An evening in review. Welcome to the bridal shower of Rachel Monks. Grab a drink, peruse the spread and prepare yourself to move eclectically. Last night was the culmination of 3 weeks worth of preparation. I was waiting for some small disaster to occur but my Murphy's Luck chose to cut me some slack last night. Note to self:over prepare more often! Everything was so organized, I was able to set out the food and actually enjoy time with my friends away from the kitchen.
Menu:
Cheese & Flatbreads
Cheese Straws
Arugula Salad with Shaved Parmesan & Warm Pancetta Vinaigrette
Marinated Asparagus
Brown Sugar Bacon Wrapped Franks
Roast Beef, Cheddar & Horseradish-Mayo Tea Sandwiches
Prosciutto, Gorgonzola & Fig Jam Crostini
Butternut Squash Soup with Basil Pesto
During this process I've learned that it's completely necessary to incorporate items that can be made ahead of time into your menu, other wise you go insane. No one loves a fire breathing hostess. Baking & Freezing, Cooking & Freezing or Prepping & Freezing...they're all your secret party helpers. This time around I froze a number of items a week or two in advanced: the cupcakes, the unfilled cream puffs, pancetta, the cheese mixture for the cheese straws, and pie dough. The biggest piece of advice I can give when planning a party this large is to create a visual aide of what needs to be cooked. First, go through all of your recipes and figure out what can be made in advanced, what needs to be frozen, what can stay in the fridge and what needs to be made right before it's served. Next, make a calendar and mark down which items will be made or which days. If one days seems really heavy with prep work, try to even things out a little bit. Personally, I love to color code. I wrote the names of the recipes in blue and the grocery items I'd need for that day in red. It may seem like a lot of work but hey, with only twenty years under my belt, a limited budget and very little knowledge of what one needs for a bridal shower, I knocked out a pretty kick ass party. So try the gosh darn visual aide!
Group Photo
NYU's Educational Theatre Program + Bethany
Marissa & The Future Mrs. Ifft, "God Bless Texas" in hand.
Hostessess? Hosti?Bridesmaids.
And now for my favorite part...
Dessert Buffet
Mini Red Velvet Cupcakes
Mocha Truffles
Chocolate Truffles
Mexican Hot Chocolate Truffles
Peanut Butter Truffles
Brownie Bites
Mini Banana Chip Cupcakes with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Croquembouche
Red Velvet Pops
Mini Pumpkin Pies
Large Pumpkin Pie
Spiked Hot Chocolate
I think Annaleigh liked it :)
Our tiny one bedroom apartment was bursting with music, great friends and lots of food. One dear friend, Jennifer, was sweet enough to come all the way from Hartford, CT to share in the festivities. We shared memories, opened presents and DANCED. A personal highlight of the evening was the bridal Mad-Lib. I believe the phrase was "Christopher was on his was to Pless Hall when....(something about meeting Rachel). He knew instantly that she was the one he wanted to share his Nan Smithner with." You know you're bound to have a good time when you're surrounded by thespians. 
If you'd like me to post any of the recipes, feel free to leave a comment. Enjoy!
Congratulations to Rachel Monks & Christopher Ifft
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