We have a plasma tv quite a bit larger than 55". I did not know about the term being used and so the invite we sent out had to be corrected. But we were not charging admission - or for food and drink - so theoretically we should be ok. Nonetheless, if you are going to host a gathering in the future...now you know. And so do I...
Our gathering went very well. We had RSVP's from 25 people and 25 people showed up - although not the same 25 that had RSVP'ed. But that's quite alright, it worked out perfectly. My little sampling of so many different things was perfect. Some things were bigger hits than others and in most cases, we had no leftovers.
By the time the party started on Sunday, I was in some pretty major pain. My feet just hated me and I was shaking and trying my best to suck it up and get everything finished. My poor sweet hubby had a lot of slack to pick up for me as by the time people started to arrive, I could not stand any longer without tears just streaming down my face and so I was not able to do any greeting.
The house looked great and we had quite the setup. We got our spare plasma out (only 42") and put it on top of our refrigerator so that where ever you were in the great room, you could see a beautiful picture. We also set up a smaller (32") tv in the dining room so that as you got yourself a snack, you could still keep your eye on the game. We were not able to get the HD working for the plasma on top of the refrigerator, so that was a bummer. But I must say, I love having that tv up there! It is just the perfect size. We now want to run a cable through the wall so that this can be done again in the future.
All the appetizers came together well. I must say I do not like how the pictures ended up...I should have had a different agenda when I took them - but now I know. I must also say the pictures got taken before everything was out - including the crowd-most-favorite = the deviled potatoes. My parmesan crisps did not work out well...and ended up being scratched. I, personally, did not like the pinwheels although some people really did. The little mini quiches did not turn out as great as last year but I think it was because of the phyllo I was using. I also think I had managed to forget that I wanted to find a mini-muffin tin for those as the normal cupcake size is just a bit too big. Still, it was great flavor and I will keep making those. People, as usual, raved about my guacamole and that's just so funny to me. It's so simple to make...but people act like it's not. Can't explain it, but I do know I love mine and the difference tends to be that I add cumin.
It was all a good time. The sad part to me was that I am taking an anti-biotic right now that you cannot mix alcohol with so I was not able to have even one single beer. However, probably not a bad thing to lose out on those calories, so I was surprisingly alright with it.I got to see people and chat with people that I'd love to chat with and see more of. That was also very cool.
I think the funny thing of the evening was my muffalatta. I flat out forgot it. When I did remember it - with about 8 minutes left in the 4th, we did get it out. And it was amazing this year - rivaled the "Central Grocery Store" - which by most accounts is the creator of the sandwich. The olive salad was just amazing this year and, luckily for me, I remember exactly what I did and can repeat it easily. I did one with a sweet loaf for my hubby and one with a regular loaf for me and we put out about half of each in small slices. We didnt' put it all out because we didn't figure people wanted to eat more and didn't want any of it to go to waste. What we put out was gone within five minutes; but at least everyone got a slice. I was impressed. And still am! (It was lunch today.) :) After the game was over a card game erupted and some of the guys stayed until almost midnight playing cards. My feet had recovered a smidge, somewhere around half time and I was able to move around better. When most all the people, except the card players, had gone, I started cleaning up and packaging up what was left. Most all of the leftovers went home with other people, so that's great news to me!
I crawled into bed around 1am and forgot to turn the alarm off, but other than that, I slept quite soundly Sunday night. My husband and I had the forethought to take Monday off this year. Last year we didn't and the day after sucked. This year was so much better. The house was mostly cleaned and most all of the furniture was back in it's rightful position by the time we went to sleep.
I woke up around 5:30 not knowing what was going on. But somehow, even in that not-knowing-ness, I reactively shut the alarm off - but only with the snooze button. So it went off again five minutes later and by then I'd figured out what the problem was. I turned it off and that was that. We were up around 9:30 so that we could take a neighbor to the airport and the plan was to get breakfast on the way. We stopped at a place we thought was local - but turns out it's a chain. It's called "The Egg and I" and it was a great breakfast...although I think my sweet hubby and the neighbor were more impressed than I was.
We got our neighbor to the airport and then turned ourselves around to head home. Once home...we parked on the couch with the feet up for the rest of the day. Ahhhh...bliss!
So these feet. These feet are just NOT supposed to handle this much weight! I told my hubby and one friend who knows of my intentions Sunday night that I just kept thinking all afternoon Sunday as the pain was getting worse and worse and spreading further and further up my body - I just can't wait until next year! I really can't! I'm glad I've already lost ~10 pounds...but I will be so happy to lose each and every pound I have to. My hubby and I love love love to throw parties and I can see doing more of them if my feet don't have to pay such a price for them.
I could not believe the number of people that walked in Sunday and said they'd turned down other parties because the food was going to be the best at ours. I also could not believe that three people that were throwing their own parties also stopped in to sample the assorted hors d'ouvres. Such flattery will make me repeat! And I really am so much better about not sampling myself if I'm the one baking. I know what they are like when I create them...don't know if that makes sense...but if I go somewhere and eat something I like, I want to eat a few more pieces to see if I can figure out how to do it myself. If I do the concocting...I know what's in there...so I don't have to eat nearly as many. And I didn't. I had one little salad sized plate of different things and other than a piece of the muffulatta later on, that was it. Of course, pain would have been a factor it not eating, too.
Sigh...I just have these hopes. 1) that I WILL get banded and 2) that by this time next year, I'll be down at least 60 pounds. Ohhhh how I long for the days when I just always felt great. And I can see them just down the tunnel...I can see them getting closer and closer.
And so now it's the day after the day after. I'm back at work although it was super hard to get up this morning. Super super hard. Because as much as I feel better...I still hurt quite a lot. It's a work in progress...that's all I know...
I hope everyone has a fantastic week! I think it will be. It's short and then this weekend is another three day weekend! YAY!
What a spread of food porn!! My mouth is watering! Is guacamole super high calorie?...if not, I want the recipe! What's a muffalatta...I love olives Oh, and I have no feet problems, but I can tell you my feet never hurt so bad as when I was at my heaviest...so much better now! That week I had my 'moment' in France they were swollen beyond recognition and this past Oct. when we were walking/hiking even longer each day in AZ they were SO much better....so, definitely something for you to look forward to!
ReplyDeleteI loved your superbowl party story, you are right about Central Grocery, just the hearing the name brings drool to my chin. I would love your recipe ! WHO DAT!
ReplyDeleteBG - guacamole is not super high calorie (and avocados are SOOOO good for you...high in Omega-3's and other good nutrients). They are filled with good fats so you feel full with just a few bites. About 60 calories per serving and it's a great topping on a salad, slice of toast or, of course, a dip for tortilla chips (if you want those calories). My recipe is:
ReplyDelete1 avocado. I just cut in half, remove the seed and then literally squeeze the meat out. Once the meat is in the bowl, mash with a fork to desired consistency. I like to keep it a little chunky - although small bite size chunks.
Add to that:
1 tomato with a small-medium dice
1/2 onion with a small-medium dice
1 jalapeno, cleaned with a small-medium dice
1/2 cup of cilantro with a coarse chop
1-2 cloves of garlic minced
1 tbsp cumin
salt to taste
I don't like spice much so I clean the jalapeno VERY well. If you want some spice, keep a seed or two. You can also use serrano chilis. Sometimes, if I'm making a big batch, I'll do one of each.
I generally always get cumin seeds and roast them before grinding them myself. I have a coffee grinder specifically for spices. It does bring out more flavor, but if you use already ground cumin, that still adds a great flavor, too.
The recipe above is pico de gallo with avocado added. :)
When I'm short on time...I cheat...and I go to the grocery store and buy the pico they make daily. :)
Muffalatta is a sandwich. It's made on a bread (muffulatta loaf) which is most similar to an Italian round loaf. It's quite similar to an Italian loaf but not quite the same. Slice that loaf in half and inside that goes a layer of olive salad which includes a couple different kinds of olives, carrots, pepperoncinis, cauliflower, garlic, olive oil and herbs. Smear that on the bread and then layer salami, ham, turkey, provolone and mozzarella. Add another layer of olive salad and make sure the bread gets plenty of olive oil. Smash it down, wrap it in plastic wrap TIGHTLY then refrigerate for at least a day. And when you get it back out...ahhh...the best sandwich in the world. You can heat it to melt the cheese if you want - but the traditional way is to eat it cool.
That's loosely what it is...not the precise recipe. As you can tell, it's very low calorie. :) A serving (an 1/8 of the whole thing) is almost 1000 calories. But it's high in protein. :)
Nawlinz Lady (Dee)...here's the recipe:
ReplyDeleteI use an Italian loaf. Slice that in half and scoop out insides leaving about an 1/2 inch crust.
Olive salad is a jar of Spec's olive salad for muffulatta's and I add to that more green olives, pimentos, garlic, thinly sliced carrots, pepperoncinis (cleaned), 1-2 tbsp tarragon vinegar (depends on how vinegar-y the mix already was) capers and then just taste to get a mixture I like. I hand chop (roughly, of course) what I add. I like to get a jar to start with because the olive oil that mix is in has been sitting with the good stuff in it for quite awhile.
Then here's where I go wrong. :) I don't use the best salami, ham (prosciutto) or turkey that money can buy. I get Oscar Mayer and whatever else is in the regular sandwich meat case. (That's weird for me cause I do eat the "better" stuff through the week...but for this sandwich...that thicker meat is just better.)
I get
1/4 lb "Oscar Mayer" beef salami
1/2 lb "Off the Bone" ham
1/2 lb "Off the Bone smoked turkey
1/2 lb sliced provolone
1/2 lb sliced mozzarella (have to get this one at the deli, usually)
On the bottom layer, add the olive salad and LOTS of the olive oil. Layer in the meats and then the cheeses. Add another layer of olive salad. If you add olive oil here, put it directly on the top slice otherwise it will just run off. Put it all together then wrap tightly in plastic wrap for at least a day. The more olive oil that makes it into the bread the better.
I would love to hear if this sandwich can be eaten with a band. :) Not that you'd eat the whole thing, a half of the thing or even a quarter of the thing. But if you could eat 1/16 or 1/8...I'd be happy....every once in awhile these are such a treat. (And by every once in awhile, I mean, once a year....) :)
Geaux Saints!
Thanks for the recipes!!! I've now got some new things on the shopping list! I'll let you know how I do ;-)
ReplyDelete