Wedding Cookies

A little sweetness in the guest bags.

Wedding cake cookies are a favorite with the brides.  My neighbor's daughter had a destination wedding and they wanted something sweet and personal in the bags they gave to the guests.  I was happy to help out.  I did these simple white on white cakes, and also did some bride and groom images.

The image comes from here, a rubber stamp from the Paper Source.  I think they are so cute!  She also stamped labels for the wine bottles she is putting in the gift bags.  I love the little DIY touches to todays weddings, and crafty me wishes she could do it all over again!  Same guy of course!

A little something for the parents of the bride.

Sweet Potato Salad ala Ritz Carlton

 I love weddings.  Such love and happiness abound, and everyone is all dressed up and the food, the dancing and the dresses...  We went to a wedding at the Ritz Carlton in Reynolds Plantation, GA, a fairytale wedding for sure.  A good size, like 250, outside on a gorgeous spring evening with the dresses fluttering in the breeze, the sun sparkling on Lake Oconee, it was right out of a magazine.  And it makes for great family photos!

After the ceremony we headed indoors for hors d'oeuvres, cocktails, dinner and dancing.  The food was amazing, but one thing stood out.   Sweet Potato Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette.  Yum.  I buy sweet potatoes every week, no matter the season.  I love them baked, mashed, roasted with salt, spicy even the sweet kind with the candied pecans, and especially the pretty purple ones!  But I have never had them with a vinaigrette, but they are now in the summer salad rotation!  I had to improvise the recipe, and I think it is pretty close.

Sweet Potato Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette

1 1/2# sweet potatoes
3 slices thick bacon
3 T olive oil
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1/4 yellow onion, diced
4 scallions, trimmed and chopped
1/4 cup chopped Italian flat leaf parsley

Boil the potatoes, skin on until a knife pierces them easily.  Rinse in cool water and peel and cube.  Toss into serving bowl.  I am thinking that peeling, cubing and then boiling would be easier, but I am certain this is how theirs was made judging by the rough pieces of potato.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in small fry pan until crispy, remove from pan and blot with paper towels and coarsely chop. Set aside.

Drain excess bacon drippings and add olive oil and heat up again and cook the yellow inions until they start to color.  Add the sherry vinegar to hot pan, and add bacon back in.  Pour warm dressing over the potatoes, top with scallions and parsley and mix well.

Unlike regular potato salad which is delicious warm, I think this is better cooled off a bit.  But believe me, we tasted it in every form, and I ate the leftovers for breakfast.  It is that good!
So, what are you waiting for?  Get in there and cook!

Graduation Galore!

So a few more graduations.  First Katie and Nathan are cousins having a party together, so I wanted the trays to sort of mirror each other with the appropriate colors.  Nathan graduated from Arkansas and Katie is headed to college at Memphis.

And then Christie is heading to Vanderbilt.  This child we have known since perhaps kindergarten.  My, time does indeed fly!  Good luck graduates!