Cake from Uber Angel Cupcakes
Last year was just a big celebration, as it was my 30th, and my best friend and fellow cake judge Charlotte's birthday is 2 days before mine and the planets aligned so that we could hold the joint party we've always wanted to.
The year before was Cuban themed, and there were cuban sandwiches and twix bars with labels on to make them look like cigars, the year before that was classic garden party miniature food, cucumber sandwiches with added home made drinks and wine.
Anyway, this year, in honour of the marvelous that is country & western, and the fat that this time last year we weren't long back from our trip to the Deep South we went with a Deep south / Tex Mex / Amercian themed menu - and a 40 hour Spoitfy Playlist.
With a guest list of 25ish (according to facebook) and rain planned all day we abandoned the original idea of a gingham filled sit down meal outside and went for classic buffet party fare:
- Sweetcorn (frozen) to be grilled
- Chickpea, Feta & Avocado salad
- Quorn Hot Dogs & Veggie Chilli
- Tex Mex Bean Salad - http://www.yummymummykitchen.com/2014/01/tex-mex-rice-and-black-bean-salad-wraps.html
- Easy Potato Skins - http://www.iheartnaptime.net/easy-potato-skins-recipe/
- Savory Pop Corn (Already have)
- BBQ Chicken Pizzas
As it turned out, and is often the way - We didn't get around to the pop corn or the sweetcorn, or the potato skins, although we did have those last night with the left over chilli and rice salad - and they are indeed easy and delicious.
But things like the Chilli cheese dogs were a hit, and enough that no one complained about the lack of meat, not that my friends would do that.
Drinks wise I made Sweet Ice Tea (http://www.budgetsavvydiva.com/2012/07/perfect-southern-sweet-tea-recipe/) and Pete made up some Apple Pie Moonshine (with vodka instead of pure grain spirit) and we had lemonade and pimms alongside the usual beers and soda.
The star of the show however was my cowboy boot cake from the very talented Danielle at the top of the post, which is the same filling as the Reddit Alien Snack Exchange Cake - Mississippi Mud Pie...