Saturday, June 15, 2013

ONLY GOOD FRIENDS EAT BAD PIE...............and a giveaway winner!!

It was Blog Birthday Party week and my
party planning started the night before when I
Baked up a batch of these wonderful
Pillsbury Pink Lemonade cookies
To send the ladies off with a party
Favor....

I found the coveted 100th Anniversary
Ball jars and used those to house the cookies....
the jar fit a perfect 9 cookies...made with a 1"
cookie scoop....they fit perfectly...
Next up was Pesto Pasta Salad...
always made with Bow Tie pasta....
has anyone noticed that Ronzoni is skimping
on the box size....when did they reduce it to only
12 oz........?
I found this at Walmart....perfect when not
making a ton of cupcakes....
this makes 12 large or 24 mini....
I opted for the mini size and I frosted them
with Pillsbury Pink Lemonade icing....
This was a small package but priced
accordingly
One of the birthday ladies loves Flamingos....
So of course my theme was pink polka dots...
and Flamingos... 

I found the Flamingo themed items at everyone's
Favorite.....Dollar Tree...
How cute are these straws....
We had raspberry fizzy lemonade.....
I used one of my many quilts as a table cover...
and my Milk Glass....
I always set the table the night before.....
and I knew over a month ago just what
it was going to look like......
I love to throw a good luncheon....
My mini cupcakes....
All Pretty in Pink!!
Hydrangeas from my yard.....
Story about these beauties to follow....
it's a "DUH" moment....


Country Living had a little Blurb about
making a soap dispenser from a Ball Jar...
So I added it to the cookie jar with
ribbon so the ladies could make their
own soap dispenser once the cookies are
Gone....
one more picture because it's just
too damn cute!!

On the Menu.....
Italian wedding Soup....
I cranked down the air in the house since
it was 95 degrees out on Wednesday...
so it was soup weather inside...
we also had...
Pesto Pasta salad....
Turkey...Bacon and Tomato
Club Sandwiches on Honey Wheat bread.
let's not discuss the Key Lime Pie....
mini cupcakes....
Chocolate cake....that Sandie brought
fresh fruit....that Cheri brought...


Okay so you insist on knowing about the Pie....
which leads me to the title of this post...
I tried my hand at Houston's Key Lime Pie.
a copy-cat recipe....
it seems you really need to follow the
instructions and more importantly
the ingredients list....
I fell short by a can of sweetened condensed
Milk...
so I thought I had adjusted the recipe
with the rest of the ingredients  enough to
compensate for the missing can...
I added less Lime juice....Honest...
something went horribly wrong...
In my 50 plus years of baking....this had to
have been the single worse thing I have ever made..
And I make really good stuff....
Tart in an understatement...
BUT.....
when you have good friends and they
appreciate your hard work....
Well.....they eat it anyway with no
complaints....
Love you guys....
Me...I took one taste after they left and it
promptly went down the disposal...
the birthday gals got lots of gifts...

Okay who recognizes that polka dot plate....
Only Northerners will....
They came from the infamous...
Christmas Tree Shoppes....
$1.99 each
I have the matching bowls too.
I love a good club sandwich and never thought to
make them at home...
they were wonderful if I have to say so myself...
three pieces of honey wheat bread minus the crust
turkey breast and mayo...
lettuce...tomato...bacon...extra crisp.
a thin slice of Vermont White Cheddar...
here are the "girls" waving to our friend
Joyce who couldn't make it....but was
sunning herself on the beach at
Hilton Head....
I'm sure if she knew Key Lime Pie
was being served she would have made the trip
back to Atlanta..


talk about a fabulous cake...
Sandie brought this from Publix...
they do make a great cake...
Linda.....who is celebrating the
"Year of Linda".....by ending the year
with a trip to Paris.....
We are all very excited for her....

here is non-blogger Denise....
opening Sandie's gift....
Denise you might remember is my
old next door neighbor.....
she's become an honorary blogger...
she got this really cool glass bird feeder...
Linda got a Flamingo fleece blanket...
isn't it cute....I found it at Ikea...
time to leave....a storm was brewing....
and Cheri had a long drive home...
can you see all the bags they are leaving with
That is the sure sign of a good blog get together...
everyone always brings little gifts for everyone....
I sent them home with food!!
I had to get a group picture.....


and here is the Hydrangea episode.....
So we are sitting around the table and I comment
How the hydrangeas were all droopy...
I had just cut them maybe two hours before and here
they were looking dead...
This picture was taken when first cut....
So between five somewhat intelligent women....
we are trying to figure out why they were
Lifeless....
the ones I had on the island were fine...
the ones on my coffee table were fine...
here's the conversation...
"is the temperature different over here?"
"is it cooler over there on the island?"
"when did you cut these?"
"Is the air conditioning on?"
"Could it be hotter in this part of the kitchen"

Well you get the idea.....
Now let me say three of us were sitting in front  of
the flowers...and two behind...
So I guess I can't say there were 5 idiots
discussing this...
Linda finally gets up from the back of the table as
we are all up from our seats still wondering
why the flowers are dying before our eyes....
When Linda says.....
"Gee do you think these candles you have right
in front of the flowers could be the cause".....
My Duh moment....as Linda said it with
sarcasm in her voice...
Yup.....I had three candles on the table right in front of the
flowers.....dumb is an understatement...
My neighbor happened to be outside to get her
mail so we grabbed her to take a picture of
us all.....
It was a great day....the ladies knew I needed
a "friends understand everything" kind of day...
Everybody needs Blog Friends....

And now for my stripe obsession give-away
Loved everyone's obsessions....
I was not surprised by all the china comments...
the flower obsessions....Pondside's shoe
obsession was priceless how she described
the shoes all over her house...

Janice has a fondness for Louis Vuitton....
Oh me too!!
Sarah of Hyacinths for the Soul
has an obsession for embroidery scissors...that's
very cool....she has one like the Eiffel Tower...
There were Book obsessions and of course
Chocolate and food in general....
And there was Mr. Sullivan with his
peanut butter pickle sandwich obsession??
BUT the craziest obsession...
and that's what we were looking for...
Came from non-blogger but dedicated blog
reader.....
Marcia of New Jersey....
She has an obsession for
anything denim and cigar boxes.....
It seems my dear friend Marcia is somehow stuck
back in the 70's.....
So with that said....
Marcia....e-mail me some info about
yourself....
your address of course....
your size if you wish to give it....
what colors you like...
and what colors are in your kitchen....
Something wacky with stripes
will be sent to you shortly.....
so I can feed my stripe obsession....

Thanks for all your comments!!

Oh and one more thing....
**Please visit Deborah at The Fairfield House.  Her Mother will be celebrating her 80th Birthday this month and Deborah is hoping to have 80 handmade paper butterflies to hang in her Mom's room.  Her Mother has Alzheimer's and it's left her lost and depressed.  Deborah is hoping to make this a very special birthday and her Mom loves butterflies.  They need to be to her my June 25th, and I'm hoping some of you can help out.  I'm going to make one tomorrow and mail it Monday!**

16 comments:

Sarah said...

Looks like you girls had a great time together. How thoughtful of you to host this birthday lunch. Cute idea to put the cookies in the jars. I've ordered some for myself and some for gifts. Congratulations to Marcia!

Barbara F. said...

I read Linda's post before I visited you. You certainly know how to throw a wonderful luncheon. Love the table and menu. xo

Chatty Crone said...

Girl besides being THE BEST HOSTESS EVER - you are a great writer too. And photo taker - gosh those were just gorgeous girls there - you have the prettiest friends!!!

All kidding aside - if only others could come and see your generosity and fabulous table setting - they would be green with envy!

I am so thrilled and grateful to be part of the Atlanta Rat Pack!

Thanks again.

Sandie

Cheri said...

I love Sandie's comments and those are my sentiments exactly. Love the name she gave us, "Atlanta Rat Pack." LOL

Linda @ A La Carte said...

Sue I am laughing and enjoying your post so much! We did have the BEST time (key lime pie included) and you took such great photos. I love the one of me holding my Flamingo blanket! We all needed this get together and yes the 'Atlanta Rat Pack' is alive and well. We did miss Joyce but I know she enjoyed this post! Thanks again for being the best hostess and great friend!
hugs, Linda

Dianne Foster said...

Delightful, absolutely delightful all-around! Through your wonderful writing and photo-sharing, I feel like I was there! The table, menu and theme ... but, most of all, the friends around a table is pure joy! Thanks for sharing!

Sarah ~ Magnolias Attic said...

Well, I have read everybody's posts about this party -- looks like you girls had a rollicking good time! The key lime pie and hydrangeas stories! And those squishy pink flamingos!

Jill said...

I'm here from Chatty Crone. Love your luncheon ideas. Your tablescape if stunning and it all looks like so much fun!

Helen said...

Nothing sweeter (even sinful desserts) than the smiling faces of beautiful lady bloggers (in Atlanta!)

Cheryl @ TFD said...

Hi! Visiting from Sandies blog. Your table and the food looks fabulous! Love the cookies in the jar idea. Glad you gals got together and had such fun! Great photos.

Kelly said...

I know from experience that you know how to throw a great party! This one was no exception. I love the pastel garden colors you used for your table setting and the cupcakes. Everything looked so festive. I have no doubt that the food was heavenly! Looks like everyone had a great time. Too funny about the hydrangeas "duh" moment! You obviously had other things on your mind that day. LOL!

Susan said...

Oh gosh, everything looked great! Loved the quilt on the table and the sweet little cupcakes, everything.

And best of all, you got to meet with such sweet friends! Thanks for sharing. Susan

Catherine said...

Dear Sue, I am new to visiting your blog. I was directed here from Sandie.
What a beautiful day you blogging ladies had. Everything looked wonderful, especially the smiles.
What a fun and lovely idea to get together.
Blessings, Catherine

Marie said...

Everything looks so very lovely! Glad you gals had fun! :)

Anonymous said...

Forget that pie recipe. Go to drink mixer section of supermarket and buy a bottle of Nellie & Joe's Famous Key West Lime Juice and follow the recipe on the bottle.

I peeked back into the kitchen of the best bakery in town one year and they had huge bottles of the stuff lined up on the shelf and were turning out and selling pies by the dozen.

PEACHES said...

Looks like a fun party! I am so jealous of that flamingo blanket. Get me to ikea!

...off to look into those butterflies.