THE DINNER PARTY SERIES

The dinner party series was a project started by Jose and I back in late 2018 as conscious effort to connect with some of our favorite people. As adults approaching 30, okay will be 30 this year, we wanted to create a get together in our new space once a month with a few of our favorite couples to catch up and, of course, gather over a delicious home-cooked meal. We believe connections made face to face, like dinner parties, are often priceless. Whether we are inviting new friends to meet up or renewing friendships the dinners we host are about so much more than eating.

No formal invitations or dress code is required. Table settings provided by local thrift store finds featuring antique coral plates and Ball Mason jars, Walmart flatware and World Market cactus linens finish it off. I always make sure to have a glass carafe filled with a seasonal fruit to flavor the water. The menu is usually catered to our guests, gathering inspiration from Joanna Gaines Magnolia Table Cookbook and of course some of my own personal favorite family recipes, which I’ll be sharing more throughout this blog, but we’ve all also gotten creative when it comes to diet requirements and restrictions. But you better believe we’re all sharing something sweet and savory by the end of the night.

No games no agenda we talk about what we want to talk about not what we have to talk about. We are raw, we are real we are just being adults. No kids, no pets, no stress we want to just get away mentally for a few hours and we invite you to join us.

As 2019 continues, so does the dinner party series. We have even extended the dinner party to a our book club for a collaboration that will be so much fun! But,  of course,  as you know we’re planning the ultimate dinner party for October 12. So whether you’re on the invite list for any of those, or not, we would love to gather over a delicious meal and just be real.

XoXo

Britt

FINDING ARIZONA KITCHENS: ZUPPA TOSCANA

Practicing my wifey skills in the kitchen I have learned to make a damn good soup! And once you master a skill you really see how far you can take it. I have done it you guys! I have recreated The Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana! And here it is- Print it and add to your recipe collection.

Ingredients:

• 1  Lb Ground Italian Sausage

• 3  Tbls Butter

• 2  Tbls Flour

• 2  C Milk

• 4  C Chicken Broth

• 3  Lg Potatoes Thinly Sliced

• 1  Bunch De-stemmed Kale

• Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Get yourself a nice ground italian sausage meat. I like a spicy one and recommend getting fresh from a deli. Yes, I have made it with the Walmart meats, but there is a difference. After you brown the sausage remove from pan and leave the grease!

2. Melt butter in grease and whisk flour. We are making a ROUX people! Basically the best beginning to a gravy- flour and fat! This is an important step: cook flour a few minutes to remove flour taste, like 35 minutes on low heat.

3. Once the Roux is thick, add the milk 1 cup at a time. Wisk in with fork. (if you stop after 1 cup you have an amazing gravy and my family’s secret gravy recipe, so you are welcome). Add salt and pepper if desired. 

4. Next add the chicken broth. One cup at a time, stir until it reaches rolling boil. Re add the sausage.

5. While the broth is boiling up, slice potatoes into 1/8 - 1/4 inch add to boiling broth. Drop in slowly as not to splash and burn yourself.

6. While the papatoes cook, wash and de stem your kale. Once potatoes are fork tender (about 10- 15 minutes) add kale and lid stirring occasionally. Boil for 10 minutes to soften kale.

7. Serve it warm and feed 4-6 people. You can store leftovers for only a day if they last but also because the potatoes start getting mushy after day 2. There probably wont be left overs thought, js.

Let me know what you think, and how it turned out!

XoXo Britt

Copy of FINDING ARIZONA KITCHENS: ZUPPA TOSCANA

Practicing my wifey skills in the kitchen I have learned to make a damn good soup! And once you master a skill you really see how far you can take it. I have done it you guys! I have recreated The Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana! And here it is- Print it and add to your recipe collection.

Ingredients:

• 1  Lb Ground Italian Sausage

• 3  Tbls Butter

• 2  Tbls Flour

• 2  C Milk

• 4  C Chicken Broth

• 3  Lg Potatoes Thinly Sliced

• 1  Bunch De-stemmed Kale

• Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Get yourself a nice ground italian sausage meat. I like a spicy one and recommend getting fresh from a deli. Yes, I have made it with the Walmart meats, but there is a difference. After you brown the sausage remove from pan and leave the grease!

2. Melt butter in grease and whisk flour. We are making a ROUX people! Basically the best beginning to a gravy- flour and fat! This is an important step: cook flour a few minutes to remove flour taste, like 35 minutes on low heat.

3. Once the Roux is thick, add the milk 1 cup at a time. Wisk in with fork. (if you stop after 1 cup you have an amazing gravy and my family’s secret gravy recipe, so you are welcome). Add salt and pepper if desired. 

4. Next add the chicken broth. One cup at a time, stir until it reaches rolling boil. Re add the sausage.

5. While the broth is boiling up, slice potatoes into 1/8 - 1/4 inch add to boiling broth. Drop in slowly as not to splash and burn yourself.

6. While the papatoes cook, wash and de stem your kale. Once potatoes are fork tender (about 10- 15 minutes) add kale and lid stirring occasionally. Boil for 10 minutes to soften kale.

7. Serve it warm and feed 4-6 people. You can store leftovers for only a day if they last but also because the potatoes start getting mushy after day 2. There probably wont be left overs thought, js.

Let me know what you think, and how it turned out!

XoXo Britt

WEDDING COOKIES

I know what you’re thinking- Britt is finally planning and posting about the wedding. Not quite! I am, however, practicing my wifey skills in kitchen and whipping up some Christmas cookies to fill our fun new cookie jar and share containers with friends and families in the area. 

Honored to be invited to my first Christmas Cookie Party, I wanted to bring my favorite: Italian Wedding Cookies. Second requirement was the recipe to share. I practiced my Adobe design skills and created a personalized recipe. Please print and share and let me know your thoughts. 

Third requirement was an ornament for an exchange and by the end of the evening I traded my tree decor for a Santa Cookie Jar! Who got the sweeter deal? 

I knead to keep this blog short so you can go get baked. Happy Holidays!

XoXo

Britt