CELEBRATING CREATIVITY; Bruschetta Bar & Warm Zabaglione with Fresh Strawberries

Celebrating Life & Food      Watch  the “Celebrating Creativity” episode – www.vimeo.com/40565495

I love creating with other people. The other week I was downtown Holland and walked into Karla’s Place.  Karla’s place is a store of all handmade items; Redneck wine glasses, aprons, table runners, banners, jewelry, hats, art, plaques, etc, etc.  It sings of  “creativity”.  In her store I had a brain baby.  Approaching Karla I asked her if she was interested in doing an event together; I would bring the food and she would provide the craft.  Loving the idea we decided to call the evening; “Celebrating Creativity”.  www.facebook.com/pages/Karlas-Place/190913505807       (Sping???? what happened to the “R”?  Ooops)

Picking up on the theme of creating, I decided to make a Bruschetta Bar for the menu.  Setting out different cheeses, toppings, and fresh herbs allowed people to create their own bruschetta.  Gorgonzola cheese with caramelized onion and arugula was Lisa’s bruschetta creation. While Ann made a goat cheese, slice pear and fresh basil bruschetta.  Even though I provided all the food, I thought it would be a great idea if you were repeating this menu, you could decide on the ingredients for the bruschetta bar and then ask each of your guests to bring 1 or 2 of the ingredients.

One of my favorites was the goat cheese, proscuito and honey drizzled on top…YUM!  I found World Market to have an abundance of ingredients; olives, proscuito, honey, etc.

The redneck wine glasses from Karla’s Place were a festive addition to the evening.

World Market’s wine specialist, helped me pick out a perfect wine to go with this meal; Dona Paula Sauvignon Blanc from Argentina. It is fresh with intense aromas of grapefruit, lime and Passion fruit.  On the palate it is a wine of great volume with a very long after taste.  Immediately I taste the grapefruit and passion fruit.  It was the perfect compliment to the cheeses!  http://www.worldmarket.com/home/index.jsp

Zabaglione (pronounced za bah lyo nah) was a PERFECT ending to this meal.  Zabaglione is an Italian dessert made with egg yolks, sugar and Marsala, a sweet wine.  It is a very light custard, which has been whipped to incorporate a large amount of air. I served it over fresh strawberries and topped it with fresh whipped cream and shaved chocolate…a beautiful, dessert that will please every palate!!!

Karla and I had so much fun creating the tablescape for this celebration.  First and foremost I used the bruschetta bar ingredients for the tablescape.  Then we accented the rest of the table with items from her store.  Ann Harten, Lisa Landry, Sheryl Wright, Karla and I had a wonderful evening creating together.  (Ok, just have to say, “what was up with my hair…bad hair day!!!)

I used Karla’s fabric flowers to decorate the napkins.  You can find more information about Karla’s Place on Facebook.

Thank you Lisa for traveling from Detroit to be here.  It would not have been the same with out you!  Sheryl, I am going to take you up on your offer to host the next “Celebrating Creativity”.

Karla created a great craft for us; book birdhouses.  Some of us brought books from home and others were inspired by the books she had in her store.  I found a book on celebrating…how perfect!  Karla provided the bird houses and each of us decoupaged the pages of our books on to the sides and glue gunned the book for the roof…adorable!  They all turned out so different.

“Celebrating You” was a beautiful book I used to create my birdhouse.  Mom, you will be receiving this for mother’s day.  

Book Birdhouse Supplies;

Wooden Bird House              Craft Store

Mod Podge (Decoupage)     Michaels

Sponge Brushes                    Michaels

Glue gun                                 Michaels

Book                                        Any where

1. Cut the pages to fit the bird house
2. Place decoupage into small throw-a-way container
3. Dip sponge brush into decoupage and decoupage 1 side of birdhouse
4. Fit paper onto decoupaged side
5. Continue until all 4 sides are done
6. You can embellish each side with different items after the decoupage is dry (you can use scrapbooking embellishments, stones, words, chipboard…)
7. Using the glue gun, place glue on top of the bird house and fit your book on top of the glue.  Hold the book down for a few seconds until it is secure.  Be mindful as to what side of the book you want on what side of the roof.  I put the front of the book on the right side.

Sheryl, I loved how yours turned out.  So colorful!  Thank you for sharing the handmade table runner with me.

Lisa, not only do I love your birdhouse, but how you displayed it.  You are so talented!  You probably made everything in that picture; the pillow, the plate stand and the embroidered fabric.  LOVE IT!!

What a great evening!  I would love to hear what you love to create and how you celebrate creativity with friends!!!

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BRUSCHETTA BAR

Crusty Bread

• Olives
• Olive Oil
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Olive Oil

Gorgonzola Cheese

• Caramelized Onion with Marsala
• Arugula
• Prosciutto
• Apricot Jam

Goat Cheese

• Sliced Red Pears
• Fresh Basil
• Toasted Walnuts
• Honey

Arugula Salad

• Arugula
• Lemon
• Dijon Mustard
• S & P
• Olive Oil
• Balsamic Vinegar

DIRECTIONS

• Cut bread, drizzle olive oil, bake at 450
• Toast Walnuts in 350 degree oven for 5 minutes
• While bread is cooking, cut & caramelized onion with Marsala wine (sweet Italian wine)
• Cut Pears
• Plate cheeses, all toppings

CARAMELIZED ONIONS

1. Slice an onion into thin slices
2. Heat a saute pan and add olive oil
3. Add sliced onions
4. Cook slowly until brown, 10 – 15 minutes
5. Add Marsala wine and cook until liquid evaporates
6. Add S & P