Fat Tuesday Dinner!

Well, I decided to have an impromptu dinner party this evening. One of mother's best friends gave me an AMAZING and ever so appropriate Martha cookbook for my birthday and I was dying to put it to use. Tonight, I made tostadas and black beans and rice! L and T came over to our apartment and C and I had such a fabulous time with them. This was an easy dinner that I would highly recommend it. I did NO prep work yesterday or this morning. I simply came home from work at 6:25pm, set the table and got cooking. I boiled the chicken in stock and then seasoned it. I quickly whipped up some guacamole sans the lime (I forgot to buy one, whoops!), cooked the rice and then added the beans in. I set up the buffet and we all served ourselves at 7:30pm.

I finally got to use all four of my Blue Canton dinner plates, yay! The tostadas went on the empty pink charger and the rice and beans were at the end of the buffet in the Blue Canton dish. I put the toppings in various bowls and also put the J Bee Designs martini glasses to use with the cheese and sour cream. I think it is nice to mix things up and give a buffet some height. I am so pleased with how things turned out!
Here is where we enjoyed our meal!
I adore this tablecloth- mother had it made in Honduras and kindly passed it along to me last year. Aren't the flowers DIVINE?! They were given to me at work for my birthday and they made the perfect centerpiece! I am just so thrilled with how everything and hope my guests had as good of a time as I myself did. This was the perfect Fat Tuesday dinner. Now I am ready for Lent. I am giving up buying material items. I have of course made an exception for the city in March and am allowing myself to buy just three Lilly items (I have to support my store!). There will be NO other purchases until mid April though. I will also be fasting one day a week. Mother gave me this idea while home and I believe she will also be doing this. She said it really helps you to think exactly what and who you are praying for. Since I have many prayers that need to be said this should really be good for me. Wish me luck, I know I can stand strong!!
Ok, well in case you have not already guessed impromptu dinner parties are such fun and they can be easy. Pick a recipe that does not require too much prep and dress up your table with your favorite essentials. You and your guests will have a great evening filled with FUN!