Easter is my holiday among friends too far from home to spend it with family. It’s also a great excuse for me to spray paint sticks, stuff shrimp in shot glasses and make not one, but two glorious pies. A few days in the kitchen are totally worth the (more than a) few glasses of wine and good company.
It was an all around delicious day and so I figured I’d share a few tips for easy indoor/outdoor entertaining. And I just wanted to show off my shrimp shooters…Aren’t they pretty?
I like to keep my appetizers really simple so I can get out of the kitchen and spend time with friends. This year I did a cheese plate and shrimp shooters. Bread and fruit. Very little preparation and very little maintenance, but SO good! I might have eaten two shrimp shooters myself.
I was going for easy and organic (but just a little glam) with my tablescape and mainly used stuff I had around the house. I replanted succulents, spray painted a manzanita branch, and put out some simple flowers and little gold votives.
It was crazy warm and perfect (LA weather really can’t be beat) and we hung out in the yard drinking and noshing and waiting for all the yumminess to come out of the oven.
After a few drinks, my blogger instincts were seriously impeded and I stopped taking pictures, but we enjoyed: Roast Beef with creamy horseradish, Vegan Mac n’ Cheese, Honey Dijon Brussel Sprouts, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Pear & Goat Cheese Salad, Ginger Pear & Blueberry Pie, and Salted Caramel Pie. I’m still full and my refrigerator is still stuffed. Leftovers for days…
It was a pretty perfect sunday and one I hope to repeat many times before next Easter!
And I do still have an almost full can of gold spray paint…
Did you celebrate the holiday(s) this weekend?
Or just have a spray paint problem? (is there a group for us?)
That looks gorgeous (and sounds delicious! yes please to the vegan mac n’ cheese) – any tips for making gatherings like this run smoothly? We’re hosting a rooftop tapas/beer/margaritas party in lieu of a rehearsal dinner for family and friends who are coming into town a day early, and I’m not sure where to start planning.
Yes- do as much (or everything) that you can ahead of time, so that you can actually spend time chatting/enjoying your guests. Have the tapas on trays ready to go out, the beer in buckets for your guests to help themselves to, and maybe a few drink dispensers or pitchers where the margaritas are premixed…then you could have a little margarita station with salt etc.. for your guests to assemble themselves.
And since it’s your rehearsal dinner, I’d actually designate a friend (or hire 1 or 2 people) to be in charge of refilling tapas trays, bar tending etc…
Succulents & Papel Picado would make lovely decor too!
Thanks! I love those ideas! The beer in buckets and margarita stations are perfect. I’m really excited for it, and secretly relieved that we’re not having an actual rehearsal & rehearsal dinner!
This looks like an amazing get-together! I’m in envy of your beautiful tablescape, outdoor weather, and awesome menu!
Ahh, thanks!
Just gorgeous! You did an amazing job at capturing it all. Great styling too. And yes, there needs to be a group for us…I can’t even talk about how many cans I’ve already been through this year.
Right! Do you you have a favorite brand?
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Were the shrimp shooters good? They look delicious and such a clever idea! Sad to have missed out on this lovely dinner. It looks like everyone had a fantastic time and the menu looks delicious.