Hairspray

We had the privilege of attending The Little Theater on the Square, in Sullivan, Il to see the musical Hairspray.  Set in the sixties and with the theme of segregation it was full of fun.  Great music, lots of comedy and lines that were so relevant to things going on today.  This theater has been presenting Broadway caliber plays since the 50's and is still going strong.  Many of the actors have worked on Broadway or large city theater companies and the professionalism really shows.  Buses arrive from all over the state to this tiny community for high quality entertainment.  We had a great time with wonderful friends and a yummy meal for dinner.  I don't think there's a better way to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon.

goat cheese and caramelized onion dip

Sweet, tangy and savory this dip hits all those notes.

Caramelized onion
1 onion slice or chop and cook with 1T oil on low until dark brown then add 1-2T sugar and stir until dissolved.  This takes about 20 minutes and you have to keep a close eye on it the whole time.  If the skillet looks dry add a little water, I added about 1/4C in all.
I love these onions on sandwiches and baked potatoes.  You can always do 2-3 onions at a time and refrigerate the rest for later.
1 6oz roll of goat cheese at room temperature crumbled
4 oz cream cheese at room temp.
2T milk
Mix the cheeses together and add milk to make it a spreadable consistency, add the onions and stir.
Use as a spread on crackers or with vegetables.
I am not a big dip fan but this is a favorite of mine.

Easter table favors

I love to do special favors for my guests to take home after a special occasion.  I saw these tiny peat pots, about 2", at a local garden center and thought they were the perfect size for Easter baskets.  I put candy eggs in these but the would be perfect for a small gift of jewelry or cash.
Dab white paint over the pots and let dry, do not cover all the peat, leave a little.  I glued torn dictionary pages, a twine bow, old buttons and a punched out circle.  I added an inspirational word printed on the computer, torn and antiqued with ink. I filled the inside with a scrap of tulle, old pattern paper and a few shreds of sparkly Easter filler.
 This would be a perfect favor for a shower or large group project..  The pots were 12 for $1.00 and everything else I found in my stash..  You could use bigger pots as gift baskets.  More on that later.

root beer pork

We had some friends over last week and I decided to make this pulled pork for dinner.  It was a huge hit and really easy.
2-3# pork tenderloin
1 can root beer, coke or beer
Put everything in the crock pot and cook 6-8 hours until tender.  Drain and shred with two forks.  Add your favorite BBQ sauce, I used Sweet Baby Rays.  Serve on rolls with this slaw as a topper.

Picked slaw

1/2C water
1/3C sugar and vinegar  I added a couple more tablespoons of sugar, make it to your tastes.
Mix the liquids and bring to boil until the sugar is dissolved, let cool.  When cool pour over vegetables.

1/2C shredded carrots and radishes
1 onion sliced thin
1 cucumber sliced thin
1 jalapeno pepper chopped fine
salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste

This is a very forgiving recipe, try adding your own favorite firm vegetables or leave out what you don't like.  Best when it has set at room temperature a couple of hours.



That wedge in the center is the 5 counties.



I had the opportunity to go to a girl fried party this weekend and had a great time.  I took my youngest grand daughter 6, and she stuffed herself with strawberries and cheese.The hostess was my close friend Kathy, who invited us all out to her farm house on a beautiful spring afternoon.  She fed us tons of yummy cheese, crackers, fruit, cookies and wine.  It was a great time of women connecting with women.  No matter how we are different we are all basically the same.  My favorite cheese was called five counties and was layers of different Cheddars with crackers it was fabulous.  K says she got it from Sams.

The food was simple but fabulous, the only thing K made was the baked Brie. The atmosphere was very laid back and the entertainment was the stories we told.  Entertaining does not have to be fancy or complicated the most important part is to relax and enjoy your guests.  Feed them well and they won't remember if your house was perfect or not.



Hostess Kathy setting the scene.



Don't just think you should get together with your friends, make a real plan.  Life can change in an instant and you will always regret what you didn't do.