Party at our place, for HOW MANY?!

If y’all are anything like me, you like a party now and then, but once push comes to shove, you’re probably more jazzed about a party at somebody else’s house, right?

Imagine then, my trepidation when M announced that we were going to host a surprise birthday party for her pal Deb and that roughly 30 folks would attend… Oh, and of course, we’d be cooking! So we got to work and made plans and a menu.

Needless to say, ya don’t celebrate the Big Six Oh without proper fanfare. I did the shopping while M put the final touches on the yard…

We went with pulled pork sandwiches, roasted chicken with a southwest flair, an incredible wild rice salad, coleslaw, killer shrimp hors d’oeuvers, (AKA horse doovers), and called it good.

The pork got a rub of black pepper, brown sugar, cumin, sea salt, garlic, onion and powdered hickory smoke powder, (From Butcher and Packer, just smoke essence mixed with dextrose – Amazing stuff!) It went low and slow, (275 F), for most of the day and came out, well, real good let’s just say!

The chickens were done up with a green chile and herb rub, (Dried Hatch chile powder, dried orange and lemon peel, Mexican oregano, sea salt and pepper), and stuffed with oranges, onion, cilantro, and olive oil.

M did the wild rice salad – Minnesota wild rice, dried cranberries, apples, red onion, toasted pine nuts, red bell pepper, and a white balsamic vinaigrette – It was incredible!

Coleslaw was green cabbage with shaved carrot, garlic chive and cilantro from the garden, and our semi-homemade dressing, (Mayo, sugar, apple cider vinegar, creamed horseradish, celery seed, salt and Pepper.)

Then there were M’s bacon and pineapple wrapped shrimp with a citrus chile glaze…

M outdid her self in the house and yard, I must say…

We had plenty of libations, both leaded and un…

And check it out; the cake mirrored the invites!

The guest of honor was completely surprised and everyone had a great time, us included!