cathyboettner

Batched Cocktail–The Last Word

I had one of these during our trip to Washington, DC and it was great. So I took the plunge and bought all the stuff I need to make it. It calls for equal parts of: Gin Maraschino Liqueur Green Chartreuse (or this substitution Izarra) Lime Juice Amarena Cherry for garnish Combine and store inContinue reading “Batched Cocktail–The Last Word”

Batched Cocktail–The Paper Plane

I have seen this on a few cocktail menus and it sounded delicious, so I took the plunge and bought everything to make it. It’s equal parts of: Bourbon Aperol Amaro Lemon Juice I did 8 oz of each which made 4 cups. I poured it into a jar with a pour lid and pouredContinue reading “Batched Cocktail–The Paper Plane”

Cuban Sandwiches–a make ahead favorite

We had pork tenderloin the other night and intentionally made extra so that we would have plenty to make Cuban sandwiches. Here’s how we make them: 1 lb. thinly sliced roasted pork–I prefer the loin or tenderloin for this purpose 1 lb. deli ham 16 slices cheese–Havarti, Gouda, or Emmenthaler Dill pickle slices (we useContinue reading “Cuban Sandwiches–a make ahead favorite”

Grilled Chicken and Tortellini Salad–a great entertaining meal

This is the recipe I mentioned in my post about getting ready for houseguests. This is a favorite of mine and my husbands. Tortellini Chicken Salad with Sun Dried Tomatoes (Serves 2 generously) 4 oz cheese tortellini or other pasta, cooked, drained and cooled 4 oz grilled chicken, diced 2 marinated artichoke hearts, diced 12Continue reading “Grilled Chicken and Tortellini Salad–a great entertaining meal”

Citrus Inspired Table

I found a set of 7 Dansk “Lemon Zest” plates at a thrift store for $6 TOTAL. I think that this is a really fantastic pattern, so I found one more on Replacements.com and bought it so that I would have 8 dinner plates. This is a funny pattern because what looks like orange orContinue reading “Citrus Inspired Table”

Make Ahead Shrimp and Grits–Perfect for Entertaining

We’re having family and friends over, so I am going to make Shrimp and grits which I can get mostly done ahead of time. My family LOVES Shrimp and Grits. I love it because I can get it almost completely put together early in the day, or even the day before, and then at theContinue reading “Make Ahead Shrimp and Grits–Perfect for Entertaining”

Bruschetta with Whipped Feta, Balsamic Fig Jam, and Walnuts

I love this recipe because you can put it together well in advance and it seems fancy and it’s delicious. Start by making the Bruschetta: I used a sliced Italian loaf from Aldi and Olive Oil spray. I laid the bread on a rimmed baking tray and sprayed both sides with the olive oil cookingContinue reading “Bruschetta with Whipped Feta, Balsamic Fig Jam, and Walnuts”

Grilled Chicken and Pesto Flatbread Pizza

This is one of the things that I am making for our houseguests and there’s some easy prep work that you can do ahead of time to make getting dinner on the table in a hurry a snap. Basil Pesto: I went out to the garden and grabbed a huge handful of basil. I removedContinue reading “Grilled Chicken and Pesto Flatbread Pizza”

Hosting House Guests for the Weekend–Getting Ready

We do a LOT of hosting around here, and I especially love having houseguests because everything feels less rushed and more homey. This weekend, we are hosting college friends and since I’ve done it a lot, I am going to share my tips on how to do it without running yourself ragged, and minimizing yourContinue reading “Hosting House Guests for the Weekend–Getting Ready”

Bright and Cheerful Table

My zinnias are going absolutely crazy and providing great cover for my sweet potato vines. There are TONS of yellow and orange zinnias in the mix, so I created this table to use them. I found a pale yellow Southern Living brand flower arranging container (the lid has holes in it to hold the stems)Continue reading “Bright and Cheerful Table”