For the first time in about a decade, I decided to do some home
entertaining. I invited a bunch of women friends/co-workers over for
"An Evening Viewing of 'Phantom of the Opera' for Ladies Only."
I was going to bake up a bunch of low carb treats, but my work
schedule is such that I gave up on that idea - besides, only two of us
were low carbers anyway.
So, this is what I served for munching:
Fresh strawberries with add-ons of whipped cream, raw sugar and
unsweetened cocoa, cut up honeydew and cantaloupe sprinkled with
blackberries, fancy mixed nuts, two Trader Joe's tea cakes (chocolate
marble and cinnamon streusel), TJ's milk chocolate caramels, coffee
(leaded and unleaded), tea, Hanson's sugar-free sodas, water,
I set up a coffee bar with all the sugar-free DaVinci syrups I have
(about 8 different flavors). That turned out to be the *big* hit of
the evening. All the "girls" wents crazy for the flavors (admittedly,
I have some strange ones, like egg nog, toasted marshmallow and
gingerbread, along with the more mundane flavors like white chocolate,
vanilla, strawberry and English toffee).
Some of the women brought wine, which was shared by all but me (I'm
not a drinker).
A lovely time was had by all, and I was very happy with some fruit and
nuts during the intermission. At the end of the evening, I wrapped up
the cake and gave it away, and gave away half the leftover fruit. The
leftover chocolate caramels came with me to work this morning and were
set out for anyone passing by (they're mostly gone now).
The only thing I've got left is the big bowl of nuts, so I think I'll
pack them up and stick 'em in the freezer for the next time. Several
of us are interested in a monthly or bimonthly "movie night."
And Gerard Butler was, of course, too gorgeous to be believed, Who
the hell would want wimpy Raoul when you've got a Phantom like that???
Myra
P.S. I decorated my dining room to match the colors from the
"Masquerade" scenes - black, white, gold and silver, with a black
velvet cape and Phantom mask hanging on the wall behind the table. I
also lit a bunch of tea lights to give the living room a "lair" look.