The Day My Husband Jumped On The Pinterest Bandwagon

I'm in the middle of party prep here, and should probably be baking rather than posting on my blog for the first time in a year and a half.  But this needs to be shared...

You see, my husband jumped on the Pinterest bandwagon...

The other night I made this...

And called it "Mexican Spaghetti & Meatballs"

I was testing a recipe idea for the aforementioned party and trying out some meatballs with a Latin/Mexican twist.  With my family as my guinea pigs, I needed something to pair the meatballs with for dinner, preferably some veggies.

So I halved a spaghetti squash, seasoned it, roasted it in the oven, scooped it into bowls, and served the meatballs on top, finished with a pile of diced avocado.

Two bites in, my husband says, "Did you just think this up?  This is awesome!  You should put it on Pinterest!"

Yup, he uttered those words...

And the kids ate it up too!

Mexican Spaghetti & Meatballs

1. Halve a spaghetti squash, drizzle with olive oil, and season lightly with Mexican/taco seasoning (I used Penzey's Chicken Taco Seasoning).
2. Roast cut side down in a 350 degree oven for 45-60 minutes.
3. In a deep saucepan on medium heat, warm your favorite frozen meatballs.
4. Add a jar of your favorite salsa (Trader Joe's Pineapple Salsa), a can of diced tomatoes (Trader Joe's Organic Diced and Fire Roasted Tomatoes with Green Chiles), and some Mexican seasoning (Penzey's Rojo Taco Seasoning).
5. Cover and heat through.
6. Scoop spaghetti squash into shallow bowls and top with warm meatballs.
7. Garnish with diced avocado and a sprinkle of cheddar cheese.

The items in parentheses are obviously just suggestions - use what you love and have on hand.  The meatballs would also be great served over a baked sweet potato or rice, and diced tomatoes, roasted corn, cilantro, cheese, avocado, and sour cream/plain yogurt would all make great toppings!

You can find my Pinterest board here.  Happy Pinning!

Window Shopping & An Anniversary

Look what's in the window at On Paper, a local stationer store in the Short North...


My sister, Karla, and her husband, Zach, were married last October. Being the matron of honor and sister of the bride, and having a passion for beautiful papergoods, naturally I made their save-the-dates, invitations, shower invitations, programs, table numbers, and thank yous. I used many of the papers available at On Paper, including the eco-friendly papers from Green Paper Company. On Paper selected my work for display in their window!

Clockwise from the top: shower invitation, save-the-date, program, invitation, thank you notes

The invitation was five pages, held together with a tiny copper brad at one end. The cover page featured their names and wedding date.

The other four pages each had three layers of cardstock and paper - a solid color, a subtle coordinating pattern, and a shimmery ivory on which the text was printed.

The maps were custom designed with the key locations marked, and smaller inset maps provided greater detail.

The reply card offered a unique opportunity for the guests. Held on with removable tape and stamped on the other side, guests peeled off a postcard that revealed a note underneath. The bride and groom have an album of replies that include words of advice, recipes, funny stories, pictures, and poems to cherish forever.

The programs were a cover page of cardstock and three pages of shimmery ivory paper. The were attached with a tiny copper brad at the top, which was punched through the center of a three-layer flower and sunburst embellishment.

Photo: Wendy Martin Photography

Photo: Wendy Martin Photography

Happy Anniversary, Karla & Zach!

Photo: Wendy Martin Photography

And Then We Partied...!

Pelotonia "Please" & "Thank You" Happy Hour

"Thank You" to our generous friends and family...

"Please" consider donating...

Celebrate our 180-mile ride...

The Invitation:

Paperless Post

The Guests:

Friends & Family

The Menu:

Chicken Lollipops With Pesto

Butternut Squash Risotto Cakes

Grilled Vegetable Paninis

Tomato & Mozzarella Skewers

Melon & Procusitto Skewers

Watermelon & Feta Skewers

Brownie Bites With Mocha Icing

White Cake With Vanilla Icing and Raspberries

Lemonade Mixers

Wine & Beer Selections

The Location:

Our Backyard

The Photos:

Our fabulous neighbor, Rita Finn

Back To School & Bloody Mary's

The party starts early on the first day of school...

You might think the kids are excited to go back to school, but imagine how the parents feel! Ask my friend Amy, and she’ll tell you it’s an occasion to celebrate – so she threw a party on the first day of school, just like she has for the last several years. The event has become something in and of itself – it has grown from a small gathering to a huge, all-day affair, with elaborate menus and celebratory drinks shared!

The kids were dropped off just after 8am, and the party began around 8:30am, when each guest was handed a Bloody Mary or Mimosa…

Food was passed, souvenir cups were kept full, the guests were happy, and the host could relax knowing that everything was being taken care of!

The morning menu included:
Tomato Tea Sandwiches
Mini Omelets
Monkey Bread
Cucumber Sandwiches
Deviled Eggs
Fruit
Snacks

The tomatoes... they're an heirloom variety called Roman Candle, and I bought them from The Sippels. I made southern-style tomato sandwiches with them – soft white and wheat bread, cut into tea sandwich slices with a biscuit cutter (perfect size for the tomato slices), Duke’s Mayonaise (Amy’s insistence – she’s a southern gal, and it's the “secret of great southern cooks,”) and a thick slice of tomato. I prepped the ingredients the night before and kept them separate so the sandwiches didn’t get soggy. On party day, I assembled them quickly and neatly using a piping bag for the mayo. The Roman Candles were a perfect choice for this – bright red, not overly juicy, but packed with fresh tomato flavor.

For my own twist on finger food omelets, I adapted a recipe from a magazine. The size was perfect for a quick, light bite. They’re easy to make ahead of time, refrigerate, and then keep warm in the oven on party day.

Mini Ham & Cheddar Omelet

1-1.5 lbs. deli ham, sliced to medium thickness
6 whole eggs
½ cup milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper

Mini Turkey, Spinach, & Swiss Omelet

1-1.5 lbs. deli turkey, sliced to medium thickness
6 whole eggs
½ cup milk
½ cup frozen spinach, liquid squeezed out
¾ cup shredded Swiss cheese
Salt and pepper

Grease a mini muffin pan with butter.
Cut deli meat into 3” rounds using a biscuit cutter. Save the scraps for sandwiches!
Carefully press each round into muffin pan, taking care to prevent holes.
Beat eggs and add milk.
Gently stir in remaining ingredients. Fill each muffin cup with egg mixture.
Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes, until golden brown on top.

I left after breakfast was served and the kitchen had been cleaned, but I hear the party continued long into the day. I think I also heard the remark “what happens at Amy’s, stays at Amy’s…”

Names and identities have been concealed in order to protect the innocent and not-so-innocent…

If you would like assistance in planning or managing your next party, contact me!

Anniversary Weekend

This past weekend, Ben and I celebrated six years of being married. That seems like a lot for two people still younger than thirty, but we've been hanging out together for a long time - thirteen years to be exact!

I, of course, loved every aspect of planning our wedding, right down to the last detail. For some it's maddening, but I loved scouring the design and fashion magazines, searching websites for the perfect vendors, planning a menu that would keep people talking for years to come, and of course putting our personalized touches on everything. Despite the torrential downpour that flooded the near east side of Columbus that steamy August afternoon, just as our guests arrived (yes, that has kept people talking for years to come too!), everything was perfect - but who wouldn't say that about their own wedding. As long you're married at the end of the day, nothing else matters!

Photo: Banks Photography

So this Saturday, we celebrated with a fabulous meal at G. Michael's in German Village. We shared a bottle of Merlot and Fried Green Tomatoes, I stuffed myself silly with the Wild Pacific Salmon, Ben mmmed and ahhhed over the Grilled Pork Tenderloin, and then as if that wasn't enough, we topped of the night with a giant brownie sundae with Jeni's Ice Cream! (Did I mention that it's ok to indulge for special occasions?!)

It was late when we left the restaurant, but we decided to visit the place where we were married six years earlier anyway. Franklin Park Conservatory is a true gem of Columbus, and easily one of my favorite places to visit in the city. At least, we figured, we'd be able to walk through the gardens, the night sky lit by the illuminated Palm House. As it turns out, another couple also thought August 15th would be a great day to get married - we could hear the roaring party inside! And the front door was unlocked! Yep - for our sixth anniversary, we wedding crashed! No worries, we didn't hit up the buffet, bum a drink from the bar, or break it down on the dance floor! We just poked around the exhibits, and happened upon an empty rooftop terrace that we had all to ourselves!

In many ways, planning our wedding really fueled my passion for planning parties and entertaining – so much, in fact, that I had a bit of wedding planning withdrawal when we returned from our honeymoon. Perhaps one day I’ll share more of the details that made our wedding unique and special…

Entertaining is about celebrating and sharing an important moment in your life with friends and family. A party should highlight a moment in time, share a piece of yourself, and surround the setting with personalized touches that make your guests feel welcome.

Living Well can help make your next party special and memorable. Throw a surprise party, celebrate a milestone, amaze with a meal, or make a great first impression with a beautiful and unique invitation. Contact me to begin planning your next occasion!

Later this week, I meet with a client to plan an annual Back To School Brunch. Stay tuned for a complete summary with all of the details!