NOW THAT'S ENTERTAINING!

Joanne Poulsen and Esther Davis threw a casual summer party last night, and all 17 sisters attending loved it.  We shared so many great entertaining ideas and recipes and fun stories that everyone left well-fed.  I remember looking around last night, and thinking - This is what the Church had in mind when they changed the Relief  Society activity focus to smaller, more involved "interest groups".

We learned how to cut a watermelon quickly to remove  all the seeds - make a tangy colonial day drink, fruit pizza cookies and homemade oreo cookies.  We enjoyed 7-layer dip, shrimp salad dip, cheese and cherry tomato bites dredged in a balsamic vinegar sauce,  AND...did you kinow that black olives, green olives and red cherry tomatoes look absolutely beautiful mixed together in a bowl?

Someone has said, "you can't teach an old dog new tricks"  but you can ALWAYS teach Relief Society sisters of any age new tricks, and they are grateful for it!  I will include a few of the recipes I  received last night,

BANANA "SHRUB"
(Colonial Era Drink)
3 to 4 Bananas
6 oz. Orange juice concentrate (slightly thaw)
6 z. Lemonade concentrate (slightly thaw)
32 oz, Pineapple juice
(Mix aboce ingredients in a blender)

Pour 3 oz. of this fruit base into each glass,
then slowly cover with 6 oz of very cold Sprite
garnish with a lime slice.

TOMATO/CHEESE BITES
24 grape tomatoes cut in half
4 mozzarella cheese sticks cut in 6 slices
fresh basil or cilantro
On a toothpick, layer 1 half tomato, 1 cheese slice, other
half of tomato, and top with  a 1 inch piece of basil or cilantro
MIX TOGETHER
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp  balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Drizzle over tomato/cheese bites and chill until served

SHRIMP CHEESE DIP
8 oz. softened cream cheese
1/4 cup cream
1 pkg small salad shrimp, chopped
2 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste'
Mix together and chill
Serve on your favorite crackers

HOMEMADE OREO COOKIES
2 Boxes of Devil's Food Cake mix (any chocolate kind will do - but
devil's food is not as sweet so it balances the sweet filling.)
1 cup Crisco (she uses sticks)
4 eggs (Large - not extra large)
Directions
preheat oven to 350 degrees
1.  Mix together all incredients and fully incorporate - you don't
need to mix it too long, batter will be stiff.
2.  On an ungreased cookie sheet, roll batter into a ball about the
size of a walnut.  Slightly  flatten each ball with the palm of
your hand.
3  Bake for approx 10 mins.  After taking cookies out of the oven -
allow to sit on the pan for about 30 seconds to let them "set".
4  Cool completely before frosting

FROSTING
1 can cream cheese frosting
4 oz. cream cheese (softened)
1/2 tsp vanilla
Directions:
Take the frosting out of the  can and put in a small mixing bowl.
Add softened cream chese and vanilla.  Mix with beaters  until
fluffy.  Put in refrigerator while cookies are baking/cooling to let it
set up.
Using two cookies that are approx the same size - frost
the bottom of one and affix to the bottom of another so the
tops are  on the outside - like an oreo cookie!

FRUIT PIZZA COOKIES
The Fruit Pizza Cookies were done with purchased Sugar Cookies,
or use your own homemade sugar cookies. 
Then frost them with  a package of softened cream cheese, to which you
add 1/4 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1/2 tsp orange zest and mix
together.
Cut various summer fruits strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, mandarin
oranges, peaches in small pieces and decorate the cookie - or let your children
or grandchildren - even husband decorate their own cookie.

HAPPY SUMMER ENTERTAINING!