Desserts

For Saturday's barbecue I am in charge of dessert. (What a shock, to those of you who know me!) We purposely made the party potluck because it would be just too much to feed 30 people. So we are in charge of drinks, dessert, and I am making a pasta salad with veggies and feta, marinated green bean salad, and spinach dip in bread bowls--plus we will grill some sort of meat--chicken or a pork loin, probably. Also I got chips to put around, but everyone else is bringing meat, side dishes and party food to share.

I decided on my signature chocolate picnic cake with cherry chocolate ganache, two Key Lime pies, and a vanilla cake with strawberry frosting. At first it was going to be a strawberry cream cake, but then I realized that I wouldn't have room in the refrigerator to store it--with whipped cream all over and strawberries, it has to be cold! So then I changed it to a caramel layer cake, but then I realized I was out of brown sugar and evaporated milk to make the caramel frosting, and I really want the cakes to be finished tonight. So strawberry frosting it will be. Basically it's a buttercream with strawberry preserves beaten in (along with cream rather than milk) and decorated with sliced strawberries. Should be good.

Tomorrow I will make the pastry for the pies, and the lime filling. The whipped cream will have to wait till we serve. Weepy whipped cream is NOT a good thing! Tomorrow evening I will make the pasta salad, the green beans, and the spinach dip. I will also try to do the bulk of the cleaning, because on Saturday morning we have to "clean" outside--clean the patio, set the tables and chairs, rake up the straw from the chickens, de-poop the yard (what do you expect with a dog and 7 chickens?!), fill the bird feeders, cut flowers, etc. I also can't make the spiked lemonade till guests are arriving because it has ginger ale, which would go flat. I do have to make the ice ring tomorrow, though...now I'm just thinking out loud!

I got an awesome punch bowl and 35 cups from the thrift shop for $5 last week! (No the cups don't all match, but the bowl has 12 matching cups plus the hooks, and the remaining 23 cups are in 3 different designs. I don't mind as they're all very pretty.) We ran everything through the dishwasher with vinegar in the rinse cup, and it came out sparkling. It'll be nice to serve punch from a huge bowl rather than a pitcher, and with an ice ring made of lemonade, mint and lemon slices will be very pretty.

I probably should go to bed....the thought of all the work ahead makes me want to hide!

Jen