Progressive Dinner Political Party Prep | Steak Frites Alongside Truffle Fries & Carbernet Thyme Mushrooms

Our entertaining fashion has definitely evolved a piffling chip since we've had Emma.  Before she was born nosotros hosted our friends all of the fourth dimension to long, lingering dinners roughly the tabular array amongst multiple bottles of vino - it was our favorite agency to pass the weekend.

From the fourth dimension she was half dozen months until she was nearly a twelvemonth together with a half, nosotros would invite friends over at seven for drinks, seat Emma to bed at 8 together with served dinner at 8:15.  It worked perfectly when her bedtime routine was beingness rocked for 10 minutes together with she cruel asleep, done.

Nowadays, her bedtime routine looks to a greater extent than similar : playing dress-up for 20 minutes, dancing for 20 minutes, running roughly for 20 minutes, together with thence reading books for a one-half hour... it is drawn-out to nation the least.  We honey the routine during the week, because it is a fun, no TV merely fun together with dizzy fourth dimension for us to pass amongst her.  However... it makes it difficult to convey a post-bedtime adult-only dinner piece they're waiting on yous to seat her down.

So, entertaining at our trouble solid has move to a greater extent than household unit of measurement friendly - which nosotros love, but sometimes I larn the itch to convey ane of those lovely, long together with lingering candlelight together with multiple bottles of vino dinners similar the erstwhile days.

I planned the weekend every bit a piffling process for everyone, Emma got to remain the nighttime at her Mimi & Papi's house, together with I planned a fun progressive dinner political party amongst some of our friends.  We went to ane of the neighbors for Cocktail Hour, hither for dinner, together with thence to the final couple's for dessert.  It was such a swell fourth dimension together with the nutrient together with drinks was fabulous at every house.

Earlier inwards the twenty-four hours I made out my to-do listing together with schedule for the political party every bit I e'er exercise - an erstwhile habit from catering days.  Getting a timeline downwardly on newspaper truly helps me hold upward on autopilot, otherwise, I'll merely continue thinking nearly what happens when together with it volition drive me crazy.  

This was the simplest carte du jour I intend I've ever prepared.  The prep piece of job literally took me thirty minutes... which gave me a piffling to a greater extent than fourth dimension to pass on the table.



Last calendar week was a beautiful calendar week amongst a tiny glimpse of jump for a twain of days... together with forthwith it is going to snowfall ane time to a greater extent than this week.  For the dinner party, I wanted it to experience similar jump thence used majestic hyacinth together with daffodils "arranged" inwards drinking glasses.  I similar to continue the flowers truly uncomplicated together with casual for friendly dinner parties, otherwise it tin experience a piffling also fussy for my style.  But, I exercise similar the tabular array to experience total together with festive, thence I e'er brand certain I convey enough of candles together with ordinarily multiple pocket-size bunches of flowers.  I similar it to await fresh together with pretty, but non also lean - hosting friends should hold upward nearly sharing bounty together with abundance. 

For the candles, I used my novel favorite Thin Taper candles.  This is a tip I "borrowed" from Eddie Ross a twain of years agone when he led me on a tour of the Creative Candle mill (the same candles I forthwith comport inwards the store). 








He said he frequently uses an array of drinking glass containers downwardly a tabular array amongst candles laid inwards bounding main salt.  I honey the consider together with piece of job it all of the fourth dimension - particularly inwards the summertime amongst pillar candles. 

I used my Anna Wheatherly pulverization bluish gilt rimmed plates - I honey how they await amongst the yellowish daffodils - together with classic white hemstitch linen napkins.

 

Dinner was thence uncomplicated - together with ane of my favorite meals yet.  No surprise, Beef Tenderloin was the centerpiece.  It tin hold upward a piffling pricey, but it is merely thence darn piece of cake together with fabulous that it is worth it.  Prep is uncomplicated - drizzle amongst olive oil, tabular array salt together with pepper.  Full recipe here.   I'll portion the residue of the total recipes this week.

We've truly been into roasting these "colorful" carrots lately.  Simple, fresh together with beautiful to serve. 

I cooked mushrooms all twenty-four hours inwards garlic, ruby-red vino together with thyme... so, thence good.  I served them piled upward adjacent to the beef on the platter, together with the sauce on the side.  This was my start fourth dimension tiresome cooking them - together with I can't hold off to brand them again.  Well, actually, I already did final nighttime for dinner.   So good.

Another novel favorite, well, an erstwhile favorite, but the start fourth dimension I've made them at home.  The large cloak-and-dagger is that I used frozen french fries, together with thence dressed them upward amongst truffle oil, parmesan together with thyme.  Completely amazing.  I'll also hold upward making these ane time to a greater extent than very, real soon. 

As always, when I'm planning a dinner political party I similar to create a carte du jour that tin hold upward made inwards advance.  For this dinner, everything was made before inwards the day, together with thence popped inwards the oven during cocktail hour.  Simple.  

Here is the tabular array all laid before nosotros headed out for cocktail hour.



























Dinner is served.  I snapped this photograph merely before everyone sat downwardly for dinner. 



I honey to seat everything on ane platter - beef downwardly the middle, together with mushrooms together with carrots piled on the sides.  You tin meet the truffle fries on the other corner of the table.  I walked the large platter roughly together with served everyone piece they passed the fries together with sauce - it makes a real friendly together with casual serving fashion together with gives me a conduct a opportunity to chat amongst everyone.

I'll hold upward sharing the residue of the recipes this calendar week together with promise to larn the recipes nosotros enjoyed at the other houses, also - Amy's Goat Cheese & Peppadew Dip together with Annie's Mocha Silk Pie were both amazing.    Hope yous are off to a swell week.

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