First Formal (Semi) Dinner Party-Pre Labor Day Event

First are the pictures that lead up to a fun and enjoyable dinner. Then are some snapshots of some of the food. (after the fact)

Things to do before-
everything if you can
yeah it takes a day or so to get all (if you are by yourself) done
select serving dishes before and utensils to suite
go through the serving/service in your head-or on paper

Things you cannot control
Your lasagna getting messed up.
The dessert not really being what you guessed it would be. (Hence–try everything before or go with something you already know)
People wasting food/not eating all. When you go out to eat and you see the waiters take away the plates, you do not really think about it, but when YOU bought it and served it, and some of it ends up in the garbage, it can rattle you. If you have a dog that eats table food–perfect.
The weather and how it can be with an oven on, on a humid day, with hot food and a room full of people. –all this affecting the temperature in your apartment.

Things I had to quickly alter to have a good outcome.
Lasagna top.
Pudding dessert that wasn’t.

The menu.
Finger food–cheese and crackers, little chocolates, rice crackers.
Appetizers: mushroom quiche, roasted red pepper crostinis, spicy meatballs
Main 1: Rice, Vegetables, and Pork with Pears and Onions
Main 1 Vegetable plate: Shrimp and Pasta with Alfredo Sauce
Main 2: Italian Sausage Skewers, and Vegetable LAsagne
Dessert: Brownies, and Fruit Salad

Wines: Merlot and Reisling, dessert wine-Muscato

My overall comments on the night–pork, I would have made more sauce.
Vegetables, I would have added at tad bit more seasonings, and sauteed at a hotter temp and in a few smaller batches (only did 2).
Fruit was a great idea except we had flat plates. We had foam bowls as well but we vowed not to use plastics and styrofoam, except for drinking other than at dinner and for the dessert spoons.

Until next time. Happy Eating and Entertaining!!