BASIC CARDSTOCK INVITATION - WHAT YOU’LL NEED
EQUIPMENT • Computer and printer • Paper cutter or scissors • Ruler • Hole punch (optional)	MATERIALS For each invitation: • 2 sheets coordinating paper, one sheet must be printer friendly • 1 sheet cardstock or heavy weight paper • Spray mount adhesive or double stick tape • Ribbon, 1/4 to 1/2 inches wide, can be wired or unwired (optional) • Embellishment such as button or charm (optional)

BASIC CARDSTOCK INVITATION -WHAT YOU’LL DO
1.Select a fun font that goes with the theme or look of the party. Type the information, centering the text on the page.
2.Experiment with different font sizes. For example, for a dinner party in honor of a special friend, make the friend’s name several point sizes larger than the rest of the information.
3.Once the invitation is typed, print a sample on a sheet of plain paper. Make any necessary changes then, once the wording is correct, print using the printer friendly paper.
4.Use a paper cutter to cut card stock to 5X7 inches. Cut the coordinating paper so it is slightly smaller than the card stock, approximately 4 1/2 x 6 1/2 inches. Trim the printed page so it is slightly smaller than the coordinating paper, about 4 5/8 x 6 5/8 inches.
5.Use spray mount adhesive to attach the printed invitation to the paper, then attach the paper to the cardstock.

OPTIONAL:
The invitation can be embellished by punching two small holes 1/4 inch apart in its top and running a ribbon through them. Other embellishments such as buttons, charms, or beads can be attached to the ribbon.

FRINGED NAPKINS - WHAT YOU’LL NEED
EQUIPMENT • Iron • Sewing machine or Stitch Witchery • Scissors • Measuring tape	MATERIALS For each napkin: • 17 1/2-inch-square piece of fabric • Coordinating thread • 1 yard decorative trim

FRINGED NAPKINS - WHAT YOU’LL DO
FOR SEWING MACHINE:
1.Fold over each edge 3/8 inch and press.
2.Fold each edge over again 3/8 inch and press.
3.Stitch folded edges on sewing machine.
4.Pin and stitch decorative trim around at least two adjoining sides on sewing machine, or add trim to all four sides if desired.
NOTE: Embellishing all four sides with trim will require 2 yards of trim for each napkin

FOR VARIATION USING STITCH WITHCERY:
1.Fold over each edge 3/8 inch and press.
2.Fold each edge over again 3/8 inch and press.
3.Open second fold and insert Stitch Witchery underneath.
4.Place fold back down and press with an iron on hot setting.
5.Place Stitch Witchery below trim on edges of napkin and iron on high heat until trim is attached.
NOTE: You may need to iron longer so the heat can reach the adhesive through the thicker trim piece.

BIRD NEST PLACE CARDS - WHAT YOU’LL NEED
EQUIPMENT • Computer and Printer • Glue gun and glue sticks • Block of floral foam • Toothpicks • Scissors • Small paintbrush • Old toothbrush	MATERIALS For each bird’s nest place card: • 1 small artificial nest • A pinch of green moss • 3 plastic miniature eggs • 2 feathers • Sheet of brown paper that is printer friendly • Robin’s egg blue craft paint • Chocolate brown craft paint diluted by 50% with water

BIRD NEST PLACE CARDS - WHAT YOU’LL DO
1.Stick the sharp end of a toothpick into the small hole at the end of the plastic egg. Stick the other end of the toothpick into the block of floral foam so the egg is suspended in the air. Repeat with the rest of the eggs, leaving ample space between each egg.
2.Using a paintbrush and the blue craft paint, paint all around the eggs to coat. Allow the paint to dry and repeat with a second coat if necessary.
3.Once all of the eggs are painted, dip the toothbrush lightly into the brown paint and water mixture. Using your thumb, flick paint onto all of the eggs in a random pattern. Do not apply too much paint for the most realistic effect. Before starting, protect your work surface as paint will splatter.
4.Allow the eggs to dry. Once dry, remove the toothpicks from the egg and set the eggs aside.
5.Using the glue gun, glue some moss in the bottom of the nest.
6.Attach feathers to edge of inside of nest using a small amount of glue.
7.Glue each egg to the center of the nest- clustering all three together.
8.Type the names of your guests into your computer and print them out onto the brown paper.
9.Cut the names into strips, dovetail the ends of the strips, and wrap the strips around a pencil to give them a curved, banner like appearance. Uncurl paper strip and place the name inside nest.

LAVENDER SACHET FAVORS - WHAT YOU’LL NEED
EQUIPMENT • Scissors • Sewing machine • Needle and thread • Iron	MATERIALS For two sachets: • 1/4 yard fabric, preferably silk, in one or two coordinating colors • Pins • Sheet of paper • Rubber stamp and fabric stamp pad (optional) • 2 cups lavender or other fragrant dried herbs • 1 yard ribbon

LAVENDER SACHET FAVORS - WHAT YOU’LL DO
1.Cut out two 4 3/4-inch squares from each color fabric. Take one square of each color, place right sides face-to-face, and pin together. Stitch by hand or use a sewing machine around the perimeter of the square, allowing for a 3/8-inch seam; leave 1 inch open on one side.
2.Turn both of the sewn squares inside out and press with an iron.
3.If desired, use stamp and stamp pad to stamp image on the front of each sachet.
4.Create a cone-shape funnel with a sheet of paper and pour 1 cup of lavender florets into each sewn square. Finish each sachet by turning the selvage under on the 1-inch opening and whipstitch closed with a needle and thread.
5.Tie the two sachets together as if you were wrapping ribbon around a package. Finish with a bow at top.

NOTE: A quarter yard of fabric will make more than 2 sachets.

MENU


TOASTY SPECIALTY COCKTAIL
1 ounce vodka, chilled
1 ounce Kahlua
1 ounce Frangelico
1 ounce half and half
1 cup ice

1. Combine all ingredients in a shaker.
2. Shake well and strain into a glass.

CANNELLINI BEAN AND PORTOBELLO BRUSCHETTA - Serves 6

Olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup peeled and diced eggplant
1/4 teaspoon chili pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 19-ounce can of cannelloni beans, rinsed and drained
4 or 5 whole, peeled canned tomatoes, preferably Italian, coarsely chopped and juices reserved.
4 Portobello mushrooms, cleaned, stemmed, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 medium sized loaf country Italian bread, cut into 12-14 thin slices and toasted
1/2 cup pesto
12-14 slices mozzarella cheese
Fresh basil to garnish

1.Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
2.Over medium heat, in a large sauté pan, sauté onion in olive oil until tender, 5-6 minutes. Add eggplant, chili pepper, several large pinches of salt, and 1-2 tablespoons more oil. Cook over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until eggplant is golden brown and tender, about 2 minutes. Lower heat to medium, add garlic and continue to sauté for several minutes more. Stir in beans and chopped tomatoes and their juice. Remove from heat and set aside. (Eggplant and bean mixture may be tightly sealed and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before assembling the bruschetta.)
3.Toss mushroom slices in oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Place slices on prepared baking sheet and place in oven. Roast until soft and fully cooked, 4 or 5 minutes.
4.To assemble bruschetta, spread each slice of toasted bread with pesto. Divide roasted Portobello slices among bruschetta and spoon bean-and-eggplant mixture over the mushrooms. Top each with a slice of mozzarella. Place bruschetta on baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper.
5.Adjust oven rack to the highest position and turn oven to broil. Place baking sheet into the oven and broil just until cheese bubbles and browns and bean mixture is heated through, about 1 minute.
6.Garnish bruschetta with fresh basil leaves and serve.

PEAR AND BLUE CHEESE SALAD - Serves 6

VINAIGRETTE
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

SALAD
2 heads Bibb, Boston, or red-leaf lettuce, or a mixture
2 medium-sized ripe pears, peeled and sliced just before salad is dressed
1/3-1/2 cup blue cheese
1/3-1/2 cup honey-roasted almonds, coarsely chopped

1.In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, pulse the shallot, mustard, red wine vinegar, and honey. With processor running, drizzle in olive oil. Stop processor when vinaigrette is smooth and emulsified. If it is too thick, add water, a few drops at a time, and pulse to incorporate. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.
2.In a large bowl, combine lettuce, pears, and blue cheese. Drizzle in several large spoonfuls of vinaigrette, pouring it around the bowl in circular motions. Gently and evenly coat the sald in the dressing, adding more if necessary.
3.Garnish with almonds.

ROAST CHICKEN - Serves 6

BRINE
16 cups water
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups kosher salt

CHICKEN
2 4-to-5 pound roasting chickens, packages of innards removed

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup fresh parsley, coarsely chopped, plus 6 whole sprigs
1/4 cup fresh thyme, coarsely chopped, plus 6 whole sprigs
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped, plus 4 whole sprigs
1 tablespoon fennel seeds, crushed in a mortar and pestle or pulsed in a spice grinder
Olive oil for rubbing chickens
Freshly ground black pepper
3 medium onions, peeled and quartered
2 heads of garlic, cloves peeled

SAUCE
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup dry white wine
1-2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

-TO BRINE CHICKEN-
1.Trim chickens of excess fat around the neck and tail ends of their main cavities.
2.In a tall stockpot, deep plastic tub, or clean bucket purchased for kitchen use, mix 6 cups water, sugar, and salt until crystals have dissolved. Place chickens in the brine and weigh down, if necessary, with a piece of parchment paper and an upside down plate or two. Chickens should be completely submerged in the brine. Make more brine, if required by the dimensions of your pot or tub, using 4 cups of water to 1/2 cup salt to 1/4 cup sugar.
3. Allow chickens to brine in the refrigerator for at least 1 to 2 hours or, at most, overnight. Then remove from the brine, rinse briefly under cold water, and pat dry. Place on a foil covered sheet pan and return to the refrigerator, uncovered, for a few more hours, or as long as a day, before preparing them to roast. (The longer the skin is exposed to the dry air of the refrigerator, the crispier and browner their skin will become during roasting.)

-PREPARING HERB MIXTURE AND SEASONING CHICKEN-
1.Preheat oven to 450º F.
2.Mix softened butter, chopped herbs, and crushed fennel seeds in a bowl. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the herb butter for the sauce.
3.Sprinkle cavities of chickens with freshly ground pepper and stuff with reserved whole sprigs of parsley, thyme, and rosemary.
4.Slide fingers between the skin and flesh of the breasts, and working your way down to the legs, gently pull skin away from flesh, creating space for herb butter. Take care not to tear the skin, as herb butter will leak out during roasting.
5.Divide the herb butter between the two chickens and spread it as evenly as possible under the skin from leg to breast. Tie chicken legs together with kitchen twine and tuck the smallest wing joints behind the preceding joint. Place the chickens on their backs in a shallow, heavy bottomed roasting pan and rub with olive oil from front to back so that chickens are well greased. Grind some pepper over their breasts and legs.
6.Place the roasting pan in the middle of the oven and roast for 30 minutes. In a bowl, toss the onion quarters and garlic cloves with enough olive oil to generously coat and season with salt and pepper. Scatter the onion and garlic around the chickens in the roasting pan and lower oven heat to 400°F. Continue to roast until the juices from the thickest part of the breasts and thighs run clear, stirring the onions and garlic occasionally so that they brown thoroughly. Remove the roasting pan from the oven, tilt chickens so that their juices run back into the pan, and place them on a carving board. Using a slotted spoon, remove onions and garlic to a plate and tent loosely with foil.

-PREPARING THE SAUCE-
1.Drain the rendered fat and oil from the roasting pan and place it over medium-high heat. Pour in the chicken broth and wine, scraping up any bits clinging to the bottom. Let the liquid reduce to boil for a few minutes.
2.Transfer liquid to a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, mix reserved herb butter and flour together to form a paste that is the consistency of Play-Doh. Add the paste a knob at a time to the simmering liquid, whisking frequently, using only as much paste is necessary to create a thickened sauce. Season with salt and a few grinds of pepper.

SEASONED POTATOES - Serves 6

1/3 cup kosher salt
5 medium-sized garlic cloves
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
3 russet potatoes, scrubbed
Olive oil

1.Preheat oven to 400°F.
2.Place salt in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. With machine running, add garlic cloves and process until well minced, about 20 seconds. Transfer garlic salt to a bowl and stir in remaining ingredients.
3.Slice potatoes 1/4-inch thick and arrange on two rimmed baking sheets lined with parchment paper or foil. Brush both sides of potato slices with olive oil. Sprinkle spice blend on the exposed side of each slice. Bake until both sides are golden, flipping slices once with a metal spatula after tops have colored, about 15 minutes through cooking.

RUSTIC PLUM TART

PASTRY
1 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed and well chilled

FILLING
7-ounce tube of marzipan (sweetened almond paste)
8 plums, pitted and sliced into 6 wedges per plum
2 tablespoons melted butter
Granulated sugar for sprinkling on fruit
Powdered sugar for garnish
Premium vanilla ice cream for serving

1.Pulse flour, sugar, and salt together in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the butter to the dry ingredients and pulse until the pieces of butter are pea-sized. With the processor running, drizzle in ice water (up to 1/4 cup) until the dough forms small balls that stick together when pressed. (You may need slightly less or slightly more ice water than is called for. If the dough appears dry and resists sticking together add more water, a splash at a time, until it comes together.)
2.Turn out contents of bowl onto a clean work surface and gather dough into a ball. Press down firmly to form a flat disc. Wrap snuggly in plastic wrap and allow to rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
3.Roll out the dough into a 11-inch circle; it will be about 1/8-inch thick.
4.Coax the circle of dough into the tart pan by letting it first slump into the pan before pressing it into the corners and up the sides. Roll the rolling pin firmly across the top of the tart pan to trim off any excess dough. Place pan in the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes.
5.Preheat oven to 400°F.
6.Unwrap marzipan and roll it into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, roll ball into a 9-inch circle and transfer it to the tart pan laying it on top of the pastry. Press marzipan into the base of the pan. Place sliced plums in a circular pattern on top of the marzipan, pressing each wedge into the marzipan to firmly anchor the fruit. Brush the melted butter over the tip of the tart and if the fruit is not especially sweet, sprinkle fruit with sugar.
7.Place the tart pan on a parchment- or foil- lined baking sheet and transfer to the rack in the lowest portion of the oven. Bake until crust is brown and fruit is soft and juicy. If the edges of the tart are browning too quickly, shield the crust with foil.
8.Remove tart from oven and allow to cool completely before unmolding and slicing. Sieve powdered sugar on top of each slice and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.