Friday, May 31, 2013

SURPRISE BIRTHDAY LUNCH

My crafty friend Suzie is celebrating her birthday today, May 30.  To surprise her, I invited her church women's board to lunch before their meeting - that way, I hoped she wouldn't suspect anything was being planned.

Here is the place setting I chose. Every item except silverware were great deals and finds at the second hand shop or rummage sales.



My garden flowers were nearly past peak, but still dressed up the table nicely.



Their United Methodist Women Board members came to lunch in January so it wasn't like coming for lunch was unusual.  They are great taste-testers for all the neat savories and sweets I want to make, and mostly, it is a joy to serve them and share a meal together in friendship as we visit.


I asked crafting friends, church friends, and friends to send her a birthday card c/o of me so I could surprise her with many special greetings - thanks, girls! Here's the card I made for Suzie:




The menu items were from a favorite magazine of mine, Life: Beautiful which is a quarterly publication for $4.99 per issue.  The recipes for the cream puffs, chicken salad and pears can be found here. The cake was a box mix with an easy frosting from Pinterest called Marshmallow Frosting.

MENU
Cream Puffs filled with Chicken Salad


 Poached Pears with Agave Sauce

Red Velvet Birthday Cake - the mini angel food, disposable pans can be found here
Here's Suzie with her cake and big candle - too many candles for "her age."

May God richly bless you, good friend, this day and all year through.