A Shower for Baby Carlos

I am really the luckiest person in the world. When I moved to Dallas after spending my entire life just a couple miles from San Francisco I never, ever, dreamed how well everything would click. Quite honestly, I have found that when I face fear head on, I end up putting myself on a path of personal growth and success...to the point where sometimes I'm sobered, at what would have happened if I would have said "no thank you" instead of "yes" and then panicking about the thought of the task later.

That sums up how I approached cooking and baking. When my mother passed away in July of 08, I hired a caterer for her wake. (He did an amazing job...btw. My caterer was my friend Faylene Bandar's 19 year old son Nathan Kaplan, who had received the culinary award from Terra Nova High School. He did the shopping, planned the menu, set the table. Everything.

I was in a fog that day so I don't remember what he served, but when he appeared from my kitchen when everything was just about over, he received a round of applause. That I remember very well.

So here I am, an orphan, and although I entertained very often, I really didn't cook or bake. I just never had time to learn. I went through brief periods so I knew if I had a recipe I could do it, but I also never made the same thing twice.

Just before this I had a little birthday party and my dear friends gave me things like salt & pepper shakers, cutting boards, and a butcher block knife set. I actually received a few salt & pepper shaker sets at that party...my friends must have talked.  :)

I was going through my mother's things, which brought me to my father's things, which brought me to his father's things. My grandfather, Silvio Conciatore, was a renowned chef in San Francisco. My cousin Gina is amazing so I was hoping the talent ran in the family. It was at that moment that I decided if he could do it, I could do it, and my culinary adventure began.

Fast forward to last Saturday, the day before Easter. I still don't cook or bake every day. I'm really trying to just cook a home cooked meal once a week because of my schedule, but when I do cook, I love it.

My dear friend Kristi Mayne was at my home for a jewelry launch party (I sell Parklane...gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous) and we were talking about her pregnancy and I told her that I'd love to throw a shower for her, and that I've never, ever, EVER thrown a shower for anyone. Not a bridal shower, baby shower, engagement...never but I really wanted to. She was kind enough to accept the offer and with the help of my friend, Viv Demianiw the planning began.

I promised I'd post all of the recipes used for the shower. I do want to add quickly that I have a definite style. Because I have so little time (or at least I feel I have so little time) I lean very heavily on simple. I remember reading that the Barefoot Contessa recommends just having 3 homemade items at a party so you can enjoy the party. I have a twist on that. Generally, in regards to what I'm serving, I'll have several items that I can get to the table with my hands tied behind my back, and than one item that is a little more time consuming. For the most part, I choose things that make a dramatic presentation, but are, for the most part, simple.

Kristi's Baby Shower Menu

Crab Quiche

Tea Sandwiches

Grape Salad

Blue Cloud Punch

Chocolate Dipped Pretzels

Cupcakes

Coffee Bar

Viv was sweet enough to bring the cupcakes and humus. Both could have been made but I wanted to focus on the chocolate dipped pretzels.

 

Crab Quiche - The Crab Quiche was made by my daughter Alyson who is 15. My crab quiche recipe is essentially the same as a traditional quiche recipe, but I use a little mustard as well. Four to six eggs (depends on the size of the pie plate, casserole dish). My crab quiche is the same as my crab casserole but one has a crust and the other doesn't. Just over cup half & half, two cups shredded cheese (I like to use a combo of monterrey jack and cheddar even though the traditional cheese used for quiche is gruyere), crab (we used a packaged frozen crab), just under one tablespoon of mustard (dijon or yellow, depends how much of the taste you are shooting for), a frozen pie crust and salt and pepper. 375/45 minutes.

Tea Sandwiches - Often I take an idea I've seen on a cooking show, or read in a magazine and make it my own. I do that because I'm too lazy to read the recipe twice. So I just made an interpretation and go with it. I've been pretty lucky. (That is why my recipes have so much room for your own flare.) I did make an exception when it came to my Tea Sandwiches. The Paula Deen idea I used to create mine is just too close to not give Paula credit. Here is a link to the recipe and a video. The sandwiches were so easy I was able to get a little assembly line going during the shower and my sweet friend Kimberley Smith and Alyson sliced the bread and did the garnish. We used bacon bits, parsley and chopped pecans.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/engagement-ring-finger-sandwiches-recipe/index.html



Grape Salad - I enjoyed this a few years ago at a PTA meeting. I wanted to ask for the recipe but missed my window so I got lucky with google. I put a little twist on this, but not enough to say it was my own.

http://www.food.com/recipe/grape-salad-with-a-twist-236360

Blue Cloud Punch - Finally an original recipe, even though I'm sure with a few keyboard strokes and google someone is doing something similar. I used vanilla ice cream, and Blue Mt. Dew. It was magical.



Chocolate Dipped Pretzels - My dear friend Lauren Labar has really inspired me. She's the biggest reason I've brought back the food blog. She was kind enough to pass this tutorial to me so I'm going to share it with y'all. It took time, but it was worth it. I was even able to find blue chocolate.

http://www.lovefromtheoven.com/2011/02/02/chocolate-covered-pretzel-tutorial/