Growth

I catered a 10-person dinner party Saturday night for friends. It was a little stressful. I honestly get nervous when I have to cook for more than five! I know I need to work through that quickly. I guess it went OK, which is below standard for me. I am truly thankful for the learning experience. I now know to purchase all groceries the day before. I have to stick to my initial timeline. I also need to make sure I test recipes with the exact food that will be purchased. I suck at plating, which is no revelation, but I have to get better. Of course we elected to serve each course plated! I had some wins and some losses, the most expensive of which was the steak. Thankfully, I had really gracious hosts and understanding guests. What a joy it was to work in a spacious kitchen! I did apply something I learned earlier in life, I brought all of my equipment with me. I overdid it on the prep bowls, but I pretty much used everything else. Menu

• Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
• Apple-Cranberry Salad
• Roasted Vegetables, Sautéed Corn
• Lemon-Garlic Shrimp
• Steak
• Crème Brulée