Lauren's Baptism Brunch

In mid-March, Madison and I drove to New Jersey to visit my friend, Erin and her family.  We went to celebrate Erin's daughter's baptism.  I helped Erin with the food and cupcakes for the event.

{Madison playing with Lauren}

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{The food table}


Erin and I worked on the menu and in the end we served the following to the guests -

buttermilk pancakes, French toast wedges in a cup, chicken salad croissant sandwiches (recipe to follow), turkey and mozzarella croissant sandwiches, fruit salad, sausage breakfast casserole, bagels with cream cheese, cheeseball with crackers, strawberry and French vanilla cupcakes with buttercream frosting, orange juice and lemonade.

My chicken salad recipe is pretty simple.

Ingredients -

-2 cans white meat canned chicken OR 3-4 cooked and diced boneless chicken breasts

-1 cup chopped celery

-1/2 cup mayonaise

-1 small cup plain Greek yogurt

-salt and pepper to taste

Directions -

Mix all together, chill for several hours or overnight.  Serve on your choice of bread.  I prefer using the diced boneless skinless chicken breasts, but Erin enjoys it with the canned chickek; so it's all about what you prefer.



{Friends - Aliah, Erin, Althea, and Me.  We all met through an online moms group... many years ago and then become real life friends too.  This is a great group of ladies.}

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{Madison feeding Lauren}

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{The cupcakes - straawberry and French vanilla... both with buttercream and toppers I made} using scrapbook paper and toothpicks}

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{French toast wedges in cups}

{Chicken salad sandwiches}

{Turkey and mozazarella sandwiches}

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{The cupcakes display}

Planning Our Christmas Meal

My husband and I are hosting a Christmas dinner this year.  There will be 8 of us (the three of us, my mother-in-law, plus two of my husband's brothers and their daughters).  After much deliberation I finally decided on our Christmas menu and here it is ....

I think I may channel my inner hostess and have this printed out and framed on the table with all of the food.  We do not have seating for 8 (unfortunately) at a table, so it will be buffet style.  I plan on serving the appetizers in the living room between 2-3:30, and then I will serve dinner around 4:30 or so.    I am excited to be hosting my first Christmas dinner... although it is bittersweet.  My parents were supposed to be here this year for Christmas...and they are not coming. 

Menu Plan Monday - December 27, 2010

I always see this on the blogs I follow.  It is definitely something I want to start doing on a weekly basis to keep myself planned and organized as well as sharing some great recipes. 
Meal Plan Monday originates at I'm an Organizing Junkie.  Check it out for other great meal plan ideas.

It is already Monday evening.  Chris and I drove home today from my parents' to find this in our neighborhood -

Luckily my mom sent us home with leftovers from last night which will be tonight's dinner.  We are hoping to venture to the grocery store tomorrow for the rest of the meals for the week.  Madison stayed with my parents for the week so it is just Chris and I for the week.

Monday - Leftovers: grilled jerk pork tenderloin, macaroni and cheese, and cheesey green bean casserole.

Tuesday - Pork BBQ sandwiches * with cole slaw and chips

Wednesday - Go out to eat using a Groupon we have

Thursday - Taco Soup and Sweet Skillet Cornbread from the Passys & Parties blog

Friday - New Years Eve dinner out at one of our favorite restaurants - not sure where just yet

Saturday - Breakfast for Dinner - pancakes, scrambled eggs, and bacon

Sunday - steaks on the grill, Pioneer Woman's Spicy Lemon Garlic Shrimp, baked potatoes, and corn on the cob

* My parents sent us home with a pork tenderloin that I am going to use to make the pork bbq if we can get to the grocery store early enough to get the ingredients I need