Photos from Weeknight Holiday Dinner Party

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwMbG8dPaZenrX-mhioykEsbx9_rv74nzYCOTZEi3VLFv13U2zMJl_Bgla0XWw3EHc2-1zIzxIza-NF3CGZnm_g8UVjLq3PQ_EpQq_20GrcqqsjTIUxNOFLwGre5OpBtSYJFoynNNum00/s1600/IMG_9280.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwMbG8dPaZenrX-mhioykEsbx9_rv74nzYCOTZEi3VLFv13U2zMJl_Bgla0XWw3EHc2-1zIzxIza-NF3CGZnm_g8UVjLq3PQ_EpQq_20GrcqqsjTIUxNOFLwGre5OpBtSYJFoynNNum00/s400/IMG_9280.JPG" width="400" /></a>Last week we hosted three parties.  Wheew.   Three years ago, I would have said that I'd catered 3+ parties this week.  The holidays used to be sooo much different then - I spent every night cooking and everyday shopping for ingredients.  Then, the weekends were back-to-back parties.  Loading and unloading my car and making my way to clients' homes in the ice and snow.  </div><br />I loved my job during the holidays - everyone was so gracious and their guests were usually very kind.  I was fortunate to spend festive evenings in bustling homes that were filled with holiday cheer.  The only problem was that those home weren't filled with <i>my</i> festive friends and family (except when Mike was my happy helper). <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This year we packed our holiday entertaining schedule to the max and hosted a family party (Emma's Birthday), an open house for everyone on our new street and a small dinner party.  Tonight, I'm sharing photos from our small dinner party for 5 - us, our 2 guests and Emma.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As you can see, I reworked the <a href="http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2012/12/easy-dyi-holiday-centerpiece-pale-pink.html">floral arrangement from Emma's birthday party</a> by adding clove studded oranges and red/orange amaryllis to the pink amaryllis, magnolia and cedar.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0nNvkRtVNjB9LOwWOGcQzFYUoUBPwKOaEY-4oORuMEhxHKw873HxeMXYCTvitgzthX3GMydfvUDDwkf9tivZEWnWN9QSalXS4XXkFZ1TeBEIMBhVOURJqYV5ufWAfFZSDr_rAU3h82oM/s1600/IMG_9247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0nNvkRtVNjB9LOwWOGcQzFYUoUBPwKOaEY-4oORuMEhxHKw873HxeMXYCTvitgzthX3GMydfvUDDwkf9tivZEWnWN9QSalXS4XXkFZ1TeBEIMBhVOURJqYV5ufWAfFZSDr_rAU3h82oM/s640/IMG_9247.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A photo of the simply set table just before dinner.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj93ucMKhOL2kQn41qz-I2oTC76eKyA51I4sz9CtMegk9vF0RhpXgcpvxNorK26oukm3Oqqk9aysI-UMiUrsKIhUXsG_wnboaMy4aEx7w5WIAqCV_7-_gDQgns85GvHB5qKtLmIK-NMHE/s1600/IMG_9259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj93ucMKhOL2kQn41qz-I2oTC76eKyA51I4sz9CtMegk9vF0RhpXgcpvxNorK26oukm3Oqqk9aysI-UMiUrsKIhUXsG_wnboaMy4aEx7w5WIAqCV_7-_gDQgns85GvHB5qKtLmIK-NMHE/s640/IMG_9259.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br />Light snacks with wine before dinner. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-1vMSm2LBFqBA_jg2sTgSTsLrVMDHJMBjumC9zunLHFh8W6e1PQcpT1jgcYtMDQ-Q4UUB_Ghm6RNCjTX_zaaFQ2dPm5JpQksZyb3PJTBSCFxdbUUD5X2U-6GGQobq0BBXV6pK0LTcZsI/s1600/IMG_9254.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-1vMSm2LBFqBA_jg2sTgSTsLrVMDHJMBjumC9zunLHFh8W6e1PQcpT1jgcYtMDQ-Q4UUB_Ghm6RNCjTX_zaaFQ2dPm5JpQksZyb3PJTBSCFxdbUUD5X2U-6GGQobq0BBXV6pK0LTcZsI/s640/IMG_9254.JPG" width="640" /></a><br /><br />  The evening's entertainment...<br />  <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi41ZY1babEOW6Zz1k1tsXnkxHd4QwumkVUixpAaq_yEhRk6tuzzpzZQxU5aUdRWRv5sOIyIlkfoGJ_X3c4aw2j2ni5jgtbUbvHb1jJR0EOEGoD0ZNa5XuA-zERes1YwfHyo_6WSa7uLnA/s1600/IMG_9261.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi41ZY1babEOW6Zz1k1tsXnkxHd4QwumkVUixpAaq_yEhRk6tuzzpzZQxU5aUdRWRv5sOIyIlkfoGJ_X3c4aw2j2ni5jgtbUbvHb1jJR0EOEGoD0ZNa5XuA-zERes1YwfHyo_6WSa7uLnA/s640/IMG_9261.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />Goat Cheese & Roasted Beet Salad over greens with a Lemon Vinaigrette <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNYW_PWZIre369wG6zP6re8DSOqTXVHN03qjv5euEATyUi_Fev1aYmOAH3134pjVZ96U_UMo_GGd5H1XXLrcvFUzRglWpuhKyHpOWaNlE5RA3mU62FuZLMtUfIaPffRRefpt35t1oYx68/s1600/IMG_9238.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNYW_PWZIre369wG6zP6re8DSOqTXVHN03qjv5euEATyUi_Fev1aYmOAH3134pjVZ96U_UMo_GGd5H1XXLrcvFUzRglWpuhKyHpOWaNlE5RA3mU62FuZLMtUfIaPffRRefpt35t1oYx68/s640/IMG_9238.JPG" width="640" /></a> <br /><br />A new dessert created from my old creme brulee recipe... <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVJgNHUsYf0LhuO8JHRbnisufn4sdYViwj75qAePTnJajVTkwm6X2oXmtB8JaY6HUtO5EI-9jESJn14tEorAUxMV-niQD7JjjANU58fZH1GciL5gP5uAeJREdGUoUaqnFXC0u9XBpobBo/s1600/IMG_9234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVJgNHUsYf0LhuO8JHRbnisufn4sdYViwj75qAePTnJajVTkwm6X2oXmtB8JaY6HUtO5EI-9jESJn14tEorAUxMV-niQD7JjjANU58fZH1GciL5gP5uAeJREdGUoUaqnFXC0u9XBpobBo/s640/IMG_9234.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Milk Chocolate Creme Brulee (pre-caramelized top!)</div><br />Stay tuned for recipes and more photos from our holiday parties!

Photos from Weeknight Holiday Dinner Party

Last week we hosted three parties.  Wheew.   Three years ago, I would have said that I'd catered 3+ parties this week.  The holidays use...

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