SUMMER FOOD FESTIVAL 2011!!

My apologies for being AWOL the past few days. It has been more than a little hectic around here and  a lot of it had to do with prepping for the Summer Food Festival that took place last Sunday at my house!  The whole day was filled with good friends who brought even BETTER food.

Spicy hot chicken legs, smoked brisket, spicy Southwest ranch beef which can be served on buns or with tortilla chips, pea salad, pasta salad, chilled cucumber yogurt soup, strawberry poke cake, Oreo dirt cake, raspberry peach cobbler, crab dip with crackers, risotto with Swiss Chard, fruit salad, frozen chocolate bananas, rum-spiked watermelon, and Portobello mushroom pizzas were all devoured equally.  Judging took place by a raise of hands and the winners are as follows: Michelle Borst won the main dish category with her Southwest Ranch Beef crock pot dish, Cindy Cassel won for the side dishes with her fresh and veggie-filled pasta salad, and Amber Douglass won the dessert category by a LANDSLIDE with Oreo dirt cake (Get it? Landslide?? Dirt?....sigh....)  Good job guys!

Not only was there good food, but there were nifty party favors for the guest to take home. They were given Chinese take-out boxes filled with Applewood Hickory Rub, Zaatar, Jamaican Jerk seasoning, Chinese Five Spice, and a fortune cookie.

The gigantic pinata for the kids was filled with juice pouches, raisins, granola bars, bubbles, crayons, Welch's fruit snacks, Honey Nut Cheerios, sugar-filled fruit shapes (had to contribute to cavities a little), Fruit Roll-Ups, etc. That was one tough pinata! It really took a beating!

 My friend Brandy has the most precious little girl named Kaleena, who wasn't seen all day without a big juicy slice of watermelon. Not to worry folks, the rum-spiked melon was kept in a separate bowl....although it would have been amusing to watch had they been switched!

 MMMMM....Brandy's hot chicken legs were AMAZING.

 Completely non-foodie related, there was a water balloon fight that got completely out of hand in the best way possible. There were a few lucky observers that managed to stay dry although I don't know how....

 Lorenzo nailing little children in the face with water balloons. Shame on you, Lorenzo.  :-)

 I think I was made a target, and I don't know why.

 The pies were SUPPOSED to be for a pie-eating contest but were first used to smash into my face.

 What goes around comes around, buddy!

 There was pie just everywhere.

 And then the FOOD FIGHT BEGAN.  My very own Aunt Cindy, threw my very own chilled cucumber yogurt soup at me. Oh, it's on.

 Is that your very own pasta salad you're wearing?

 And look!  My Piper and Brandy's & K.C.'s Piper at the same party!  Two beautiful Pipers I must say...

Overall, the Summer Food Festival was a success! My meticulous to-do list and schedule of events that I so painstakingly scribbled down in my trusty notebook were mostly thrown out the window, but I guess you have to relinquish a little control in order to have a LOT of fun, right?