Category: MEMES & LINK PARTIES

The Art of the RSVP

Acceptance of a social invitation is not a legal obligation;
your RSVP just communicates your best intentions to attend.

More and more often I have heard that hosts/hostesses are not receiving firm indications of whether guests plan to attend their parties, even when R.S.V.P. is boldly printed on their invitations. This leaves us with a couple of choices. First it could mean that rudeness is a increasingly growing trend in our society or that people no longer understand what the term R.S.V.P. actually means. I prefer to think positively and assume that ignorance of the term is the case versus rudeness. I know it’s hard to believe ignorance to be good, but better that than rudeness!

R.S.V.P is French for “répondez s’il vous plaît” and is an acronym that loosely translates to Please Reply (one way or the other)! Check your calendar and ask yourself how you truly feel about attending this event. Don’t keep your host in suspense, reply as soon as you are sure one way or another. To be proper, you should reply in writing, by hand. But you may reply in the same format that one was invited; for example, an email invitation can be answered by email, etc… R.S.V.P.’s can sometimes be oral or written, but are always determined and based on the level of formality of the invitation. You wouldn’t just pick up the phone to reply to an invitation from the White House or the Pope now would you? These situations and many others require a written response.

Filling out an RSVP card is a basic and important courtesy. The hostess collect R.S.V.P. cards so that they know how many guests to expect, which will help them to make seating and catering arrangements. Your hostess needs to know how many are coming in order to prepare for the event properly. R.S.V.P.’s are the most important determining factor to help her do that well.
You never need to give a reason for not attending. Just let the host know whether you’re currently planning to be there or not.

Communicate last minute changes immediately to your host. Maybe you become ill or there was an emergency. As soon as you know, you must get in touch with the host (by telephone is fine) to let them know you can’t come, and apologize. Do you remember to communicate your intentions clearly to your hostess?

Sauce Pan Cake, with cinnamon and chocolate chips!

I have been making saucepan cakes for years and years. You know the kind where you bring your water to a boil add the oats and butter, remove it from the heat and when it has cooled, continue. Using the saucepan as your mixing bowl, hence saucepan cake.

Saucepan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake
adapted from: Bake or Break

1 1/4 c water
1 c rolled oats
1/2 butter
Bring water to a boil, stir in oats and butter. Remove from heat, let cool until lukewarm.

2 eggs, beaten
3/4 c sugar
1 1/4 c brown sugar
Add sugar and eggs to the oat mixture, combine well.

1 1/2 c flour
1/2 t salt
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
2 t cinnamon
Stir together in a large bowl, add to the oat mixture, beat by hand until mixture is smooth.

1 1/2 – 2 c chocolate chips – if you are not using mini chips, chop them up a bit, then they won’t sink
1/2 t water
2 T flour
Toss the chips with the water to coat, sprinkle with the flour, fold into the cake batter.

Pour into a prepared 9X13 pan. Bake 40-45 minutes or until tests done in your oven. Let cool. Make frosting!

4 T butter
4 oz cream cheese
2 c powdered sugar
2 t vanilla
Beat until creamy. Spread over cake and enjoy!

This was one of our desserts from May’s Sunday Cafe dinner. We all loved it, it is a keeper!

As always, thanks for taking a moment to stop and say hello. I appreciate your time and your wonderful comments.

For more great recipes and maybe even a good story to read, visit MomsSundayCafe !

Rutabaga with dried tomatoes, shallots and garlic – Try a new recipe, lets eat more vegetables. Rutagagas

Let’s eat more vegetables. I have said that time and time again. But honestly, I mean it each time! You will see more vegetable recipes right here, in the future…..

This is delicious, give it a try, we did!
Rutabaga with dried tomatoes, shallots and garlic
adapted from:  Seasonal Ontario Food
4 c peeled and diced rutabaga
2 large shallots, peeled and sliced thin
1/4 c dried tomatoes in oil
1 clove garlic, minced 
olive oil and/or oil from the jarred dried tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
Cover rutabaga with water by 1 inch, add salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer until tender when pierced with a fork or the tip of a knife, about 20-25 minutes. Drain and keep warm.
While rutabaga is cooking, saute the shallots and garlic in oil. When soft and beginning to brown, add the tomatoes, cover turn off heat until the rutabaga is tender. 
Using a potato masher, mash rutabaga, stir in the shallot mixture. Adjust seasoning and serve. 
Serves 4 – 6
As always, thanks for taking a moment to stop by and say hello. I appreciate your time and your wonderful comments!

And for more great recipes and stories, come and visit MomsSundayCafe, we love having company!

BEER AND CHEDDAR FONDUE

I’ve decided to join Ivonne at Cream Puffs in Venice who hosts Magazine Mondays in an effort to clean out my pile of ‘to do’ recipes from my magazines and cookbooklets.  This recipe was so good.  We’ll be making this again.

BEER AND CHEDDAR FONDUE 

from fine cooking Appetizers 2009

 

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/3 cup minced yellow onion

1 large clove garlic, minced

fresh ground pepper to taste

3 cups grated Swiss cheese

2 cups grated extra sharp white cheddar cheese

1 cup grated Gruyere

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon dry mustard (I omitted as I’m deathly allergic)

1 teaspoon caraway seeds, ground

1 12 ounce beer, preferably Budweiser (I used Dos Equis)

3 tablespoons Amontillado sherry 

Sea Salt

Dipping items – crusty bread, apples, sausages, etc…

  • Melt the butter in a fondue pot or heavy sauce pan.
  • Add onion and garlic, stirring until it carmelizes.
  • Add the caraway seeds and stir to brown them.  
  • Add the beer, increase the heat and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce the heat and simmer to mellow the flavor, about 5 minutes.
  • In a separate bowl toss the cheeses with the cornstarch, mustard and pepper.
  • Sprinkle the cheese mixture, a handful at a time, stirring each batch until smooth and all cheese is incorporated.
  • Stir in sherry and adjust seasonings as necessary.
  • Keep warm over a low flame. 
Magazine Mondays are hosted by Ivonne at Cream Puffs in Venice

A to Z CHALLENGE – U

U is for 
  • UNDERSTANDING – I try to be UNDERSTANDING of everyone and their own views.
  • USEFUL – A question I ask myself about all the stuff in my life is, Is it USEFUL?
  • UPLIFTING -Along with always being positive, I try to be UPLIFTING to everyone.