The Italian Dinner

It all started with this fabulous local sweet and hot sausage.

Bruschetta

I made the bruschetta using my homemade ricotta with fresh herbs.

 When I transferred the ricotta from the cheesecloth to the bowl, a bit of ricotta juice hit the floor.  Wils was on it like white on rice.

Here he is, waiting for another mishap.  I love this boy too much! He is my best cleaner upper and he takes his job seriously.

The table was set with my favorite  fiance plates bought many years ago in Italy. A fun story for another time.

 Spaghetti with marinara.

 A salad that was never touched. Everyone was way off of their diets.

 A fabulous sausage stuffed pork roast on a bed of onions and fennel.

 This was one of the most popular dishes.

 I made 120 meatballs last week and froze them.  I warmed them up in a slow cooker.

 Sausage and peppers in a red sauce. Most of the food was made in advance and then gently warmed in my slow cookers.

 Delectable marinara.

Polenta made with homemade chicken broth, Parmesan and a splash of cream.  The sausage and peppers was served on this.

 Focaccia.  One garlic and one green olive.

 I was playing around and making some old time cookies.  I made coconut washboard cookies and black walnut  refrigerator cookies.  My husband loved them, my kids did not.  Old time memories!

 My daughter made the cake of all cakes.  This was a cherry/almond/chocolate chip cake. For the first time ever, the entire cake was consumed.  Everyone agreed that this was the best cake ever.  I am so happy to pass the cake baking baton off to her.

We served Aperol spritzers which everyone enjoyed until they became jolly.

A couple of the consumers.  This was just before they started to consume.  What fun!