop by for dinner, is a big pot of Taco meat/beans.

Taco Meat with Bush’s Beans

Cook 4-5 pounds of ground turkey or beef. Season to taste.

Cook 2 cups of brown rice.

Add 2 cans each of pinto beans, black beans and kidney beans. (I always use Bush’s Beans, I feel they have the best flavor.)

Add one container of Costco’s Mango Peach Salsa.

Mix together and SERVE.

We love this meat for tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and taco salad. We have even made lettuce (Napa cabbage) wraps with it. YUM!

It’s also easy to freeze in Ziploc bags and handy to pull out for last-minute company!

What’s your secret taco meat and bean recipe?

(Bush’s Beans did not pay for me to write this post, even though I am in partnership with them. We just really love their beans and eat a ton of them in our home!)

(This post is a partial reposting from 2 years ago because I feel it’s an important one for busy parents with kids who may need the extra nudge to prioritize their marriage as the school year begins.)

This last weekend my husband packed up his Westfalia camper van, snagged his willing wife (me!), and headed 45 minutes up the road to a beautiful campsite.

There we dry-camped (no hook-ups!) and enjoyed 24 hours of togetherness.

Quiet time & nature & reading by the fire

Exploring

But most of all, we enjoyed our time away from the kids!

I’m always surprised when I hear that a couple has never left their kids. And I do understand that everyone has different values, but for my husband and me – we want to make sure when our kids leave our nest, that we still like each other. Actually, that we still love each other’s company and prioritize our relationship.

We’ve always felt comfortable leaving our kids with family and friends. We come back more energized as parents, encouraged, refreshed and relaxed.

We ate lunch before we left, walked to a small café up from our campsite for dinner, brought pre-cooked scrambled eggs with turkey sausage and Dubliner cheese on top for breakfast, along with strawberries from our garden.

And of course coffee and our trusty French-press coffee maker. That we never leave home without, because there is nothing like a campfire and coffee, a book, good company and the brisk morning air! And just knowing that we are both there – sitting in silence as we read.

As I clamped the piece of paper on the post by the campsite stating we did indeed pay our $12 for the spot, I realized how blessed I am to have a husband who loves the outdoors. A husband who doesn’t feel the need to spend a ton of money to find happiness.

Our $12 night’s rate was perfect and it was just what we parents needed, two nights before the school year was to begin.

When was the last time you got away with your spouse, even for one night?

I am so happy to announce today that I will be participating in a NEW series in the month of October, inspired by The Nester and a group of very talented ladies.

What will this mean for me and for those reading here at RE?

In the month of October, for 31 days, you will find me posting about Stress-Free Entertaining!

Let’s all do the happy dance! Yay!

I’m very excited because each post will have meaning and inspiration, which I hope will be helpful with the holidays right around the corner. Some posts may be short and pithy, some may be longer and more thought-provoking. Nevertheless, I’m committed to this and look forward to 31 days in a row together.

Some of the posts may be as simple as an inspiring picture.

(Yard sale finds and Dollar Store Glasses – they don’t have to be expensive or complicated to be enjoyable!)

Now this 31 Days series is not just about me! Nope! A group of my friends are also joining in and you’ll be able to click around in the blogosphere the month of October and learn a lot from them, too!

31 Days to a Less Messy Nest – Nester, Nesting Place
31 Days to Grace – Emily, Chatting at the Sky
31 Days to More with Less – Jen, Balancing Bedlam and Beauty
31 Days to a Better Photo – Darcy, My 3 Boybarians
31 Days of Autumn Bliss – Melissa, The Inspired Room
31 Days of Living Simply – Emily, Remodeling this Life
31 Days to an Inspired Table – Kendra, My First Kitchen

I want to thank The Nester for her brilliant idea, and for inviting me to be a part of this inspirational month. My hope is that women will be excited about Fall, about the upcoming holidays, and will jump on board in the areas in which they want to improve or learn.

Hey, and no worries if you miss a day, then just come back the next! And have fun browsing around!

What do you think, will you join us?

(BTW, if you haven’t seen my brand new book that is out this month, The Reluctant Entertainer, please read about it, here. It’s full of ideas and practical advice for anyone wanting to learn more about gracious hospitality!)

When my sister brought us a bag of green beans, I knew exactly what I’d do with them.

We eat a lot of green beans in our home, and for summertime snacks and even an appetizer, you might want to try this easy recipe!

Zesty Pesto Green Beans

Cut the ends off the green beans and wash.

Place in a microwavable bowl, add a small amount of water, and microwave (steam) for 5-7 minutes.

Allow to cool.

Add sea salt and white pepper to taste.

Add 1/4-1/2 cup Costco’s Pesto (or make your own). Stir.

You can do so many things with these green beans. Here are a few of my ideas:

Serve cold as an appetizer.
Heat up and serve as a side dish.
Cup up and use in a salad.
Cut up for Pot Pie or Shepherd’s Pie.

But what I really love is that they make a perfect zesty summertime snack!

What’s your favorite way to cook with fresh green beans?

Tomorrow I will be sharing with you something CREATIVE, FUN, and HELPFUL … and it has to do with the entire month of October – yes, 31 Days! Come back so you won’t miss out!

When our friends came down from Portland for a whirlwind 17 hours, I knew I needed to be organized and ready to relax and have a great time. After all, they were leaving their 3 little ones at home and coming for relaxation and friendship.

Here’s an idea of what to do when you live a busy life and want to be hospitable, yet you want to shake it up a bit.

We served appetizers at our house and our kids all hung with us on the back patio.

Then we went to dinner out, just the adults.

Back for Strawberry Pavlova out by the pool – oh yum! And then bed at midnight.

I had thought ahead to our friends’ allergy needs and purchased 2 loaves of spelt (wheat free) bread for French Toast in the morning.

A delicious breakfast.

Easy French Toast
2 cups milk
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. cinnamon
Your favorite bread

A Scrabble game.

And then we had to say good-bye to our friends.

My husband and I talked about how enjoyable a short visit can be. You know you have to stay focused with your guests. We discussed so much about life, raising kids, ministry, the good and the bad. We had really good food, our kids were in and out. It was a very action-packed time together! It was almost like a little vacation for us as well – a 17 hour retreat.

Do you do better with guests who stay for a long visit or a short visit?

Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?

I love this time of year! If I can’t find the vegetables I’m looking for in our garden, I head up to the Farmer’s Market or trade with a friend.

Here’s what’s happening in our garden this week.

And I’d love to hear what’s happening in yours?

We planted butter crunch lettuce in our Herb Trough.

Beautiful tomatoes just now coming on – strong! Getting excited to roast and freeze!

Purple basil in the Herb Trough.

Green beans.

Yummy zucchini and squash.

Even on a city lot we’ve taken advantage of the beds in our backyard, converting them to garden beds.

It sure makes cooking easy in the summertime. And affordable, too. My husband went shopping with me this past weekend and he couldn’t believe the price of produce. More incentive to garden!

So, if you garden, how does your garden grow?

My daughter is the baker in our home, so we get to reap the benefits of tasting everything she makes. So delicious.

Last week she made a *Brooklyn Blackout Cake 2003. It was so late when she finished it, we had already gone to bed.

The next morning we all had a “sliver” and then froze the rest.

Cut into thirds.

Wrapped in plastic wrap.

And then popped it in the freezer … for a rainy day or to give away!

Do you freeze desserts for last-minute company or to give away?

*Delicious cake recipes from The Cake Book, by Tish Boyle!

As summer is winding down, it really does make sense to consider why we started calling these days the “Lazy Days of Summer.”

I find that my kids are getting bored. That they’re actually ready to start back to school. To be honest, I don’t want summer to end. I love the long, hot days. Late family dinners and not having a tight schedule. It’s actually sad to me when summer ends.

But, on a more domestic note, I am finding jobs for my kids. Outside chores are essential (water the plants, clean the pool, mow the lawns, weed the beds). But inside jobs, other than Kitchen Duty, bathrooms and picking up their rooms, I have to think up ideas for them.

One job for my daughter is to iron my cloth dinner napkins! Easy and quick.

The other thing is for them to help me out by making jam. The recipe that I posted here is a cinch! Even kids can make it!

I ask my kids to pick the berries, wash and stem them, and then follow through with the recipe.

To make it easier, I’ve taped this Kraft Foods recipe inside my kitchen cupboard door. Easy access!

One job that I really dislike, and I agreed to pay $5 for, was to clean the fridge in the garage. Sparkling clean! I remember in past years paying a teen friend of ours to help with chores (like the fridge). Now my kids have grown into my helpers!

Are your kids getting bored with summer and ready for school? What jobs are on your list?

(Yes, we still have a bumper crop of strawberries, which came on very late this year! My hands are dirty and wet as I type … just picking a beautiful bowl of berries.)

If you remember my $5 compost bin post when we picked up free pallets from the local Grange Co-op, my husband also picked up a different kind of wood pallet that was free.

We brought them home and painted them the color of the fence, putting them side by side, making our own trellises. (We have 2 sets in the backyard, too!)

Replanted some climbing roses that were in the front (and not thriving) to the side of the house.

And turned what was not very pretty on the side, to pretty and happy roses.

I’m pretty sure that our roses are from Jackson & Perkins (if you want to read up on them, you can here.) You can also get a close-up view on page 35 in my new book, The Reluctant Entertainer.

They make a beautiful, simple centerpiece for entertaining!

Are you creative with free or discounted items? I’d love to hear about or see some of your frugal gardening projects?

My friend Emma is a Tightwad. She writes the blog, Tightwad (a girl’s guide to living on less) , is a married mother of three-year-old twins, trys her best to live green, watches her pennies, walks daily, and plain ol’ keeps things simple. She loves to write and turns daily chaos into something manageable – my kind of girl!

Thank you, Emma for being my guest today!

Tightwad occasionally entertains … it was her idea to start an annual family BBQ every August, which happened last weekend. She’s house-proud so that entails some give and take; because she realizes that everything can’t be perfect, it’s impossible. So I ignore the chipped paint on our back stairs, the drooping and sad little plants in my plant beds, the mismatched patio furniture and the fact that the back yard is littered with fallen apples and overrun with kid’s toys.

Martha Stewart I’m not, but I like to think that people enjoyed themselves all the same. This is despite the fact that just as the time came for people to start arriving, my charming children wound themselves in the curtains of the guest bedroom and pulled both them and all of the accompanying hardware off the wall. Hey, what’s a party without your husband asking you where the power drill is in flush of last minute home repairs?

I think that the trick to pulling off a decent summer BBQ lies in having enough ice to keep the beers cold, and the preparation (and occasion delegation, but we’ll get to that). With this in mind I decided to crank out the salads; the kind that can be assembled the day before.

The Menu

Appetizers: Mom’s in charge (See? Delegation) fresh guacamole and blue corn chips, general nibbles.

Main: Spit roasted baron of beef, BBQ back ribs brought by friends, mixed bean salad with cilantro and red onion, potato salad with lemon and chives, tomato feta balsamic salad, roasted red peppers and roasted beet and fennel salad.

Dessert: Sister in Law (again with the delegation) came through with a shiny gold star on this one: Kashmir Cream (I know, I know, what the hell is that?) Believe me, it was DELICIOUS. It was whipped cream based, with a peach concoction that was fantastic. Recipe is forthcoming, apparently.

Bit about Hubs
In terms of preparation, the day before Hubs marinated the beef and I made the bean salad, boiled the spuds, roasted the beets and red peppers. All I had to do on the day of the party was re-toss the bean salad, add some ingredients to the potato salad and mix the beets with some white wine vinegar, olive oil and fennel. And put things in pretty bowls. The tomato salad was last minute because just as everyone was going to dig in my hubs mused that he thought there wasn’t enough food. And you know what? He was right – everything was eaten down to the last bean and last rib.

Bit about Kids
Kiddos sat and ate on a blanket; adults sat around the table and tucked in. Then we had some entertainment (kids dancing to cheesy pop music) and everyone enjoyed some coffee.

In the end, I got over the fact that the plants on the table that served as centrepieces looked dry and had dead leaves on them, or that I was pretty sure that everyone had noticed that my only serving tray was so tarnished it was hard to tell that it was actually silver. Our family was together and everyone seemed happy and full.

So, another one for the books; it’s hard to believe that a chill is in the air and school is around the corner. Guess it’s time to start planning the family Thanksgiving …

What was your last family dinner like? And do you worry about there not being enough food?

Tightwad is a blog about frugal living, being green and lots of stuff about food. It could be categorized as a lifestyle blog; I call it a distraction. Come on over to my blog today and enter to WIN a copy of Kathy Buckworth’s Shut up and Eat book!

When it comes to living out our passions, we have to figure out what makes us tick or what inspires us. And then as we learn to let go of the imperfect, which often robs us of our potential, we embrace the freedom to be ourselves and move forward with confidence and clarity.

My new book, The Reluctant Entertainer, encourages women to be real with their entertaining. It offers great wisdom to those who get caught up in the comparison trap and gives savvy entertaining ideas.

I went to my strawberry patch last night, as it’s growing thinner now, and picked these beauties. I just love how the little white blossom fell into the bowl right as I was finishing up.

My daughter helped wash, stem and slice up the strawberries and we added some raspberries to create a more unique flavor.

Mixed together and tossed it in the oven.

I love making extra loaves for my neighbors.

And then a large loaf for my family.

Raspberry Strawberry Bread
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups sugar
2 cups sliced strawberries
1/2 cup raspberries
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup cooking oil

Mix by hand. Add the berries at the last. (**)

Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes in small loaf pans, or around 60 minutes in 2 large loaf pans. Remember each oven is different, so make sure and UNDER-SET your timer, so you don’t over bake the bread!

Hospitality is about helping others to feel warm and welcomed. It’s not about being the perfect family or entertainer. And to me, on this night, it was also about sharing a loaf of bread with our neighbor.

When’s the last time you’ve thought about giving someone a little treat?

** True confessions: When I made this bread I forgot one simple step. Make sure and add the berries at the last, and then mix the batter by hand. It’s much better with chunky bites of fruit!

When a baby comes to dinner, I feel like I’m a really bad hostess. Because all I want to do is hold the baby and forget about everything else!

We had our friends over for dinner last week and quite frankly, although I did know what I was going to serve, I didn’t quite think through where we were going to sit until about 10 minutes before our guests arrived.

Do you ever do that?

I had quickly cut Black-eyed Susans from the front yard.

Thrown down a Good Will table cloth.

Even used paper napkins.

After we dished up our food, we went to the back patio and relaxed together – and my husband held the baby while we ate dinner.

The best part was relaxing by the pool, catching up, and watching the kiddos swim.

Guy talk and life guards.

Sweet mommy and baby.

Oh, and actually the tastiest part of the evening was the dessert that I had delegated to Fiona.

Which we all enjoyed.

I asked my husband about the night, and besides the great company, he recalled how when we were a young family of 5, and we’d be invited over for dinner, it was so nice when, while eating, someone would take the baby so we parents could enjoy our meal. It was a sweet relief …

So that is what he did during this dinner. He allowed sweet relief.

When’s the last time you had a young couple over for dinner? I’d love to hear you stories – who held the baby, did you pull out the toys, what did the kids do?

One of the easiest salads or appetizers to make in the summertime, using up the garden tomatoes as they ripen, is to just slice them up and serve on a plate! And then garnish with tasty, sweet ground cherries.

Yes, I love Caprese Salad (tomatoes, mozzarella and basil), but sometimes I just don’t have fresh mozzarella cheese in my fridge.

How to make this appetizer?
Slice tomatoes and lay on a platter.

Sprinkle with sea salt, white pepper, and we used California Cayenne Pepper.

Splash with a bit of Rice Vinegar.

Peel ground cherries, removing the outer paper-husk, and cut in half.

Slice thin strips of fresh basil to garnish and add a fresh summery taste.

And then serve!

I really want to make jam with our ground cherries, but we don’t have enough in our garden. Doesn’t that sound delicious?

What’s your favorite, easy summertime salad using tomatoes?

The Hip Hostess is giving away a copy of The Reluctant Entertainer at her place today.

Stunning tablescapes, beautiful buffets, dazzling desserts and to die for florals, are all come to mind when we hear the word: entertaining or party or hostess. We’ve all seen the pictures, in magazines, on TV and blogs. It’s all so lovely, so elegant and so impressive. But unless you’re Martha or an event planner, it’s also probably perfectly unattainable. READ MORE … here.

I was looking around my living room the other day, realizing that it was drab and lacked pizzazz. I really like to move things around and freshen up the room, but this time I decided to bring in a brand new color – a teal blue.

But let me start with the obstacle that many women get hung up on: They don’t invite others into their homes because they just don’t like them Yes, it’s true, and it’s very sad!

Think about these simple ideas and see if you gain a new perspective. Sometimes we just need to give ourselves a pep talk and adjust our attitudes a bit.

How to freshen up the room
1. Start in one corner and clean out/straighten up the area (stack the books, toss the magazines), moving through the entire room.
2. Wipe down or dust the furniture.
3. Vacuum the entire room, moving the furniture if you need to.
4. Wipe down the window seals.
5. Take everything off of the furniture and start over. Try to thin out your decorations or rearrange.
6. Add a new color to liven it up!
7. Remember our guests are not coming to see our homes. They are coming to see us!

I went to Pier 1 and bought one candle, 2 pillows on sale, and added a few new colored decorating balls to my current new yard sale dish.

I put two pillows away.

And added 2 new.

I replaced the green candle here.

With the blue candle here.

To my new $4 yard sale bowl, I added a mixture of decorating balls.

I followed the steps above to freshen up the room, added a new color, and was surprised at how it felt like a brand new room. In fact today, when I friend came over, she commented on the “new” look.

It doesn’t take much to re-do a room. Paint and new furniture can completely transform a room, yes! But you have to have time and money – and in today’s economy, most of us are working harder for what we have. We have less time and less money.

I really like to keep things simple. I want to encourage others to make their houses homey and welcoming, so that when you have guests over you feel good about it.

Perfect? No way. But inviting? Yes!

Have you thought about adding a new color to a room in your home that feels drab?

Would you be willing to share what obstacle stops you from inviting others in?

(I’m happy to announce the 2 winners of my new book, The Reluctant Entertainer. Lisa James (no blog) and Kim, from Vintage Poppies. Congratulations Ladies!)

I love to talk about savvy entertaining, which means smart and efficient, but to me it also means simple. Sometimes in the summer time the days are so full, it’s hard to want to spend time in the kitchen.

Here is a TIP: If you don’t have a tray to carry out your dishes to the back patio entertaining area on, USE A BOX! Or even a laundry basket will work.

It’s also way too easy to remain in our comfort zones and not try something new, so we tend to fall back to our signature dishes in the summertime, which I say is A-Okay!

In my new book (hardback, colored photography), The Reluctant Entertainer, the book is not only full of recipes, but it also offers a savvy approach to help women break free of the anxieties that keep them from opening their homes!

My go-to menu in the summertime is often this:

Appetizer: Cheese, crackers and fresh fruit. Maybe chips and salsa for the kiddos.

Main Dish: BBQ and marinate the day before or early in the morning. Or try my very easy “last minute” Sweet Savory Steaks, also included in my book.

Prepare anything you can the day before.

Salad: Straight from our garden (or take advantage of your local Farmer’s Market!)

Dessert: Store bought pound cake (Brad’s Strawberry Coulis) and fresh fruit is perfect for guests, with little time in the kitchen and more time to spend with your guests.

With easy summer entertaining you can enjoy watching your kids while they play in the back yard! My kids are growing up, as you can see, but I had years of entertaining with little kids. Years …

Now on to the GIVEAWAY!

2 WINNERS
Win a signed copy of The Reluctant Entertainer. (Read more about the book, here.)

Tweet, Facebook or post on your blog
Do one of the above to have 2 chances of winning. Two of the above to have 3, etc. (Come back to tell me.)

WINNER on FRIDAY
Come back this Friday and I’ll announce the winners!

ANSWER THIS QUESTION:
Do you try new recipes in the summertime or do you pretty much stick to tried and true, oldies but goodies?

The Reluctant Entertainer is now in most book stores, and also available here on my blog if you would like a signed copy. Mela Kamin is also giving a copy away over at her place today. Check out Mela, singer, songwriter and speaker – HERE - for another chance to win!

Living Locurto is published by Amy Locurto, a graphic designer and mom of two. Amy owns Atomic Egg and is also co-owner of a photography web site I Heart Faces. Here you can find her free printables, menu plans, recipes, fun party ideas and crafts.

Amy has graciously agreed to share with my readers today about a party she recently threw her daughter.

So here’s Amy …

Hi I’m Amy from Living Locurto, a blog about parties, food, crafts and free printables. I’m excited to be guest posting here today! I love to entertain and a big fan of the stay at home birthday party. I have many fond memories of my birthdays and all I had was a cake and a few friends! Making special birthday memories can be fun and easy.

I threw my daughter a fun mermaid party and the sushi sandwiches were the big hit and they were the easiest thing I made! So I thought it would be a good thing to share with you today.

Whether you entertain for kids or adults, everyone will love this easy to make dish.

Sushi Sandwich Ingredients

• Whipped Cream Cheese
• Cheddar Cheese Slices
• 1-2 Cucumbers
• Turkey
• Mustard (optional)
• White Sandwich Bread

Directions

1. Slice the cheddar cheese and cucumber into long thin pieces.
2. Cut the crusts off the bread.
3. Roll the cheese, cucumbers, cream cheese and turkey up in a piece of white bread. I also added mustard to some.
4. Slice the roll in half. Slicing with a knife helps make the roll stick.
5. Place on a plate like real sushi and watch your guests eat them up!

Thanks Sandy for having me today!

If you love birthday parties like me, you can find easy to make party printables in my shop. Hope you’ll stop by! -Amy

Amy and I would love to hear your favorite kid party that you have been to, or a favorite easy snack that you prepared?

I really wanted to reflect back to this dinner party today, even though it was a few summers back. I was going through my photos on my computer and I ran across it, and the memories.

I had to smile.

My centerpiece was so simple! Little vases and Black-eyed Susans from the front yard.

But what I remember most about this party (our friends brought the entire meal) was that our daughter played her violin, and our friend Minor got up to help her turn the pages.

I remember how we all floated in the pool before it was time to eat.

I remember really good food, but to be honest, I don’t remember exactly what we ate!

Which reinforces what I include in my new book, how the guests will often remember the night because of the ambience, the conversation, the time together … they may never remember the food.

I’m glad that I found these pictures. It made me happy to remember the time we had as a family with dear friends, on a hot summer’s night.

Do you take pictures at dinner parties, or what’s your way of capturing memories of times together with friends?