Ladies Luncheon

I had a fun day today. I invited 2 of my best friends over for a ladies luncheon, trying to get enough time with them before Zara is here. I started the night before so that it would be an easy morning. 

First I made a Cinnamon Apple Simple Syrup for my Iced Tea. I peeled 4 large apples and put the peels into a pot. Added a cup of brown sugar, a cup of water, a cup of apple cider, and a teaspoon of cinnamon. Boiled it down until it thickened and strained into a squirt bottle. 

Delicious!

Because I had 4 apples leftover I had to do something with them.

So I diced the apples and put them in a bowl with 1 squeezed lemon.

Then I sliced a cup of red grapes and added them.

Then sliced 4 celery stalks very thin.

Then added half a cup of chopped walnuts.

Last I added 2/3 cup of mayo. Stirred to combine. Delicious Waldorf Salad!

Back to my luncheon, to prep I cut up 5 large onions, in one pan I diced them and the other pan I sliced into thin half rings.

Then Caramalized for about 40 mins. Low and Slow.

To make the Pan Fried Onion Dip I took the half rings and chopped them up once they were caramalized.

In a bowl I put 4 ounces of softened cream cheese, 1/2 cup of mayo, 1/2 cup of sour cream, 1/2 tsp of cayenne, and half a teaspoon of salt. Stirred until combined. 

Then added the onions.

I put carrots, celery, Grapes, and kettle chips to dip into the dip.

To prep the quiche I used the chopped onions(1 medium onion) with 6 pieces of bacon that I baked at 400° for 20 mins and chopped. And added half a cup of chopped flat leaf parsley.

I put this into a bag to use the next morning. I also shredded 2 cups of gruyere cheese and put into another bag.

This morning I took 2 pre bought pie crusts and rolled them together. Put them onto a tart pan with a removable bottom. Pressed it into the fluted edges and cut off the extra dough. Put aluminum foil into the pie and filled with dried beans and baked at 425° for 12 mins, removed the beans and put back in oven for 8 more mins. Then removed to a wire wrack to cool for 15 mins. In a bowl I added 1 1/2 cups of half and half, 4 eggs, ground nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Mixed that till combined. Then I layered half of the onion/bacon mixture and spread it into the pie pan. Then layered half of the cheese on top of that.

Then the rest of the onion/bacon mixture.

Then the rest of the cheese.

Then poured the egg mixture over that.

And baked at 350° for 45 mins till the eggs set.

I accidentally cut into it before I took this picture! Seriously the best quiche I've ever had and everyone should try it!

I made it again and here is a better picture!

Now let me tempt you and make you hate me for introducing you to the most amazing dessert of your life!

Chocolate Chip Cookies mixed with Oreos, fudge, and brownies. Just wow. It's all I can say!

First you take 2 sticks of butter and cream with 3/4 cup of Brown Sugar, and 1 cup of granulated sugar.

Then added 2 large eggs and 1 tablespoon of vanilla. Mixed this slow till fully incorporated.

Then in a separate bowl I whisked 2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour, 1 tsp baking soda, and 1 tsp of salt. Then slowly added it to the mixer.

To this I added 2 cups, that's right I said 2 cups of milk chocolate chips and stirred. Then put the dough into a 13x9 dish with wax paper cut to fit then sprayed.

Then added a whole pack of double stuffed Oreos.

Last I used a family box of brownie mix and followed the directions. But added 1/3 cup of milk chocolate fudge sauce to the brownie batter and poured that over the Oreos.

Oh yeah I did it! Can you believe it? I still can't! Bake this at 350° for 30 mins covered with foil, then remove the foil and bake for 15 more mins.

This is what they looked like after I cut them up. I made monster sized pieces but it was meant to shock. I will be cutting the rest of them smaller for James to take to work. The guys are going to love these!

For this salad I shredded a rotisserie chicken into pieces, sliced a red onion into thin half rings, cubed an avocado and added lemon juice to keep it from turning brown, then took 2 large peaches and grilled them on a grill pan and diced into bite sized pieces, then added honey roasted pecan halves all on top of any lettuce you choose. Just an amazing salad with my Creamy Poppy Seed dressing.

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon of sour cream
  1 tablespoon milk
• 2-1/4 teaspoons cider vinegar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds
• I doubled this recipe. It's amazing!! Make it asap!

To decorate the table I made place tags by cutting some card stock into hearts and glueing white hearts onto them, then wrote their names on the white part. Then put a flower next to that on top of a colored napkin.

I had such a fun time and I hope they enjoyed it all. They complimented everything and said it was delicious :) 

They got to see Zara's room which I love showing off and loved it. I am so tired now so I'm off to take a nap then watch Alabama kick some ole miss ass!! ROLL TIDE!!