WELCOME to my new blog! This is the fun place where I can actually practice my mantra and CELEBRATE EVERYTHING! 

I’ve invited some of my favorite girlfriends to help me party. Let me introduce them to you. Left to right, meet Jodie Miller of Plum Productions, Susan DeLoach of Susan DeLoach Photography and Ginger Wareham of Picklejuice Productions. (That’s me on the end.) Jodie designed our beautiful tablescape. Susan shot all of the great photos and Ginger designed my website and this cool new blog! I’m responsible for the food and the recipes. The four of us plan to get together every month to show you some ideas for designing your very own celebrations! 

Sweet Dreams, Avocado and Goat Cheese Toasts & Crispy Garlic Shrimp!

This month’s theme is Sweet Dreams! We all got together one evening after work for our first photo shoot. Jodie’s tablescape features some old sheet music and Sweet Dream was the title of one of the songs. So, I created a fun cocktail and that’s what we named it. (It’s fabulous – but beware, after too many of these potent beverages your dreams may not be so sweet!) Avocado and Goat Cheese Toasts are yummy and offer an unexpected taste treat. The combination of unique flavors is amazing! Delicious Crispy Garlic Shrimp is super-easy to prepare and can be served as a tapas-style hors d’oeuvre or as an entree. 

SWEET DREAMS!
The ULTIMATE Girly Drink!
½ cup coconut rum
½ cup vodka
1 cup cranberry juice
1 cup orange juice
Combine all ingredients in a glass pitcher. Chill before serving. Serves 4. 

AVOCADO AND GOAT CHEESE TOASTS
The unique combination of flavors is amazing!
1 skinny baguette, sliced and toasted
1 cup deli guacamole
4 ounces goat cheese
Fresh mint
Spread guacamole evenly over each toast. Top with goat cheese. Garnish with a fresh mint leaf. Serves 6 to 8.

CRISPY GARLIC SHRIMP
Serve this as a tapas-style hors d’oeuvre or as an entree.
1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons dry white wine
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 tablespoons melted butter
½ cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
In a bowl, combine shrimp with garlic and white wine. Spread shrimp mixture evenly in a lightly greased baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. In another bowl, use a fork to mix melted butter with panko and parsley. Using your fingers, sprinkle mixture evenly over shrimp. Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 15-18 minutes or until shrimp are cooked through. Serves 4.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this first blog post. Please join us again for more adventures in the world of event planning, photography, website design and catering!

 CHEERS!
www.cateringbydebbicovington.com