Fruit Galore

This is my latest fruit platter! I tried something new with the cantaloupe this time! I think I'll do it again!

This has got to be one of my favorites! I just love the clean look!

Pineapple, Cantaloupe, Honeydew, Strawberries, and Raspberries! Sorry, it's harder to see because of the saran wrap.

Like the little fans of Honeydew and Cantaloupe on the sides?

Dessert!

Cookies anyone? I just love the strawberries and figs down the center! I thought it added a good touch! We've got Caramel Pecan on the right and Chocolate Chip Cookies on the left!

An Oatmeal Raspberry Bar with Raspberry Sauce and a Mango Puree! What do you think of my plate design?

Simple and Elegant! This is Coconut Chocolate Cake!

This is another Oatmeal Raspberry Bar! I used a Key Lime Puree to do the simple swirl underneath! It's eye catching!

Fruit and cheese platters, plus a salad and entree plate

Fruit Platter! I like this presentation if I must say so myself! I propped the cantaloupe and honeydew up on the pineapple and strawberries then fanned them out. In the center are some blackberries on one side, and raspberries and blueberries on the other side!
Cheese Platter! I think the presentation is a little jumbled, but that's okay. The symmetry of triangle and square cuts catch the eye! We've got Colby, Cheddar, Pepper Jack, Mustard, and Caraway Seed among others!

Beet and Orange Salad with a Mango Coulis! There are two different types of beets, red and golden! The Mango Coulis I used was really a part of the next dish, but I thought it would add a great look!

Grilled Pork Chop with Swiss Chard, Pineapple Rice, and a Mango Coulis Sauce!

Colorful Salads, Plenty O' Cheese, and Fresh Fruit :)

I love the blackberry against the red and green in this Mixed Green Salad with Shaved Beets! There are many colors to this Asian Slaw :)

Cubes, chunks, and slivers! You can cut cheese in all sorts of shapes and sizes! This platter has Cheddar, Swiss, Basil, Brie, and Goat Cheese!

I'm quite happy with this cheese platter :) We've got Mozzarella, Sage, White Cheddar, and Lemon Cheese along with dried Apricot, Pineapple, and Pear. I also used some fresh Kiwi, Raspberries, and Blackberries!

Thanks to my Manager's berry border idea, this platter came out fairly well! Mango and Orange added a nice change!

Happy Hour Fun

These two platters were for Happy Hour held every Friday! I was told by one of my co-workers that this fruit platter was my best yet! Cool! What do you think? I decided to cut some of the melon into smaller pieces and then put them into a shingle-like pattern. There's also some dried pineapple and peaches on the ends!


The wonderful world of cheese! I included some Cheddar, Brie, Lemon, and Boursin cheese!

Jr. Crafters Night!!

Our Inspiration!  We didn't actually use the instructions because, who does that?!

This is Penelope (we gave her a blogging alias).  She is cutting her first piece of fabric for the front of her laundry bag.

This is Pocahontas (she chose her blogging alias!).  I had her measure and cut her front fabric piece.   

Penelope needed a mental health break, and therefor did what any typical 11 year old would do.  Placing one's skirt on one's head is clearly the most obvious thing to do.

Back to business.  We found a Tupperware lid for our laundry hole. The girls traced the circle and cut them out.

Again, Penelope needed a break, as did "Daisy" (who's name has been changed to protect her true identity). 

Pocahontas pinned the right sides of the front and back piece together.  (I used bias tape on the holes to finish the edges.)

Penelope did a great job using the sewing machine.  She sewed three sides, leaving the top open.

Pocahontas, having never used a sewing machine before did a great job as well! I had her leave a bigger seam around the edges so there was plenty of room to work.

We finished the bags with straps at the top to hang.  Also, the girls want you to know that they are in their PJs because studies have shown that wearing jammies while sewing promotes creativity and focus.  Not to mention gets them to bed sooner.

Curly Cues

I love that the carrots and beets were shaved for this Iceberg Salad! When taught how to plate, I was told to stay in the middle of the plate and build high! What do you think?