Party Theme/Idea: Al Fresco in the Garden. Spread out all over the garden and set up tables and even a picnic on the lawn.  Decorate each one differently.

Favorite Recipe: Creole Crab and Crawfish Cakes with Ancho Ailoli from Bella Luna

Ingredients:
2 stalks celery, finely diced
1 large onion, finely diced
4 cups French bread, cut into ¼ inch cubes
½ pound crabmeat, shelled
½ green bell pepper, finely diced
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
2 cups breadcrumbs
½ pound crawfish tails
½ red bell pepper, finely diced
2 tablespoons dry mustard
2 tablespoons chives, finely minced
3 egg whites
½ cup mayonnaise

Preparation:
Sauté celery and onion in a hot skillet with a little olive oil or butter and then let them cool. After cubing French bread, mix all ingredients together (reserve a small amount of the bread crumbs for use in forming the cakes). Form crab and crawfish cakes to desired size, and sauté them in skillet with olive oil for 2-3 minutes on each side. Serve with Ancho Aioli. Serves 8.

Ancho Aioli

Ingredients:
1 red bell pepper
3 ancho peppers
3 chipolte peppers
1 poblano pepper
3 cloves garlic
1 yellow onion
1 bunch green onions
½ bunch parsley
½ bunch cilantro
1 bunch chives
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons dry mustard
2 tablespoons cumin
1 quart mayonnaise
Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Preparation:
Roast the above ingredients in hot oil and refrigerate until chilled. In a blender or food processor add the roasted ingredients along with the balsamic vinegar, dry mustard, cumin, mayonnaise, and salt and pepper. Blend until creamy smooth. Serve over crab cakes.

Favorite Flower: Faux fern

How-to Idea: Fern covered box

– Buy several 4” x 4” x 4” white cake boxes at a party supply store.
– Assemble the boxes, then spray them with basil colored paint.
– Hot glue faux fern fronds and purple pansies to the boxes.