July 20, 2011
Do you ever contemplate having a group of friends over to your house, but you are not sure what you are going to do with them when they get there? What if there are constant lulls in the conversation? What if everyone wants to leave at 8:30 PM? In the next few weeks I will share you with some great “group party ideas.” I have lead loads of fellowship events–for my own friends and for fellowship groups.
The most recent one my husband and I planned was something we called “Signature Dish Night.”
We have lots of “foodies” in our church. We found ourselves in many conversations centering on recipes, cooking techniques, spices, wine, cheese–you name it. Most of us watched at least one reality show about cooking. A few of us have taken cooking classes. So we created our own Signature Dish Night. Rob and I have hosted it two years in a row. The first year participants could make any dish they wanted. We had everything from soup to appetizers to main courses. Everyone shared how they made their dish, what ingredients they used, and we sampled a little bit of everything.
This past year we focused on dessert. We actually made it into a competition. We had
everyone bring a dessert. We had everything from Rice Krispy squares to homemade pies to gluten free cake. Rob (my husband) cut a small piece from each dessert and put it on a paper plate. Each dessert was labeled A, B, C etc. We got a stash of plastic
forks (you need A LOT if you have a large group) and had each person sample
every single dessert. No double dipping. Use the plastic fork once and throw it out.
Everyone fills out a ballot and indicates which dessert they like the best. For the winners we gave them a gift card to a dessert café. Second place received a roll of
cookies dough. Third place was awarded a dish of candy. We put out a few appetizers, drinks, and people stayed long after the competition. It was a great party!
Posted by artoornstra in Friends & Get togethers Tags: desserts, parties
