Sigh.  My kids are about to have their birthdays.  Okay, not just them:  between 4/24 (Adam’s 31st) and May 26th we have 8 birthdays, 2 anniversaries and Mother’s Day.

I’m already cross-eyed.

Next Sunday I’ll be holding our annual birthday dinner for both Adam and Sarah-who turns 33 on May Day.  The next week my sister, niece and parents will be visiting and they have a multitude of dietary restrictions so it’s just easier to host our kids special meal separately.  We’ll celebrate theirs, my dad’s 86th and Mother’s Day while the extended family is with us.

Birthday dinner:

Maplewood smoked ham

Baked potato bar (I love just letting everyone create their own sides)

Salad bar (See above)

Dessert?  The birthday kids didn’t request anything, but the grandkids asked if we could eat outside, light the fire pit and make s‘mores.

Again-I’m creating a s‘more “bar“.

What’s nice about a make-your-own meal is that presumeably everyone makes it to please their own palate.  No one can say “why did you baste the ham with_____?” if you just slice and grill and stack on a platter.

Have various mustards and BBQ sauces on the side and they choose.

Potatoes get coated in EVOO and some sea salt-creating a nice crust on the outside and fluffy moist insides.  Have the bar ready to go with sour cream, butter, shredded cheese, chives, various flavored salts, fresh salsa and maybe even some spinach or kale pesto and for me-I love some Dijon mustard on mine.  

Yes, I know it sounds weird, but it’s the way I like it.

Salad-I have the base greens in a huge bowl and then have a lazy Susan filled with:  mushrooms, shredded carrots, cherry tomatoes, garbanzo and kidney beans and some croutons.  I try to have non-fat, vinaigrette and a creamy dressing as well.

S‘mores bar:  Both plain and chocolate graham crackers.  Milk and dark chocolate chips/bars, plain and flavored marshmallows.

One more thing, since we’ll be eating outdoors, I’m going paper.  Thankfully it cuts down on clean-up and Monday is garbage day!