Thursday, June 23, 2011

My Big Sister's Summer Wedding

My older sister got married this past weekend  -it was beautiful, she was beautiful.  So, what was my role for the wedding?  Food...I made food, lots and lots of food.  I have never prepared food on this large of a scale before, it was fun, exciting, an adventure... okay let me be honest with you -it was exhausting.  We decided to keep things simple and serve an array of hors d'oeuvres like fresh vegetables displayed in a shot glass, served with spinach dip.  My favortie spinach dip recipe ever:
8 oz. cream cheese
10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and drained of liquid
2 Tbsp minced onion  
2 cups Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp Accent
1 Tbsp chopped chives 
1/2 cup half and half
Blend, chill and serve!
Large prawns bathed in a zesty cocktail sauce served in a shot glass -no I did not make the cocktail sauce, I was definitely not feeling that ambitious.
 
A light curry chicken salad filled with almonds, grapes and apples in a crispy mini phyllo cup.  For this I used my previously posted recipe and added about 1 1/2 teaspoons of curry powder.
A mild creamy goat cheese paired with a fresh raspberry, so simple and so delicious.
Sweet watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew melon drizzled with a cool basil mint syrup.  To make the syrup simply use one cup of sugar, one cup of water and one bunch of basil and mint.  Warm up the simple syrup (sugar and water) over the stove until sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat and let the basil and mint steep for about ten minutes then strain the syrup.  I love this syrup paired with all kinds of fruit combinations -it's so cool and refreshing during hot summer months.
Mozzarella, tomatoes and basil tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette, piled high into a serving spoon.  Just your basic delicious caprese salad.
Grilled flank steak marinated in rosemary and garlic, thinly sliced and rested on bruschetta finished with a tomato, artichoke and caper tapenade.  For the tapenade I combined marinated artichokes, tomatoes and capers.  Season with salt and pepper and garnish with basil -yummy. 
A skewer of cheese tortellini, olives and Italian Salami.  Easy peasy, toss the olives and the tortellini in a simple Italian marinade, salt and pepper and you're done!
Moist and tender roasted pork tenderloin sliced and set on a fresh baguette slice, finished with a zesty dijon raspberry sauce.  I pretty much just used this recipe, except more garlic, because I love garlic and then I mixed some raspberry preserves with dijon mustard and viola a simple and delicious appetizer is born.
Thank you to everyone who helped out.  I must admit that I did enjoy catering the wedding, but I came away from the experience with gratitude that I've decided to be a chemist.  I mean I love cooking, but goodness that was a lot of food!

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