I just commented on Ally's blog about how I wish I'd planned my week better and remembered to ask for dessert ideas here. I'm hosting book club Thursday evening. Then I thought, I can ask on a Wednesday and see if anything pops up as doable before I run to the grocery store.
- Recipes need not be GF.
- If you've read the book 'Early Morning Riser', and you seem to remember a food that was eaten or discussed, and you have a tie-in idea, all the better.
Now I'm getting overly fussy. Don't mind me, but at the last book club the host prepared something with peaches, because the main character grew up on a peach farm. Clever, right?
That particular host also has the most beautiful home and decorating and furniture, including white upholstered rocking chairs in the living room. They don't look like they're gonna rock, ah - but they do. Any guesses on what white chairs would look like in my house?
Fingers crossed that no one will be expecting fancy-shmancy furniture here. Last time, I hadn't gotten around to grabbing kitchen chairs to drag into the family room for extra seating, and when I turned around two ladies had seated themselves at the
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| Exhibit A: Note the Waterford wine glasses on the table, and there's an exersaucer at the one woman's elbow. |
My house is fairly clean, because I just hosted Easter. But, I'm babysitting Wednesday and Thursday and I have to take my dad to his doc appointment Wednesday late afternoon, and Tuesday afternoon included a phone call with the attorney for over an hour and we only got part of the way through the paperwork. And I have to cut like 500 words from my chapter before Friday when I submit it to my writing group for our Monday meeting.
I can't find time to edit my chapter, because:
- book club on Thurs., so please be patient with my potentially slow response to comments and blogs.
- Then, early Friday morning Curly and I drive to South Bend. She has an official basketball visit at Saint Mary's - my alma mater. So exciting. I don't think she wants to go to school there, but it does check a lot of her boxes (close to home, good academics, small school - but advantages of a big school). It'll be good experience.
- Then we haul ass to Milwaukee, where she plays this weekend.
Anyway, time is not on my side.
I'll probably prepare my go-to 7 layer taco dip, Irish soda bread (this feels very spring-ish), the caprice skewers someone suggested last time, and the choc chip cookies I baked on Saturday that I've got stored in the freezer. But every host offers a WOW factor dessert. Suggestions?
It doesn't feel like you have time to even go to book club, much less host it with a wow factor dessert. Here is a link from my blog to a yummy springy dessert. It's basically fruit pizza (the sugar cookie from a tube crust with the cream cheese frosting base and topped with fruit) BUT you make little cookie cups out of the dough instead of a big round pizza. They are so cute and tasty and springy. http://beth-amomslife.blogspot.com/2013/04/fruit-pizza-tartlets-recipe.html
ReplyDeleteBut honestly, chocolate chip cookies are always a crowd favorite so if that's what you've got time for, then just go with that!
Chocolate chip cookies are my favorite ! For a nice dessert,I make cream puffs ( too fussy) , a fruit crisp, or king authors flour-free Chocolate cake ( very rich!).
ReplyDeleteActually, it's post-Easter binging- maybe some nice fruit to keep it light? Some cut up pineapple, grapes -things easy and bright.
I think unbaked cheesecakes are delicious and very easy. Plus, I suspect they're be fairly easy to make GF (with a GF cookie base)? My go-to is a monkey bread for company. It's so delicious. I make a biscuit dough, roll balls in cinnamon sugar, put into a greased bundt pan and then melt together 2:1 ratio of brown sugar to butter and pour that over the biscuit balls. I have literally never had this NOT be a hit, though I'm not sure it's very "Wow"!
ReplyDeleteThat was an amusing book (Gary! Who hates linoleum!) but I can’t for the life of me remember any of the foods mentioned. You could also make oatmeal raisin cookies and just put a sign next to them that says ‘Gary hates raisins’.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Beth- how do you even have time to host! Love the pics of the ladies in the little chairs. I think date squares (easily made GF) with a little ice cream on the side is always a hit and is pretty quick to prep. I have made silken tofu chocolate mousse and it’s always a hit (plus healthy & GF). You would never know it’s made with tofu, takes literally minutes to make. https://aseasyasapplepie.com/silken-tofu-chocolate-mousse/
ReplyDeleteHave fun!
Chocolate chips cookies are the wow dessert. That is all. I am also a fan of seven-layer bars (naturally GF!) and buckeyes (chocolate covered peanut butter balls - also naturally GF). Both are easy and delicious.
ReplyDeleteCupcakes with pretty white frosting, sprinkled with different colored sugars on top, when placed together on a serving tray just so look festive in their simplicity. They WOW in an understated way. That's my go-to that has been well-received... because CUPCAKES.
ReplyDeleteAlso thanks for the shoutout. I appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteI'd do some sort of cookie or baked bar treat like lemon squares. Something that can be eaten with minimal fuss. But I also like a homemade pudding cup- looks nice in those clear cups. Layer of crushed graham cracker crumbs on the bottom, then a layer of chocolate pudding, then another layer of crumbs, then a layer of vanilla pudding, and top with whipped cream. Can also do with Nilla Wafers, banana pudding, banana slices and whipped cream.
ReplyDeleteugh-- all my desserts are gluten-FULL. What about a GF angel food cake and strawberries with whipped cream? I read that book but do not remember any food
ReplyDeleteThis chocolate cake has NEVER failed me. Never. For the wow factor, I'd probably go with a chocolate ganache for the "frosting".
ReplyDeletehttps://gigisramblings-gso.blogspot.com/2024/10/not-real-post-but-best-chocolate-cake.html
How the hell are you going to do all that? Girl, you be tripping!
ReplyDeleteSo much on your plate. (Did you like the book? never heard of it)
Um, an easy dessert that the Coach and I have made a few times and is always a people pleaser involves store bought Ice Cream Sandwiches. You can vary the toppings/layers, but it's always good and always easy.
https://www.food.com/recipe/ice-cream-sandwich-dessert-27600
Good luck with everything, including the St. Mary's visit!
Oh, and my little butt would have loved the little chairs. The exersaucer? not.so.much.
I recently made a chocolate cake, split it horizontally in the middle and filled it with ermine frosting. It tastes like a Hostess Suzy Q! Have any of your kids checked out North Central College in Naperville? It’s a great school and checks those boxes. My 3 girls all got their bachelor’s from there and one gets her master’s this May.
ReplyDeleteMake your own sundae bar? Something with layers because a character in the book has layers? I'm sure whatever you pick will be great!
ReplyDeleteSafe travels this weekend!
Please go buy something. It's not a crime. Even Ina Garten does it. I do it all the time, and I don't even pretend it's something I made anymore.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite GF dessert, That I enjoy but also make for my Celia crowd That I enjoy but also make for my friend with celiac, Involves an almond flour crust which you just mix up with butter and a little cinnamon. Bake that for 10 minutes or so tell it firms up a bit. Then I vary the topping An easy one is cream cheese and powdered sugar and a little vanilla and a couple tablespoons whipping cream to lighten it up. You can spread that over the crust then add some pretty sliced fruit. Or put a can of cherry pie filling and top it with whipped cream. Or do some strawberry jello with cut up strawberries. Or sprinkle with many chocolate chips so many variations.
ReplyDeleteWhew...you do sound overly busy. I don't bake or make deserts, so am no help to you. I've never liked to bake, which helps with the calories; but we do have deserts from time to time that I buy. The plus of that is I buy 2 pieces so we don't have the calories staring at us day after day, lol. Hope you got through your hosting with flying colors. I spotted you on a mutual friends blog and thought I'd pop in for a visit. It's always fun to meet new bloggers...and the reason I spotted you was your name, Ernie happens to be my husbands name, soI couldn't not visit your blog. My name Sandy is sometimes a male name so I thought it interesting that Ernie both male and female as well.
ReplyDelete