Happy Birthday Marcus!

Happy Monday my Loves!  And happy President's Day too!  (Especially for you lucky loves who get the day off!)  Not me.  In fact, I'm stuck doing double shifts here at the bakery while my brother is off on vacation!  But that's ok, there is plenty for me to do here, but first, let's get started on another super fun post!  This post, as usual, is long overdue!  So, I another chance to play with a savory food table.  My #1's boyfriend's birthday was coming up, and instead of opting for a restaurant, she decided to throw something at home.  So, I was enlisted, because, clearly, the woman does not know how to cater.  And of course, we went from a fairly simple finger food kind of evening, to something outrageous and fun.  Yep, that's me: outrageous and fun!  I had this whole menu planned out, and at the very last moment...like two days before the event, I completely changed the menu.  Not only that, I also decided that everything will be of the miniature size.  Yes, you read right.  New menu + mini everything = disaster?  OH wait...I forgot.  This was to take place in Los Angeles too.  So, brand spanking new menu + mini everything + drive two hours (+) to Los Angeles = disaster??  Of course not.  I'm superwoman, you know...(still patting self on the back, actually).  Ok, Ok, enough silliness...It actually was a very good event.  I didn't really panic because this wasn't a super major gig with crazy clients.  But we made very good time and everything looked fantastic.  Check it out:

Doesn't everything look yumm-o??  My cousin really loved my chicken pot pies.  So, my bright idea was to make a chicken pot pie dinner.  With all the fixings of course!  It wasn't a very complicated menu, until I decided that mini pot pies, like super mini pot pies, and mini mash with mini corn..and what the heck, everything mini would just be super adorable.  And who doesn't like adorable food??  I intermingled our "real" dinner with some finger foods like goat cheese tartlets, mini tomato caprese salads, cheese and meat platter, mini puff pastry pizzas, some healthy fruits and veggies...so. much. food!  I guess that's my other "problem" too.  I overdo and overmake!  But who likes to go to a party with just barely enough food, right??  I sure don't and in my opinion, there can never be too much food.  Bring it on!!

 Unfortunately, this was the only cake shot I got that night.  I decided to go super simple since I knew all the mini food would keep me pretty busy.  Inside the cake, is my chocolate cake with a cheesecake middle layer (you will see more of this kind of cake in a different post!).  I always find it kind of difficult to decorate a cake for the guys out there.  I feel like flowers are just too girly, so what else but fruit?...especially when I want to go simple!  But I was pretty happy with how this one turned out!

See the super, super cute mini lion's head bowls on the far right?  I saw them at one of my most favorite stores and just had to buy them...of course, then I had to add soup to the menu too...but hey, it was so worth it!!  I absolutely loved the look of the big lion's head soup careen along with the cute mini ones.  Will definitely need to find another event to put them to use! 

See these little finger desserts?  The one to the left are palmiers cookies that I, (well, actually, I put my cousin and her room mate to work with these...) dipped into home made caramel, sprinkled with sea salt.  The treat on the right are waffle cookies, dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with sliced honeyed almonds.  Super yummy and super easy!

And that's all folks!  Share some love and thoughts about Marcus's birthday!  I definitely had a lot of fun planning and executing everything and I hope everyone there enjoyed the party and food, and that you, my lovely readers, enjoyed this post!