Hi y’all (apparently I’m turning Texan)! lol Thank you SO MUCH for all of your feedback on my clearing out the closet post. Going through it, combined with stress at work and the feelings e-course I’ve been taking, has put me in a bit of a funk for a few days. I tried going shopping too and wasn’t too successful. Nothing was looking quite right (and was several sizes larger than I was before) – it’s tough to embrace your “new body” when that happens.
Anyways, I’m cool now and I want to tell you about the dinner I cooked for my dad’s birthday last weekend (sticking to my 30 by 30 list and hosting dinner parties left and right. haha)! His birthday happens to be on my wedding anniversary. Adam and I celebrated the night, just the 2 of us, but I had plans to make it up to my dad soon enough.
When hosting a dinner party do you pick a theme or just go with delicious recipes?
I wanted to make sure this was really really delicious so for my main course I chose a recipe I’ve made (and loved!) before – chicken thighs on the grill (btw, I always tag my favorite recipes so you can find them easily… on the right hand side).
Next up were these lovely ravioli with prosciutto, sundried tomatoes, basil and mozzarella in Jamie Oliver’s The Naked Chef cookbook. The pictures have been enticing me for weeks and a special birthday dinner seemed like the right time to break out my pasta roller! [PS – you can find the entire recipe on this blog] 
Seriously, such cuties! 
It appears that I had an Italian theme developing so I went with it! Doesn’t strawberry ricotta cake sound kind of Italian? [If you say ricottttte like Giada, it definitely will 
]
OH YEAH!
Add a few Russian cheesy profiterole-like puffs (recipe coming to Russian Bites next)…
Some green beans with wild mushrooms…
And we have dinner!!
My mom was a giant help with executing the menu. I got a little ambitious planning this… happens every time! 
I was hoping this would turn into delicious comfort food, fit for a hole in the wall restaurant. I don’t know if I hit the bar quite that high (I’m pretty critical of my own cooking) but every single item turned out absolutely delicious… I can tell you that!
Happy birthday, dad!!
[Ha, he was trying to make a funny face when I pulled out the camera… I say that worked!]
Hope your dreams all come true!
The angel food cake meets Italian grandmother was so light and the perfect ending to our Italian feast. Adam asked that I add it to our rotation of desserts (which means I should start a rotation of desserts! Yessss). I’m adding more strawberries between each layer next time!
Have you entertained recently? Do you have go-to items for dinner parties?
love the pic of dad. so hilarious i could have guessed he would make that face
omg everything looks amazing. i want to request the ricotta cake next time i’m around too, i’m serious. ( and i totally say ricottttta the giada way!!)
Haha, do you know you said “i’m serious” like dad does?
I’ll make the cake for you next time you come if you tell me in advance!
This meal looks amazing! Bravo.
Love the menu! Happy birthday to your dad. That strawberry cake is beautiful!
What a great birthday spread for your dad! Everything looks delicious! I’m looking forward to entertaining more once the move is over!
Haha, your dad looks adorable in that picture! He looks like a little kid who’s ready to just dive into that cake.
Those homemade raviolis look so good! Perfect ingredients, too (though I might have thrown in some caramelized onions
).
You lost me in that last part
wow, everything looks delicious!!! what an amazing meal, you’re dad’s lucky
http://losingthew84good.blogspot.com/
Holy mother of summer strawberries that cake looks amazeballs.
I’m drooling over that cake! It looks so impressive!
Everything looks so good! Want to come cook my birthday dinner?
Sure
Four words: Quit. Your. Day. Job
I’m sorry about the shopping expedition and general feelings of being ‘down’ right now. I can relate to the down feelings, so I’ll send you a virtual hug through my laptop
Thanks. Hug received
Yum! Your dad’s bday dinner looks fabulous! Especially that cake! You cant go wrong with strawberries!
I like to do tapa-style dishes for dinner parties. I think I need a ravioli making lesson from you!
That’s so many things to make then!!
I’m happy to provide you with an in-person “ravioli lesson”… although it really is super easy. Here is a step-by-step post I did before (and now I even make the dough in the KA – even easier!!) http://www.healthyandsane.com/2011/04/making-ravioli-at-home/
You’re such a wonderful cook! Everything you cook always looks amazing! I tend to be a better baker than a cook, I think. I’ve actually never cooked for a large crowd….yet. I’m sure that will be coming in the near future and I hope that my mom is there to help, as well. The cake looks delish! I’m definitely going to check the recipe out.
I’m just good at following instructions. That’s all
[Menu planning is my favorite part of all!!]
What a wonderful birthday! Everything looks so yummy!
WOW! All I can say is wow! Elina, you never fail to amaze me with your wonderful cooking. This is definitely up to restaurant menu par and I’d totally order it. You are making my mouth water by just reading it through the computer screen.
Way to go…happy birthday to your dad! It looks like he had a very happy (and delicious) one!
OMG!! Why can’t we live closer so we can be IRL friends so you can cook birthday dinners for me?!?! I would be a better IE’r if I could cook like you. You must be so satisfied from the amazing tastes of all your delicious foods!!
I’m totally gonna try the grilled chicken thighs!! It’s nearly 1am here an my stomach just growled looking at it!!!
Well done my dear! (grrrrrrrrrrrooooooowwwwwwwwlllllllll) yep… that was my stomach again!!
xoxo, Holly
Hehe, hope you can make this yourself soon!
What a feast, everything looks fabulous!! Happy bday to your dad!
What an awesome dinner, I’m sure your dad loved it! I definitely consider having company a reason to make things I wouldn’t normally make for just ben and me. Like ravioli, for sure!
[...] Takes Off. I am seriously obsessed with his cookbooks lately! Update on 6/13: dinner #3 done! and dinner #4 on [...]