I Have An Agenda!

I have truly fallen behind with my Barefoot Blogging...I actually did make the butterflied chicken but never posted about it...but I'm a little busy right now. To see what the other BBs have to say about Grown Up Mac & Cheese, check here.

Today is my birthday and I've been planning a party for weeks. I'm going to be brutally honest with you...I turned fifty today and I feel this is worth celebrating. (I'll tell my age, but don't you dare ask my weight!) So all of my concentration is on the big blow-out tomorrow night.

I decided to serve foods that reminded me of each decade of my life. For some reason, I associate each of these with a time...

Party Fare

Rumaki--the hot appetizer of the 50s, the original recipe involved water chestnuts, bacon and chicken livers. Uhhh. I don't do chicken liver. So my version will be piece of chicken breast with a slice of water chestnut wrapped in bacon and marinated in a soy sauce before broiling.

California Onion Dip and chips--I love this stuff and can remember Mom serving it using a chip and dip set. It was an amber cut glass bowl with a little metal piece that hooked over the edge of the bowl and held a smaller bowl suspended over the chips. It may have come before the 60s, but that is when my memories of this delicacy begin. I once had someone ask me for the recipe. Seriously. I blinked a few times before telling them. Now don't get me wrong, I love Ina's panfried onion dip, but give me a tub of sour cream and a package of Lipton Onion Soup Mix and I can be quite happy.

Cheese Fondue--Nothing says the 70s like free love and fondue! My friend Ruth even gave me a fondue pot for my birthday. I'm going to use DecoLady's Cheddar Beer fondue recipe. Yummy!

Quiche--Has there ever been a food that defined a decade as well as quiche defined the 80s? I cheated here and bought mini quiches at Sam's.

Crudites--The more health conscious 90s are represented by an assortment of fresh veggies and a ranch dip.

Espresso Brownies--coffee and chocolate, what's not to love? I think of this as the Starbucks decade and decadent coffee brownies seem right.

Also present will be sweet and sour meatballs, an assortment of nuts, birthday cake, wine, sodas, wine, and coffee.

I've picked my tunes and am currently jamming to sounds of my youth.

I'll post pictures Saturday.