{"id":10755,"date":"2016-10-08T21:39:52","date_gmt":"2016-10-09T01:39:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.catchingfirefliesgifts.com\/blog\/?p=10755"},"modified":"2016-10-08T21:39:52","modified_gmt":"2016-10-09T01:39:52","slug":"dining-under-october-skies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.catchingfirefliesgifts.com\/blog\/2016\/10\/dining-under-october-skies\/","title":{"rendered":"dining under october skies"},"content":{"rendered":"

I have always enjoyed hosting little get togethers but all too often time gets away, parties don’t get planned and general busyness fills up those calendar boxes.<\/p>\n

\"fabulous<\/p>\n

A girl’s weekend trip to the Belong Tour<\/a> this summer reminded me that I get to choose how I want to use\u00a0my time\u00a0and spending time in community needed to fill a few more of my boxes.<\/p>\n

\"cameron<\/p>\n

So when I scrolled down my instagram feed and saw this amazing dinner party<\/a> I was inspired to create a little magic of my own.<\/p>\n

\"autumnal<\/p>\n

I poked around Pinterest to get some inspiration for a fall flavored menu. \u00a0I needed the recipes to be fairly simple with a hint of fancy and here’s what I decided on…<\/p>\n

\"harvest<\/a><\/p>\n

I often make salads with candied walnuts and dried fruit but have never tried the combination of dried apricots and pistachios… such a delightful twist. \u00a0The salad dressing is what really makes this harvest salad<\/a> stand out. \u00a0I substituted a blood orange olive oil<\/a> in for additional flavor and it turned out amazing.<\/p>\n

\"truffle<\/p>\n

Speaking of olive oils… pour a little of this heaven<\/a> with a sprinkle of truffle salt<\/a> for a bread dipping experience that is oh so tasty (sorry Whole 30 friends)<\/p>\n

\"herb<\/a><\/p>\n

I was going to do a roasted root vegetable dish but decided to rely on a classic instead. These parmesan herb roasted redskins<\/a> go with everything and hold up great for leftovers the next day too.<\/p>\n

\"roasted<\/a><\/p>\n

Another easy-peasy veggie recipe. \u00a0There’s hardly any prep involved with roasted asparagus<\/a> and they only need to be in the oven a short time before your guests arrive.<\/p>\n

\"spinach<\/a><\/p>\n

The main dish<\/a> is a great way fancy up a baked chicken breast. \u00a0I used fresh spinach, feta and cream cheese for the flavorful filling. \u00a0I ended up cutting the breasts in half since\u00a0we had so many other sides\u00a0to fill up the plate.<\/p>\n

\"fall<\/p>\n

And there you have it… a most delicious medley everyone enjoyed. \u00a0The best part… it really only took me a couple of hours to make it all.<\/p>\n

\"pumpkin<\/p>\n

A couple of our guests brought warm apple crisp and homemade pumpkin cheese cake with a ginger snap crust for dessert… such a sweet way to end a most fantastic fall evening.<\/p>\n

\"under<\/p>\n

While the food was delicious and the atmosphere charming… really the company of people you don’t see often enough is what was most wonderful. \u00a0I couldn’t have asked for a more magical fall night under the October stars.
\n 
\nI wanted to blog about this because I need to remind myself that\u00a0nights like this are important to make happen. \u00a0Yes, they take time to plan – Yes, it’s hard to find a date where all your friends can attend\u00a0– Yes, it takes energy to get your nest looking lovely… but YES they always end up being the nights you remember and cherish.
\n 
\nLike to see how\u00a0I spend my time away from catching fireflies<\/strong><\/span>?\u00a0 Then sign up to receive blog posts like these in your email inbox<\/span>\u00a0<\/strong>HERE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n