Engagement Party for the Future Weber's

Call me the matchmaker...

A few years ago I decided I wanted to set up one of Brent's best friends, Jeremy. And I don't want to give anything away, but by the title of this post, I think you have a pretty good guess how this ends.

I knew the right girl for him would have to exhibit certain unique qualities. She needed to be active, up for anything, easygoing and kind. She needed to be a loyal friend, understanding and compassionate. She had to be as beautiful inside as she was out. Most of all she had to have a passion for life and a contagious laugh.

I found that girl in my friend Tara's sister, Alise. I knew right off the bat that Jeremy would find her attractive---I mean come on. She's got big blue eyes, long thick blonde hair and an athletic petite body.

Fast forward a few years later and they're engaged! I couldn't be more excited for them. They seem to make one another so extremely happy. They build one another up and lift each other's spirits.

So this all called for a party!

Address and phone number blurred out on the image--I promise I didn't send out invitations with smudges on them :)

We sent out invitations---real paper invitations. I wanted it to feel special for all the guests that Alise and Jeremy chose.

For appetizers I made simple caprese skewers, prosciutto wrapped melon and these little bites...

 

 

 

I was inspired by some apple onion jam my friend Shelley gave me for Christmas. So I added a bit of goat cheese and a sliver of pear atop a simple cracker.



 



As always, my philosophy is that simple food is usually the most appealing and delicious. Caprese skewers could not be any easier to assemble.

The tables were set simply as well, with a mix of cloth napkins, our white plates and silver utensils. Because of the number of guests, I squeezed two dining tables into the room...with seating for 15. It was cozy but I think it worked fine.

 

We decided on one signature drink for the evening---sangria! Since the theme of the food was Italian, I wanted something that sort of went along. It was a HUGE hit and I plan to make it more often. We probably could have used two of these! 

 

 

Brent and our friend Tom enjoyed a few glasses in the backyard as the guys played cornhole. The girls stayed inside and shared funny stories around the dining table.

For dinner I made two different kinds of lasagna, salad and breadsticks. We were so busy having fun that I didn't take pics. Same story for dessert which included two different kinds of Salted Caramel Gelato Pie (one was coffee and one was vanilla).

 

Look at this sweet couple! They bless us with their friendship and kind hearts. This was the very least we could do for them.

But secretly I do love that I can say I set them up on a blind date :)

Love and blessings,
Karli

Brunch and Baubles

A few Saturdays ago I hosted a fun little party for my girlfriends. I love Stella & Dot jewelry, and my friends Sarah and Susan were sending me friendly reminders that it was my turn to host a party. So I connected with a stylist in my neighborhood and picked a date. It's pretty much that easy.

***Update: I'm now a Stella & Dot stylist! Feel free to reach out if you'd like to host a party of your own or purchase any of the great items you see on the website!***

Of course, you all know that I can't just do anything TOO easy. I made it a brunch event complete with mimosas and yummy food.

Our stylist, Hannah, showed up and set up all the beautiful jewelry in my dining room while I put finishing touches on the food.

Here's the spread!

Beef Pinwheels from BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com. I had leftover pot roast, so I just spiced it up with the instructions in the recipe instead of using ground beef. I also used the pepper jelly instead of the cream cheese frosting. They were a hit!

I also made my no-fail Cantaloupe Salad.

I added a really easy Yogurt Parfait Bar.

And then I had to finish it up with something sweet, so I made these Baked Nutella Doughnuts from CookingClassy.com.

Here are a few of the pieces I got from the party. I'm thrilled with them so far. (all images courtesy of Stella & Dot)

These earrings are perhaps the most genius things I've ever seen. They can be worn like you see below or you can remove one of the drops, so they're single drops, or you can remove all the drops and wear them as studs. SO VERSATILE!

Happy shopping!
Karli

Catering an Art Reception (Another side of my Life)

Yesterday evening I catered a reception for my friend Judith. She was having an art show on the second floor of our local hospital, referred to as "the Artrium." I thought it might be fun to share her art with you, as well at letting you enjoy this Spring Party setting. 

Judith is as much fun as her art. Here she is greeting her guests.

This show was especially bright and colorful, so the food table needed to be the same.
The flower shaped sugar cookies were made by another friend of Judith's, who happens to also be her fitness trainer (ironic, I know). They were adorable and a big hit.                                              

The art for this show was light-hearted, fun, and eclectic, as you can see.......

And then my favorite piece. I love the colors and oh my, that green frame!

                                             

You can visit Judith's blog here to see more of her work. And you may remember the posts I did about creating her "Art Shed." See Part 1 and Part 2.


Thanks, Judith, for asking me to be a part of this lovely evening filled with food, fun, and your art.

Kandy

Host a Holiday Cookie Exchange!

Last year I hosted my first Holiday Cookie Exchange with my girlfriends. It was so much fun and I think all the guests enjoyed their time (and all the goodies they got to take home). Here's how you can do the same!

1. Send out the invitations well in advance so people have time to choose their cookies and bake them. I think three to four weeks is enough notice, but I know how my friend's schedules book up, so I sent mine out for the "2nd Annual Exchange" about eight weeks ahead.

I used this fun template from Evite.com

2. Tell guests how many cookies to make. Final numbers will be determined by RSVPs. I'd been to one cookie exchange where we had to make 10 cookies per person. That was too much. So for my parties I say 2-3 cookies per guest. So if there are 12 guests you'd be required to make 24-36 cookies each. That's much more doable.

3. Have guests print their cookie recipe for everyone. I didn't do this my first party but I think it's a really nice touch.

4. Here's the fun part!! Decorate and make appetizers!! Last year I made meatballs, crostini, a veggie tray and fried (baked) ravioli. We had hot chocolate, coffee, wine and a few sodas to drink.

The cookie exchange savory snack spread!

5. Set up one big table or several smaller tables for the cookies. Make sure there is room for guests to walk around in a circle and gather their cookies.

6. Have plenty of saran wrap, wax paper and some extra containers on hand. (Guests should be instructed to bring their own empty container, but it's always nice to have some on hand, just in case).

7. Entertain, mingle, take pictures, have fun!

8. When it's time for the formal exchange I really enjoy having each guest share which cookie they made and a little bit about the cookie--why they chose it, what's in it, how hard was it, etc.

9. Go around in a circle and have each guest take the given number from each container.

10. Mingle more, take more pictures and then sit back and soak up the success of your party.

Love these ladies!

I can't wait for this year's party. I've started a group Pinterest Board with cookie recipe ideas and I've got great plans for making the party even more fun.

Happy (early) Holidays!
Karli

Day One Highlights: International Food Blogger Conference

I love my job. My day job and my "free time job." I'm lucky enough to get to travel to places like Seattle for the International Food Blogger Conference as part of my day job--so I can meet some great food bloggers. While I'm here, I soak up all I can, so I can be a better blogger myself (in my free time). It's a win-win.

What a view coming into the Seattle!

I thought perhaps a Top Ten Seven from Day 1 would be appropriate:

1. "I'm lucky because I work hard." Dorie Greenspan shared this thought during her fabulous keynote presentation. What an honor to learn from her (I also loved her Julia Child stories)! 

2. Live Blogging with Amazon Grocery. I've never used the service, but after today's sampling of some amazing products, I can say I made my first purchase.

A compilation of just a few of the products we tried during the session.

3. Ideas and inspirations from other bloggers. While KindredStyle isn't a dedicated food blog, we've been known to share some recipes like this and this. More to come.

4. No one is a stranger. The blog community is a friendly place to be. I feel like I know some of these people before I've officially met them face to face.

5. "Never eat the same thing twice." This was a piece of advice shared by a food writer for bloggers who want to break through the clutter. Brent sometimes wishes I didn't live by this motto as well.

6. oDesk. I had never heard of this until the folks from Foodista shared it in the session about building blog traffic. Outsource some of your work?

7. This Burrata with concord grape reduction, pancetta, croutons, mint and olive oil. Reminds me of another fruit/cheese salad I was recently inspired to replicate at home. I bet this shows up on here soon too!

No words for how good this twist on a caprese salad was...

Tomorrow is a whole new day, full of so much more to learn. I can't wait.

Have a great weekend!
~Karli

Simple, Delicious Food: Canteloupe Salad

I won't often post about food, but when I do it has to be simple, delicious and beautiful. This salad meets all those requirements. I also tend to not make the same recipe twice (Brent wishes I would break this habit) unless it's easy and amazing.

I was inspired to create this salad when I was at a photoshoot for work a week ago. Our photographer always has the most unique yet simple food for us to eat. I arrived in time for breakfast and was greeted with a plate of tomatoes, arugula and ricotta salata. It seemed out of place at breakfast. But then I ate it and it all made sense. It was sweet, peppery, salty and creamy. So many lovely tastes and textures achieved in so few ingredients.

So I came home and made this salad. Now I can't stop!

It really couldn't be any easier! Here's the rundown:

• Baby arugula
• Cantaloupe cubes
• Blueberries
• Ricotta Salata (my store carries this in a section of special cheeses, near the fresh mozzarella)
• Pistachios
• Fresh Mint (from the garden)

Simply layer the ingredients in a shallow bowl. NO dressing is necessary on this salad. I love that!

And the reason I crave this salad is because it's perfect! It peppery (arugula), sweet (melon), tart (blueberries), salty (nuts and cheese), crunchy (nuts), creamy (cheese) and refreshing (mint). The combination of these ingredients knocks it out of the park. And each ingredient sings through as you make your way through the dish.

Try it, you won't be sorry. And remember: Simple foods are often the best foods. Don't mess with perfection.

You're welcome,
Karli