party planning

I'm scheduling down to the hour now. I have to be at work on Thursday afernoon, so that cuts five hours out of the party prep time. And Friday morning is going to be pretty busy, so most of the baking happens Fri afternoon. Wednesday morning I'm going to pick up a few more foods and mix up the butter cookie dough. Wed after writing, I'll roll and bake the butter cookies, set the table and clean the living-dining room and bathroom. Saturday morning I'll set up the living room for party ,plate the cookies, bake some scones (so the house smells yummy) put out the grapes, - - When am I going to carve the radish roses? Thursday morning bake the macarons because they should rest at least a day before being served.

I couldn't find the magazine with the macaron recipe, so I hit the internet. Holy crow, what am I getting myself into? I'm supposed to leave the eggwhites out for 48 hours so the cookies will develop "feet." And the flavors? I gotta say, I am way intrigued. Raspberry and green tea cookies? Wattle seed and pepper? Of course, after spending hours researching various recipes, mostly in metric measurements, I found the magazine next to the sofa. Much simpler recipe measured in cups and teaspoons. I copied it onto a 3x5 card and stuck it into my recipe file.

I have fun plans for the butter cookies: I'm going to cut them into biggish hearts, then cut little hearts out of half of them, and on Friday afternoon I'm going to sadwich them together with strawberry jam that will shine attractively through the heart-shaped windows. And the little hearts cut out of the center? I'm going to sandwich THEM together with lavender jelly (a Christmas gift from Dennis and Lynn Baker - yum!) My macarons are almond. Mini-quiches baked on Fri and refrigerated, and I'm envisioning a fan-folded napkin tucked into the cup to save table space. If Tamara brings biscotti, and pat brings cashew shortbreads, we will feast like kings. Like KINGS I tell you!

(I have Weight-watcher's weigh in on Friday morning, and almost a week, post-party, to recover.)

This is SO much FUN! I loves parties, I does!