Party Menu

Every year for our party we have a plan. An actual menu where we plan out in advance what goodies we will serve. It starts off as a balanced menu of sweet and savory so that there is something to satisfy everyone. The plan is always in place to not attempt anything too over the top, or too labor intensive, and to be sure that there is enough food, but not so much that people are overwhelmed. Well the plan starts that way. I swear it does.

Last year we started the menu in October. What was good the year before? What did no one eat? What was too complicated? What should have been warm but was cold, what needed to be cold but got warm? What looked gross at the end of the night? We came up with a well balanced, achievable menu.

Then we had cookie day at Kristin’s, and someone made these key lime crescent cookies. Now the crescent part was really hard, but the cookies were delicious. I thought maybe balls would be easier than crescents. So that was added to the menu. It was just one more thing.

Kat saw a shrimp ring at a work event and thought how easy that would be. I mean, really? It’s just shrimp, and cocktail sauce. People love it. So that was a second thing.

Paul was sitting on the couch and noticed the list. “Is this the party menu?” He sat down and went through it. “I don’t think there is enough food for a big crowd. We should serve a ham. Ham is very festive for a party”. So Paul added ham to the menu.

Matthew took his turn with the list. “I am sure that there is not enough food Mama, did you forget the tiny tomatoes with cheese and the basil? Gramma still has fresh basil! That is a good one Mama, people love it.” So Matthew added this to the list.

And one thing led to another, and the next thing you know there is 2 hours of setting out food, and not enough table space for all of it. I had to set out trays of cookies on the coffee table to make room for the food on the table

No one goes home hungry at our house!

This year, however, we have really pared the menu down and things will be under control. I mean 16 flavors of fudge is control right? 2 kinds of mice? Maybe only 3 (or 4) kinds of cookies? Definitely under control.