Mac N Cheese

One day at work while I was killing time reading some emails, I stumbled upon the most delictible mac n'cheese recipe.  The receipe served six.  This was a problem.  When I thought about it, I figured I probably could put back most of that bacon cheddar cheese noodle delight, but I wouldn't respect myself afterward.  I figured the only way that I could make this delicious noodle concoction was to host a dinner party.  And so the planning began! 

It would be my first party at my new home.  I was so excited.  A few problems arose though, my table only sat four, and I was inviting 7 people with me that was 4 more people than my table sat.  With the help of several borrowed folding chairs, I would have plenty of seating and seating space, but lap eating is so uncouth!  I would just have to plan a menu that acknowledges the difficult lap eating.  And so the menu planning began.  Mac n'cheese was of course on the menu, but that would not do for the entirety of the meal! 

Whilst googling fun receipes, I wrote up a brief email invitation.  I invited a couple of friends who had really helped me during the moving process.  It was no evite, because there would be less than ten of us and most of the guests are part of a couple so it would be less than four RSVPs total... and that just seemed utterly ridiculous do use the evite service.  Unfortunately as the invite list grew so did the dietary restrictions.  I had a non dairy and a non nut.  Hmmm this put a damper on several items on the menu, mac n'CHEESE! 

In order to get around the dietary restrictions I decided that I would just have to make enough choices that people would just be so full they would never realized they missed out on something because it was laden with cream or a tree nut (not a peanut).  In order to keep expenses down I shopped at Ultra Foods for the first time.  It was definitely an eye opening experience.  It had some unbelievable deals.  I purchased several heavy duty glass casserole dishes for what seemed like pennies in comparison to what I would have paid at let's say BBB or even Target.  I also got some spices for less than a dollar a bottle... I'm sorry but dried basil is dried basil, no matter where you get it from, just nicer with a smaller price tag.  Lesson learned thanks Ultra Foods, I will be a return customer. 

During the preperation of this party I became the most organized woman in the universe.  I had shopping lists written according to store, organized according to receipe and to do lists for the entirety of the week leading up to the party.  The party was to be held on a Friday night, which was going to make things challenging because I would have to begin my cooking after my half day of work.  So I did something I had never done before, I did preperatory cooking.  I made sauces, premixed items, cut veggies and did as much as I could the night before.  I started to pretend that I was in some sort of Style Network show about hosting small dinner parties. 

When work finally finished that friday afternoon, I rushed home to complete the bulk of the cooking.  Again I had a seriously well timed to do list.  It had written down what order I needed to do things, what temperature the oven needed to be set, as well as what needed to sit and be cooled.  I was a well oiled machine, (I was having a beer while cooking as any good chef should!)  A couple of my friends arrived early and entertained me as I continued to cook.  I didn't realize the pressure of being a host.  It was intense.  Soon, my other guests arrived.  The party had officially begun.  Now, let's see how all that cooking paid off... here was the nights menu:

Appetizers 
Goat cheese and tomato basil custini
Bacon wrapped dates


Soup
Roasted Red Pepper and Corn Soup


Entree
MAC N CHEESE
Steak wrapped asparagus
Hot honey glazed slow cooker ribs


Dessert
Maple Carmel Bread Pudding

**It should be noted that I had attempted to concoct a menu that was lap friendly, but as you can see from above, I was driven by my taste buds rather than ease and tidiness of eating**

Cocktails were the responsibility of the guests.  They did a great job.  One guest brought a cider, ginger ale and makers mark cocktail that got me more than a bit tipsy.  Only to be pushed over the edge to definitely drunk by my other guests chocolate martini.  YUMMY!

I will not be humble.  The food was delicious.  I will admit there were some flaws though, I need some tweaking on learning about relaxing and enjoying the dinner experience.  I kept feeling like the kid who went to play before he finished his homework was finished. I just couldn't relax until I had served the last course.  Which was unfortunate because there were several courses :)  Oh, I had also lost my napkins that I had purchased for the event, so we used cocktail napkins brought by some of the guests.  Oops.  Overall, I put on my big pants and kicked the dinner party's ass!  This was my first dinner party, but it won't be my last!