A Dirt Party

This weekend, Nathan hosted a dirt party. Because I'm not especially capable of helping with things like moving, digging, or anything else that might require some arm strength and height I do not have, we bribed some truy awesome friends with beer and food.

Speaking of food, this was the first time I used our kitchen since it's been up and running (which yes, did happen the day before/day of the dirt party.) Because we essentially doubled (tripled?) our counter space, both my mother-in-law and I could chop vegetables/fruit AT THE SAME TIME. There was enough space to serve everything on the counters, too. Amazing.

On the Menu, in case you ever have a dirt party:

Chips/Salsa/Pretzels
Sloppy Joes (make sure you plug the crockpot in)
This pasta salad (for those of you were were asking for the recipe)
Fruit Salad
Grandma's chocolate cake (basically Texas Sheet cake)
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting, from Elisabeth Hasselbeck's Deliciously G-Free Cookbook
Rice Krispie Treats

Shelby had a friend come over, too, and just saying: Best. Dog Exercising. Ever.

Wedding Shower Recipes

Here are the recipes for the treats I made for Kelley's shower this weekend.

Petit Cheesecakes from the “Colorado Cache” cookbook
18-22 servings

3 8-ounce packages cream cheese
1 cup sugar
5 eggs
1 t vanilla
2 cups sour cream
1/3 cup sugar
1/2  t vanilla

Cream until fluffy the cream cheese and 1 cup sugar. Add eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Bake at 300 degrees for 40 minutes in paper line muffin tins (2/3 full). Remove from oven and allow to “sink in.” Frost with sour cream mixed with 1/3 cup sugar and 1/2  t vanilla. Return to the oven for 5 minutes. Cool and freeze, muffin tin and all. When ready to serve, thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes. Top with fruit.

Devil’s Food Mini Cupcakes from “Cupcakes” cookbook
18 cupcakes

3 1/2  T soft margarine
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 cup flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper (need 18 regular-sized cupcakes, can be mini). Put the margarine, sugar, eggs, flour, baking soda, and cocoa in a large bowl and using an electric hand whisk, beat together until just smooth. Using a metal spoon, fold in sour cream. Spoon batter into cups. Bake for 20 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool. Frost with cream cheese or chocolate frosting

Lemon Cupcakes (recipe turned into mini cupcakes, not a loaf cake. Frost with favorite cream cheese frosting.)
White Sangria