The Warming Of The Home

After what seemed to be a never ending battle with an Internet provider I now have Internet access in my new home!! I know I am a ton of post behind and my phone is filled with so many meals I can't wait to share. I also leave for Japan this Friday so to catch up I will be posting backwards to get you all caught up on the food madness that has been my life for the past week. For those that don't remember two weeks ago I moved into my new home, that was the reason for the lack of Internet, and last night I threw a house warming so my friends could check out my new space. The weather has FINALLY decided to warm up and stay that way so I threw a cookout themed party.

I have never grilled out alone but hey how hard could it be right. You start a fire and throw the food on the grill. Now please excuse the lack of pictures between grilling, hosting and drinking I forgot to snap quite a few of my menu items. For the grilling portion of the meal. I foil roasted whole ears of corn with garlic butter, rosemary potatoes, chili and soy marinaded mushrooms, Kroger's Meatless Burger Patties and Smart Life Veggie Dogs.

The night before the party I made a pasta salad from my cookbook. I always make pasta salad the night before a party because it gives it gives the pasta time to soak up all the spices. There was also a spread of chips with Wholly Salsa guacamole. ( I do take short cuts from time to time) 

My favorite cousin Christy came down from St Louis and with her she brought are fondue fountain machine. No party is complete with dessert and I honesty did not have one in mind so this ALMOST worked out perfectly. I went to Mary Carter's to get the dark chocolate that I use to make my candies and the lady instructed me to cut it with vegetable shortening so that it would flow through the fondue fountain. Well let's just say that did NOT work and me being the stubborn person that I am did EVERYTHING in my power to get it to flow. Even to the point of taking it apart while it was still on. Yeah it started to spin and it threw chocolate all over my beautiful new kitchen. You would think I would give up after that but remember I'm stubborn. Sadly I could not get the chocolate thin enough to keep flowing so I put water in my mini crock pot and placed the bowl of chocolate on top. It wasn't a chocolate fountain but it was still chocolate and my friends dipped away. 

Now of course a party is not a party with out booze and I had a ton of beer gifted to me by a friends. My friend Lana suggested that I fill my washer up with ice and place the drinks in but I when I was at Family Dollar picking up a few odds and ends for the party I spotted a pool not just any pool but a PINK pool!! I had to have this. So I had Keithon fill it with a bit of water and Amy threw in 2 bags of ice and Ta-Da instant diva cooler. No fishing around for your favorite beverage. I also made this amazing punch that I forgot to take a picture of. I will make this for all of my parties. I poured in a bottle of champagne, a bottle of Ginger Ale a pint of Brandy and some frozen pineapples, strawberries and honeydew and topped it with fresh orange slices. This punch was amazing!! Next time I promise to take a picture of it. 

My friends never fail to amaze me. I did a registry at Target for a few odds and ends that I discovered that through the years I just neglected to buy or the ones I had needed to be replaced badly. I honestly didn't expect any gifts but my friends went above and beyond. I spent all morning putting up my new "toys" and posting pics to Facebook and Instagram. I now have a ton of brand new cooking tools that I can't wait to use!! The kitchen in my new home is by far my favorite room. 

I am not completely settled in my new home, my closet is a mess and now soon to be office is being used as storage until I get back from Japan. I leave Friday and my nerves are starting to get the best of me. All in all my house now feels like a home and I had a great time hanging out with my friends. That is my cousin taking a picture of me talking a picture of the group. Sadly I may never get the picture she took because  she dropped her phone in water at the party. I put it in a bag of rice so here's to hopping it comes back on.