Some info about our Gourmet Group:  We are 4 couples who enjoy cooking, entertaining, and most of all, each other’s company. 

We take turns hosting in our homes.  The hosts decide on the menu (theme) from appetizers to dessert for the evening.  The hosts cook most of the meal, but give at least one course (along with all the recipes) to the other couples to prepare.  We love trying new recipes and ideas.  So most of the time the recipes are ones we haven’t cooked before, but they don’t have to be.

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Another couple hosted our Gourmet Group last month.  Our theme for the evening was “A Taste of the Coastal South”.  Here’s a look back at it.

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HER TABLESCAPE

She used blue – the color of the ocean (on sunny days) – as the primary theme for her table…

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Shells and white candles played an important role too…

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PLACE SETTINGS

She used shells for place card holders…

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THE MENU

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COCKTAILS & APPETIZERS

We devoured the Chicken Bacon Bites with Orange Marmalade…

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Luscious Crabmeat Cheesecake…

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DINNER IS SERVED

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Mixed Greens Citrus Salad with French Toast Croutons – refreshing…

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Southern Succotash

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 Shrimp with mushrooms, green onion, and bacon – Yum!!  Served with a southern favorite – (cheesy) grits…

DESSERT

We were in charge of making the dessert, Hummingbird Cake.

Since the magazine, Southern Living, originally ran the recipe in 1978, it has become the most requested recipe in Southern Living’s history.  (Source:  Southern Living)

A couple of photos I took while making the cake…

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Hummingbird cake is a banana-pineapple spice cake (very similar to a carrot cake) typically served with a cream cheese frosting.

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The recipe actually called for chopped pecans on top.  Since we served the pecans on the side, I took the liberty to add a few M & Ms  to the top of the cake so it didn’t look plain.  I wish I would have added some edible flowers instead (…next time)

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‘Twas delicious – you can never go wrong with cream cheese frosting…

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Even the artwork in their dining room complemented the color theme of the evening…