Annual Girlfriends Christmas Party

This is what I will miss most about Portland! I have LOVED these party's this is my 4th one and every year this is what I look forward to! They just get better and better! This whole post came right off my friends blog- so its all of her hard work of cropping and editing these fine pictures!! It was so fun!! I am so going to miss this!! 

Thank you soooo much Emily and Alisha!! 

Here is 2009

Here is 2008

Here is 2007 and Here (it was my first one I blogged a lot about it)

Here's what they did this year: 2010

(the invites)

(back row: Carrie, Tori, Alisha, Holly, Tanya & Mandy front row: Emily, Tina with her tongue ;), Brittany & Brenda)

(the place settings and centerpiece)

(the table)

(appetizers, meal, and dessert)

(desserts & serving pieces for our dessert exchange and somehow I am missing pics of two more desserts) I got to take home the top left picture!! I LOVE IT!!

(the Christmas countdown that we made)

So much fun!! I really hope some day I can do this for some gals! It really has been so much fun! 

Thank you again you two!!

homemade fruit roll.ups

(found here)

 

Today this is what I am making, the best part about living in Oregon is the fruit, and the green that is everywhere! Today I got a box of strawberry's (and they are GOOD, BIG ones, like no white in the inside its juicy and so yummy) I got them from a guy selling by my house I talked him down to 10 bucks!!

Gourmet Grilling!

Last night we had a Gourmet Grilling party here at our house, it was a blast and the most amazing food. Alisha the gal at the bottom was our host, she did a great job and look at all the yummy food we ate.

Emily brought these Open faced sandwiches for our appetizer and they were delish!
Baquette , sliced about 1 inch thick.
Spread on top:
8oz. cream cheese, softened to room temp,
Stir in 1 dry packet of Italian Good Seasonings Dressing.
Top with:
Sliced cucumber and/or sliced tomato
Sprinkle with salt and pepper

Grilled Mushrooms

Cut centers out of very large mushrooms.

Fill emptied mushrooms with pine nuts, chopped fresh garlic, slivered parmesean cheese pieces.

Meanwhile, make a marinade consisting of:

1/2 C. Balsamic Vinegar

1 C. Olive Oil

1 tsp. coarse salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

12 leaves of fresh basil, finely sliced using a knife

Pour the marinade over the tops of the mushrooms, filling in around the pine nuts, cheese, etc.

Let sit for 30 minutes or more (up to 3 hrs.)

Grill over medium heat until tender, approximately 6-7 minutes. Rotate half-way to get cross-grilled look.

Grilled Tomatoes

Cut tomatoes in half through the middle

Place on grill, cut side down.

Cook for 2-3 minutes, then rotate 45 degrees to create cross-grilled look.

Cook another 2-3 minutes, then remove from grill.

Meanwhile, pulverize 6 garlic cloves and cook in a frying pan in hot olive oil for 2-3 minutes.

Drizzle oil/garlic mixture on the cooked side (top) of the grilled tomatoes.

Top with shredded Parmesean cheese pieces.

For the Shrimp Pineapples Skewers, link to pioneer woman's blog.Here photo via

Thanks AlishaGrilled Asparagus

Wash fresh asparagus, trim off ends

Put in a gallon ziplock bag.

Add 1/2 C. Good Seasons Italian dressing

seal bag and move asparagus around in bag to coat with dressing.

Remove asparagus from bag, place on aluminum foil, on the grill.

Grill for 3-4 minutes until asparagus is tender-crisp.

Flank Steak

Buy the flank steak at Costco (or any other good meat counter).

Poke many times with a fork.

Sprinkle with fresh ground pepper and Lawry's Season Salt.

Let stand for 15 minutes.

Grill for 5-6 minutes on med-high heat.

Let stand for 15 minutes.

Cut across the grain into thin strips and serve!

Thanks for a great party Alisha, we all enjoyed it so much!

yummy raspberrys

We have the nice conveyance of having a fruit vinegared just down the road, I have been so excited to go pick, I did my strawberry's jam making a few weeks ago. Now the sweet raspberry's came on, mmm my favorite!! So I took a girl I visit teach who just moved here and we picked along with our kids who eat far more then they collected, then came home and made the jam. It was great it made a lot more then I thought it would. I got 15 bottles out of my 3 pounds, and along with my strawberry jam I think I am set for awhile now!

The top picture turned out cute, my camera was on a different setting and I didn't know it.

Alisha's Best EVER Banana Muffins

Best Ever Banana Muffins

3 small ripe bananas

2 eggs

1/2 C. shortening

1 C. sugar

2 C. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 C. chocolate chips

In mixing bowl, beat eggs; add bananas and beat until smooth. Add shortening and sugar and mix well. Add flour, soda and salt and combine. Stir in chocolate chips. Spoon into mini-muffin pans (greased pans, if you are not using Demarle). Fills 24 mini-muffins. Bake at 300 for 25 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack. Eat. Share with the little people in your life. Eat some more. Then take the rest to friends before you down the entire batch yourself. (Or throw them in the freezer, or do something, because believe me, these bite-sized babies are hard to resist.)

I made these today and they are the very best in the world!! Thanks Alisha, I have been treated with these a few times and let me tell you... you will fall deeply in love!! I can easily eat the whole batch all by my self!