An Apple Dinner Party

I hosted an apple themed dinner party last week! It turned out to be really fun, so I thought I'd tell you about it. 

I got the idea from my friend Steph. Steph started doing apple dinner parties when she lived in D.C. She and her friends would drive to an apple orchard, pick apples, and then come home and each make a different apple dish. (Sweet and savory dishes included!) They'd end the night with a round of the game apples to apples.  This sounded like my kind of party. 

Unfortunately, the triangle area isn't within an easy day's driving distance of any apple orchards.  BUT, we still had a mean apple feast and enjoyed a game of apples to apples. 

Here's what we ate at our apple dinner party:

MENU:

Cheese Plate with Aged Gouda, Goat Cheese, and Spiced Apple Butter

Pork Roast with Apples and Onions

Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Apples

Simple Green Salad with Apples, Sunflower Seeds, Goat Cheese & Balsamic 

Spiced Applesauce Cake

Apple Cobbler

We also had prosecco to drink, but hard apple cider would be good too.

The cheese plate idea was a last minute addition. You see, I had underestimated the time that the pork roast would take to cook. I realized around 6:30 that the pork roast would not be done at 7:00, as I had planned. (7:00 was also the time that my guests were supposed to arrive!)  

So, at 6:30, I rushed to my nearest grocery store and bought some fancy aged gouda and apple butter. I paired it with some goat cheese that I already had and water crackers.  My friends loved it.  This has become my backup dinner plan/secret weapon. When all else, fails, make a cheese plate. It never disappoints. 

Also, I took these photos the morning after our apple dinner party. I tried to take a couple photos during the dinner party itself, but (a) indoor food photos with artificial lighting are not pretty to look at; and (b) I was too preoccupied visiting with my friends to think about taking photos of every moment!  Such is the mark of a successful dinner party, I think. 

Also, thanks for sticking around to read this here blog.  I know posting has been inconsistent around here for several months.  I've been sad/busy/stressed/working to get out of my funk/spending time with family and friends. 

But, I've really missed making fun recipes, photographing them, and sharing them with you.  After reading this post on the importance of play, I realized that life is never really going to slow down, but I still need to make fun for creativity and play.  It's so important for our overall happiness and well-being.  Making new recipes and photographing them happens to be one of my creative outlets, so I hope to post more consistently in the future!