Tonight we were invited over to Karen’s friends’ (now our friends 
) Catriona and Jim’s house
Karen joined us along with their son, Ashton
We snacked on appetizers (Karen’s hummus and sun-dried tomato pesto!)
We played with the cutest kitty – Tiger Lily!
For dinner Catriona made manicotti, delicious Italian, plus salad and Great Harvest bread
And for dessert we enjoyed a Lemon-Almond Pound Cake
Topped with ice cream! Hit the spot.
Goodnight!
{ 55 comments… read them below or add one }
The Madre would LOVE you. She is so into the beaded and hand-painted decor — she literally goes gaga for it.
I’ve always wondered …. did they name it pound cake because it weighs a pound?
I think because the classic recipe calls for a pound of flour, pound of butter, pound of sugar
KathEats: That is what my mom always too. My mom and her mom (grandma) said that is how the ingredients were sold back in the day so you could go to your market and buy everything by the pound and make a cake from what you purchased. Many of those items are still sold by the pound for this recipe.
Those napkin rings are too fun! Love all the colors.
Love those napkin rings!! They look homemade!
Love the decor and the kitty!
I love eating with friends, old or new!
oh my goodness, i LOVE those glasses – so pretty! the food looks delicious too!
What beautiful glass and plateware! So colorful.
Tiger Lily is adorable. Reminds me of Angela’s (OSG) cat, I love the stripes. This looks like the perfect comfort food meal!
Looks like such a delicious evening. The bread looks the best. Have a great rest of your night!
Love your new friend’s dish ware!
I’ve never even thought to make manicotti….looks delicious!
Love making new friends. I wish my family lived closer so we could share their friends too!
oooo that lemon pound cake looks delish!! and even better with a scoop of ice cream
My kind of meal! Everything looks delish. I really like the star shaped cake! Very cute.
That kitty is adorable, but looks totally pissed! Look at those claws! Ahhh gotta love kitties
Those eats look amazing, gotta try my hand at making some manicotti!
mmmm sounds delicious!!
I love the colorful dishware – so festive and warm, especially this time of year!
Those desserts are so pretty!
Also, does Karen give the host a heads up that you’re a food blogger? Does it ever get awkward? You seem like a take charge kind of lady who probably wouldn’t be phased by it.
Yes, these friends know all about the blog. I always ask first!
I would like friends like yours please. I love entertaining and making fun stuff like that but my friends think they’re doing me a favor by always wanting to eat out. Fun glasses and plates too!
I love how festive the plates are. Reminds me of home… Texas/San Antonio
Congrats on a fun night with your (new) friends! Everything looks delish.
Love all those bright colors — and the food looks delicious too! You have fun friends!
That garlic bread made with great harvest looks seriously delish!
What a fun night and I love that glassware. Just beautiful and so nice to savor beverages in pretty glasses…I think they taste better that way
Ha ha, love that kitty’s face. Too cute. Good company and good food always makes for the best nights. Oh, and now I really want some pound cake and ice cream.
Woo perhaps El Tigre and Tiger Lilly need to meet
!
Those plates and glasses are so freaking cute! Definitely festive. Do you know where they got them? Hope you had a fun night out with your mama-in-law and her friends. Always fun to have a reason to celebrate Monday night
I know I have seen similar things (plates, placemats and napkin rings) at Pier1! http://www.pier1.com/Catalog/Dining/tabid/977/CategoryId/904/ProductId/29348/ProductName/Circus-Beads-Napkin-Ring/language/en-US/Default.aspx
and similar drinkware! http://www.pier1.com/Catalog/Dining/tabid/977/CategoryId/110/ProductId/2929/ProductName/Confetti-Stemware/language/en-US/Default.aspx
Yep, she wrote a comment below!
Awww… that kitty is adorable….
Did you happen to ask how they got their pound cake in the shape of a star? I’m curious!
It was actually a gift from a company, but I think you could buy a star mold and get the same effect
I love those glasses – so festive! Looks like a great night, and the hummus sounds delicious!
The colors are all so beautiful! It makes a meal so much more fun!
sounds like a fun night!
Pretty name, Catriona. Of course, everything looks delicious even at 7 a.m.!
Those wine/water glasses are beautiful. So colorful and festive. My husband and I have lots of “nice” high quality glassware, but no fun festive stuff like that.
Glad you had a fun dinner party with your friends!
I love the colors in the decor. It makes me want to make a festive centerpiece just because!
Very festive dinner! Love all the colours…and that Lemon Pound Cake! Yummy!
That manicotti looks great!
How fun! Dessert looks fab
The dessert looks so good, I love how it’s baked in a star shape! Is it store bought or homemade? If homemade, what sort of pan was used to create the shape and is a recipe coming soon?
That is a wonderful picture of you Kath, you look so relaxed and happy! It look like your delicous dinner, drinks and dessert with family and friends was reason to be smiling. Love the fun, bright colors. The kids and I have been putting out festive Valentine’s decorations to brighten things up.
Very festive dinnerware!
Tiger Lily looks quizzical
http://faithfulsolutions.blogspot.com/
Love your pictures!!
From The Hostess: The place mats, napkin, and napkin rings and glasses are all from Pier 1. I found the plates at TJ Maxx. The ceramic creatures (frogs and geckos) are from Tecate, Mexico. It’s my fiesta look – served with an Italian meal…
Thanks so much for dinner!
You have such a good friend and entertaining and eat dinner at each others houses social-life. I love it!
Oooh, would Karen share her sundried tomato pesto?! All of the bright colors in the table setting are wonderful!
Karen is so popular!
That pound cake looks delicious. I am always super disapointed when dinner at someone else’s house does not include some dessert of some kind!