Fast paced. Rainbows of color. Noise everywhere. Bigger is better. Excess is the choice of the day. Too much to ooh and ahh over can become dizzying. Simple things and getting back to basics can offer up a refreshing pause.
I am not a fancy cook. My Aunt Lina was a beautiful cook, she could do it all in the kitchen. I have a friend that pairs or covers everything in a sauce or a glaze or infuses whatever she cooks. I just cook. Nothing fancy, although I do love to bake.
My first grandson is due in a few days, so for the family shower last weekend, I concentrated on the basics, nothing overboard.
The theme was an old tried-and-true: rubber duckies! Ernie would have approved, most definitely. Simple moist white cupcakes, covered in light blue butter cream icing, made little individual ponds for miniature ducklings to swim in.
Easy homemade vegetable dip and an assortment of crackers were the savory compliment to the cupcakes. A trip to the dining room hutch for a pressed glass platter made the simple dip special. Here’s the recipe:
2- 12 ounce containers of sour cream
2 – packages of Linton instant vegetable soup mix
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon of white pepper
Mix all of the above the night before your shower or party. Keep the sour cream containers and refill with your just mixed dip. Overnight in the frig will reconstitute the dehydrated vegetables and meld the flavors and spices. It’s not too strong in flavors, just right. I served this simple dip with crackers for the baby shower, but for this weekend’s super bowl, it would be great with your favorite chips.
And of course there was punch. Blue, because we’re having a boy!
Nothing was over done. Just simple fare served with love and elegance.
Baby blessings from the Exile’s Kitchen.
theexileskitchen 