Hello, Summer

Despite the fact that it rained for most of Memorial Day weekend, my friend GK and I managed to kick off the unofficial start of summer with style.  GK had me over to her place on Friday night and treated me to a glorious summer-themed dinner.  You should know that this girl never entertains half-way.  I'm always calling her Martha Stewart, although she claims that Paula Deen would be a more accurate nickname, due to her love of butter and penchant for slipping into a Southern drawl.

  

To start us off, GK whipped up a batch of these babies, which were just the thing we needed to take the edge off the workweek and give us a gentle nudge into that lazy summer feeling.  After we were in the right frame of mind, we moved onto the first course:  an argula salad with beets and goat cheese balls (they sound just as scandalously good as they are) and a gorgeous bruschetta with tomatoes, avocado, olive oil, and parmesan cheese.  Sometimes, as long as the ingredients are fresh and full of flavor, it's the simple things that taste the best.

We ate until we were stuffed and then I heroically finished off the remaining avocado chunks, to save them the embarrassment of turning brown.  Luckily, though, GK and I are professionals, and we had saved just enough room for dessert.  And what else could dessert be at a summer-themed soiree?  Strawberry shortcake, of course!

Although she did let me help (and I had a little too much fun molding the biscuits and plopping them onto a baking tray), GK deserves all the credit for this night.  Even the whipped cream was homemade.  This girl and her Joy of Cooking cookbook are destined for culinary greatness.

 

After going back for one-too-many helpings, we rolled ourselves over to the couch and finished out the night with more lemonade grenades and a girly movie.  Followed by a bit of a Mamma Mia sing-a-long.  Welcome back, summer.  We've missed you.

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