OOPS!!! Sorry I didn't know that about Jan. 1 being "everybody's" birthday, if a specific date isn't given. Oh well, Happy Birthday, whenever it is. :>) Mwoods, your statement about each year bringing "joy, laughter, and some tears" is so true. None of us ever knows what's ahead for us. But, as my DH says, "It's been a trip, but I wouldn't change any of it!"

Thank you all, my dear, dear friends. Yesterday we had one of those days here at our house -- no water for 36 hours, Freya sneaking a pizza off the kitchen counter, and the smell of fresh polyurethane pervading the cold, damp house.... On the other hand, I had the loving affection of Tom and my DS Jacob, calls and cards from family, and greetings from all of you. And tonight we're going out to dinner to try celebrate again. Carla, Luanne, Jon, Anita, Lori, Ingrid, Sue, Carolina, Pamela, and Carol -- each one of your messages brought smiles and memories to my mind. I just realized that with the exception of Ingrid, I know each one of you in the Real World (as opposed to online) -- Ingrid, we'll just have to correct that soon. The only birthday wish I have left (besides more rain) is to hope that I get to see you all again as frequently and as soon as may be. Rosefolly

Happy Birthday Stacy!! Sorry Scott isn't there to celebrate but I'm sure he will make up for it big time when he gets back. Good luck with the pool too. I opened mine last weekend with no drama at all. We won't talk about all the stuff in today from the storms last night...LOL! A big clink to you! David

magothyrivergirl - I will cut and paste - absolutely! That won't take me long - you might just have to edit through it to find the good stuf, OK? I am thinking the italian sausage marinated in italian dressing and skewered would go great with beer! Here it is...sorry I don't seem to know a more efficient way of doing this...:-) Kabobs / Skewers Posted by maggie2094 (My Page) on Fri, May 12, 06 at 11:08 I would love your ideas for Kabobs. What combinations do you use? I will be having about 25 people and thought this would be a fun idea. I have done them in the past very simply. Is it okay to combine say a Greek recipe with a Thai or Middle Eastern? Can I mix it up or should I stick to one theme? Can I prep in advance? I would love to have everything ready to go. Any tips or recipes would be appreciated. Also, some people are travelling quite a bit and coming early. I was thinking of doing hot dogs and hamburgers early in the day and the skewers for later. What do you normally do if people come at 2:00 and stay late? I will also be planning on lots of finger food and apps. TIA! - Maggie Follow-Up Postings: o RE: Kabobs / Skewers * Posted by doucanoe (My Page) on Fri, May 12, 06 at 11:18 I skewer anything that won't fall off the stick! LOL Marinated shrimp or chicken, beef cubes with peppers, onions, mushrooms, baby red potatoes. Veggies roasted on the grill. Cold skewers of fruits, cheeses, etc. Don't usually follow any recipe, just marinate or season meats, toss 'em on the grill and wah-lah! Linda o RE: Kabobs / Skewers * Posted by granjan (My Page) on Fri, May 12, 06 at 11:24 What about a variety of sausages early in the day, hot dogs being one choice, and then kebobs. More interesting than hot dogs and burgers and just as easy. Here's a link from this month's Food and Wine by one of my favorite food writers, Paula Wolfort. Haven't made it but I love all the recipes of hers I have made. Here is a link that might be useful: Lamb and shallot skewers o RE: Kabobs / Skewers * Posted by chase (My Page) on Fri, May 12, 06 at 11:33 I've often done kebabs for a party. It's a great easy way to cook for a bunch. Mixing them up using different cuisines is a perfect way to offer lots of choice. If people are arriving at 2 and you have lots of nibblies I'd forget the burgers and dogs! If you're worried about people getting hungry then make a substantial nibblie like grilled pizzas cut in squares or bruschetta. I usually do three types kebabs, pork, beef and chicken but I only have a recipe for the chicken. The other two I wing so it kinda changes! LOL For the pork, cut pork tenderloin into 1" (or so) squares and marinate in a combination of soy sauce, honey and garlic. Alternate, green peppers, onion and maybe pineapple on the skewers with the pork cubes. For the beef, cut beef tenderloin into cubes and marinate in olive oil, garlic and fresh herbs. I often add red wine too. Alternate beef with large mushroom caps and peppers or onions. Here is the chicken recipe, great flavour. Chicken Tikka Kebabs (serves 4) 2 Lb chicken cut in 1 " cubes 1 small onion, diced 3/4 Cup plain non fat yogurt 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 TBSP ginger root, grated 2 Tsp chili powder 2 Tsp corriander, Ground 1 Tsp cumin, Ground 1/2 Tsp salt 2 lemons,quartered In food processor , process all ingredients except chicken and lemon to a chumky puree. Pour marinadeover chicken and let sit , covered, for 8 hours. Thread chicken on skewers with a small pearl onion in between each slice, end with lemons. BBQ on well greased grill for 7 minutes turning often. o RE: Kabobs / Skewers * Posted by ann_t (My Page) on Fri, May 12, 06 at 11:34 It is okay to mix and match different kabobs. I seem to remember Sharon (Chase) having a party where she served different kabobs. Ann o RE: Kabobs / Skewers * Posted by carla35 (My Page) on Fri, May 12, 06 at 11:42 I would stick to one theme, although if your marinade is odd or very strong you may want to make some without the spices. Plus, sticking with one theme should be easier on you and the guest in figuring out what is what. I'd put the veggies (depends on your theme but: tomatoes, onion, mushrooms, broccoli, peppers, pineapple, zucchini) on the kabobs, and then roast the potatoes and maybe add one non-skewerable veggie or so too. If you add, say, carrots or potatoes, you may want to boil them a little first so that you don't have to burn everything else to get them done. Or, if you have longer cooking items, you could also just put them all on one skewer. Remember fruit kabobs. And, I just tried these with chesses and ALL the cheese cubes broke or cracked...tried dif. kinds and sizes, so let me know how you do it, if you get it down right. (I used wooden skewers) Also, Kabobing itself (putting the food on the stick) may take more time than you think so be sure to allow a little extra time. They can usually be assembled in advance. If the couple hasn't eaten lunch, I think the hambugers and hot dogs would be a good idea. But, if they just ate, they may prefer just a snack until dinner. RE: Kabobs / Skewers * Posted by trixxee62 (My Page) on Fri, May 12, 06 at 11:43 I don't know if you're interested in offering a seafood option, but these are pretty good. HALIBUT AND RED PEPPER SKEWERS WITH CHILI-LIME SAUCE For this simpleyet boldly flavoredÂentrée, tuna or sea bass can be substituted. Chilies in the sauce add nice heat. 1/2 cup fresh lime juice 4 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons sugar 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 1 1/2 teaspoons minced serrano chilies with seeds 1 1/2 pounds 1-inch-thick halibut fillets, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 30 pieces) 1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch triangles (about 30 pieces) 6 green onions, cut into 1-inch lengths (about 30 pieces) Whisk fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons sugar, chopped fresh cilantro, and minced serrano chilies in small bowl until sugar fully dissolves. Let sauce stand 1 hour at room temperature to allow flavors to blend together. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. (Chili-lime sauce can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring sauce to room temperature before using.) Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Alternate halibut pieces, bell pepper pieces and onion pieces on six 10- to 12-inch metal skewers. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle kebabs with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Grill until fish is opaque in center and singed in places, turning kebabs occasionally, about 6 minutes. Transfer kebabs to platter. Serve kebabs, passing chili-lime sauce separately. Makes 6 servings. Bon Appétit July 2001 Epicurious.com © CondéNet, Inc. All rights reserved. o RE: Kabobs / Skewers * Posted by teresa_nc7 (My Page) on Fri, May 12, 06 at 12:42 Don't forget Italian Sausage kabobs; marinate in Italian salad dressing overnight, cut into 1" to 1/2" pieces, put on skewer, grill until done - they may take a little longer to cook, but you want the pork cooked through. Also, cooked tortellini pasta, marinate in a good salad dressing like balsamic vinaigrette and serve cold on bamboo skewers. Teresa o RE: Kabobs / Skewers * Posted by carla35 (My Page) on Fri, May 12, 06 at 12:49 Oh, that tortellini on a skewer sounds really good. I'll have to remember that. Great idea as a side. Do you add anything with it? o RE: Kabobs / Skewers * Posted by mjrdolfan (My Page) on Fri, May 12, 06 at 12:52 whatever you do, just remember to soak the bamboo skewers in water for 15-20 min prior to putting the food on it..they tend to burn if not "soaked". for dessert you can skewer fruits which would be a pretty presentation. you can turn a hollowed out watermelon over and put the skewers into that to serve. very pretty presentation. o RE: Kabobs / Skewers * Posted by moniqueb (My Page) on Fri, May 12, 06 at 13:15 I love kabobs..and all kinds..Beef Chichen,Shrimp,Pork.. Vegetables,Sausages..all different recipes etc.. I saw a pretty one this am in one of my new cooking magazines.. A Kabob of shrimps and scallops and the scallops are nestled into the shrimp.. Like a spoon:) Very pretty. I use big old fashioned metal skewers.. small bamboo ones.. yes do soak.. And I have some favorite circular ones that look very nice with rice served in the centre. I am always pleased when we are invited somewhere and they have them.. o RE: Kabobs / Skewers * Posted by ann_t (My Page) on Fri, May 12, 06 at 13:35 My favourite is with Greek seasoning. Chicken Souvlaki, Pork, Lamb or beef. I also do one with beef tenderloin that I really like too. Especially with green peppers and onions between the cubes. Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table Chicken Souvlaki ================ Chicken breasts Fresh minced garlic dried oregano lemons olive oil Salt Pepper . Cut chicken breasts into 1 inch cubes Place on wooden Skewers that have been soaked in water (prevents sticks from burning.. or on metal skewers. Rub with fresh minced garlic and dried oregano Squeese fresh lemons over chicken and some olive oil Salt and pepper Marinate for up to 1 hour. If marinating longer do not add lemon juice until the last hour. Lemon juice "cooks" the flesh and changes the texture. Place on hot grill and turn often until done. Serve with Greek salad and rice. NOTE: This recipe works well with Pork (I use Pork Tenderloin) and with Lamb Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table Beef Tenderloin - Kabobs ======================== 2 pounds beef tenderloin, cut into cubes (from 1 inch to 2 inches) 2 - 3 cloves of garlic minced 1 large shallot, chopped 2 tablespoons fresh thyme chopped/ and/or Rosemary 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped 1 cup red wine 1/2 cup olive oil salt Black Pepper - Coarsely Ground 2 Green Peppers cut into squares 2 large white onions- cut into 1/4's (option: Large Cherry Tomatoes) . Cut beef tenderloin in to nice size cubes. Mix together all of the other ingredients and marinate the beef for about 4 to 6 hours. Par Boil onions and green peppers for less than one minute. Drain and cool in icewater. REmove meat from Marinade and thread onto metal or wooden skewers, placing a piece of green pepper and onion inbetween each piece of meat. Grill on high heat. Turn a few times. Tenderloin should be served rare to medium rare so these do not take long to cook, depending on your grill. o RE: Kabobs / Skewers * Posted by ruthanna (My Page) on Fri, May 12, 06 at 14:04 As a side dish, I cook golf ball sized potatoes and chill overnight, then wrap each with 1/2 strip of bacon and thread on skewers. Brush with BBQ sauce mixed with melted butter or olive oil and grill over medium coals until bacon is done and potato skin is slightly crispy. o RE: Kabobs / Skewers * Posted by canarybird (My Page) on Fri, May 12, 06 at 15:34 Here's a post I made earlier describing how I put together some shrimp & chicken kebabs which were great: Shrimp & Chicken Kebabs with Rice I had half a cupful of that Bourbon Sauce left over from yesterday as I'd made more than I needed so last night I defrosted a chicken breast which I cubed and put in the sauce to marinate overnight. This morning I went downtown and bought some fresh shrimp, peppers, pineapple and those tiny green peppers from the north of Spain - 'Pimentos de Padrón', and put 8 wooden skewers to soak. After shelling the shrimp I went to the garden and picked some bay leaves, a fresh lime and a stalk of rosemary then made a marinade for the shrimp by putting the leaves of the rosemary stalk in a mortar and crushing it together with 2 chopped cloves of garlic and a pinch of seasalt, juice of 1/2 lime and a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to make a runny paste and letting the shrimp sit in there for an hour. The chicken was skewered together with red & green peppers, onion and fresh bay leaves, and roasted in the toaster oven at a lower level for 20 minutes covered with foil and 20 minutes uncovered. Lastly, the shrimp was then skewered together with pineapple chunks and broiled on a rack in the toaster oven grillpan for 10 minutes each side at 200C (400F). All was served on a bed of rice seasoned with some 'salat krauter', salt & pepper, and a small extra dish of sautéd peppers and onion. Bourbon Sauce (usually as a marinade for pork tenderloin) * 1/4 cup Kentucky Bourbon * 1/4 cup light soy sauce * 1/4 cup packed brown sugar * 2 large cloves garlic, chopped * 1/4 cup Dijon mustard * 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, or 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh ginger * 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce * 1/4 cup vegetable oil * dash hot sauce PREPARATION: In blender or food processor, combine bourbon, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, mustard, ginger, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and oil; pulse until smooth. SharonCb o RE: Kabobs / Skewers * Posted by moniqueb (My Page) on Fri, May 12, 06 at 17:19 CB I love Shrimp and Chicken Kabobs..we do that combo a lot! o RE: Kabobs / Skewers * Posted by lindac (My Page) on Fri, May 12, 06 at 18:14 And I often skewer hot dog bits for the kids... And don't forget how good things like apple chunks brushed with butter and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar are.... Linda C o RE: Kabobs / Skewers * Posted by maggie2094 (My Page) on Fri, May 12, 06 at 20:44 What great ideas! I was feeling sort of blah about it and now thanks to you all I am getting excited. You can really have fun with kabobs/kebabs. This is what I am thinking. What do you think? Too much? Too little? I think I need a rice dish. I have never done rice for that many people - any ideas on what type and how much? I varied the recipes just a bit so I don't repeat things like green pepper - I hope you don't mind. Early Afternoon Variety of Sausages and hot dog kabobs (I love that!) Peppers and Onions Grilled Italian Bread Clams and Mussels on the grill with cilantro butter Scallops on Rosemary Skewers with pancetta Dinner Chicken Tikka (Chase) Pork in Bourbon Sauce with Pepper and Pineapple (SharonCB) Beef Tenderloin with New Potato, onion or mushroom (Ann T) Grilled Pita Bread Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Marinated Cucumber Salad Yogurt Sauce Some type of Mediterranean Salad - Greek maybe? Tortellini Skewers with cherry tomatoes and olives (Teresa) Dessert Birthday Cake Apple Skewers with Butter and Cinnamon (Linda) Assorted Fruit Skewers in a hollowed out watermelon turned over (I love this idea, thanks Mjrdolfan) Nutty Irishman Coffee Beer, Wine, and pitchers of Pineapple Martinis (pineapple juice, Cruzan Vanilla Rum, and a splash of Grenadine in the glass) - I know not a true martini but they are good! My duh question of the day. Is Beef Tenderloin the same as Filet Mignon? I saw those circular skewers somewhere. They are cool, Monique! Ruthana, I love the potatoes and bacon but since I am doing scallops with bacon I am not going to do it this time but I will definitely try that. Trixie, I also really like the recipe with the halibut but think I will save that for just us another day! BTW - I just recently tried Halibut for the first time after hearing everyone here rave about it - the best fish I ever had. Carla, I am worried about all the "kabobing". I think it is going to be alot of work but most I can do the day before. Okay, I am a little worried! I am thinking a dozen of each. I am having about 25 people including kids. I am not sure about quantity. This is for my DHÂs 40th b'day party next Saturday. People are calling and asking is it a surprise? My answer - "heck, no - who do you think has to clean up the yard and set up?". Not to mention grill :D. Is that bad of me? Maybe I can get one of my BIL's to grill that day. Thank you ALL so much. o RE: Kabobs / Skewers * Posted by chase (My Page) on Fri, May 12, 06 at 20:54 Maggie just tell me what time to be there! A magnificent spread!!! You can do rice but it's bit of a PIA for so many. I would be inclined to do a mass of grilled baby potatoes. Buy the little guys, red and white, slice them in half,drizzel with olive oil , sprinkle with salt and pepper, add some herbs, wrap in foil and do on the grill. Start the potatoes 20 minutes before the kebabs. The potatoes are very nice mixed with the veggies that come off the kebabs. Sounds like a wonderful party, enjoy! o RE: Kabobs / Skewers * Posted by maggie2094 (My Page) on Fri, May 12, 06 at 21:44 Chase, what? It is just a plane ride, right? C'mon over. I would love to have my CF friends there. Really! I am thinking that rice will be a PITA. Baby potatoes sound like a plan. Now I have to finish cleaning out my closets. My sister and I have an ongoing joke about "thank god for company or the house would never be clean!". Of course, we are clean but boy having guests really gets you motivated. We have a good laugh at each other. We clean things like our utensil drawers, closets and bathroom vanities. I have also been known to get out the shop vac and go to town on my furniture and anything in cord reach! lol!! o RE: Kabobs / Skewers * Posted by dlundin (My Page) on Fri, May 12, 06 at 23:05 I've been thinking a lot about kebabs lately and just made Ann's chicken souvlaki for the second week in a row. I wanted to make a beef kebab, too, so this thread is very timely. I agree, have a variety, that sounds so wonderful. Your menu sounds great, Maggie. Hope you have a great time and tell us all about the party. It does sound delicious. o RE: Kabobs / Skewers * Posted by kcsunshine_2006 (My Page) on Mon, May 15, 06 at 18:42 Wow, my mouth is watering reading these. Thanks for all the great ideas! I'm thinking about when I can have a kabob party... o RE: Kabobs / Skewers * Posted by stacy3 (My Page) on Mon, May 15, 06 at 19:51 wow - great ideas on this thread - for summertime! LIndac, I had never thought of skewering hot dogs or the apple thing!!! Maggie, your whole menu sounds wonderful - can't wait ot hear about it! ((((Ann, can't imagine that no one mentioned kaboobs...)) Stacy o RE: Kabobs / Skewers * Posted by publickman (My Page) on Tue, May 16, 06 at 20:04 I only make vegetable kabobs - I make chicken souvlaki straight on the grill with no skewers, but maybe I should try it the other way. I also grill sausages whole - not on skewers, although that would make them easier to eat. I avoid grilled fruit, however. One tip - do not mix different vegetables on one skewer, especially if they will cook at different speeds. My favorite is marinated mushrooms. I make a garlic/herb vinaigrette marinade, marinate the mushrooms (cut in half or quarters, depending on size) for about an hour, and grill separately, as they cook faster than other vegetables. I will combine red bell pepper with pieces of onion, however. Zucchini is good also. Cut into bite size pieces and marinate in olive oil, S&P. As long as you are grilling, add some bread spread with garlic butter to the grill. Lars o RE: Kabobs / Skewers * Posted by trixxee62 (My Page) on Tue, May 16, 06 at 21:13 Everything you've listed sounds delicious AND fun! Good luck with the party! o RE: Kabobs / Skewers * Posted by maggie2094 (My Page) on Mon, May 22, 06 at 23:24 Well, just wanted to post a big hug to everyone here for all your recipes and tips. They were a big help to me. We were extremely lucky to have a nice day in between lots of rainy ones. It was windy but DRY. We ended up with over 30 people - I am actually thinking closer to 40! Because I ended up sick last week and on antibiotics I ended up nixing the pork kabobs, tortellini, and fruit skewers (I have them in my files now to try at a later date). I just did not have the time. We added bbq chicken (at my husband's request) and several of my aunts brought things like mac salad, bean salad, mac 'n' cheese (made with penne and a bread crumb topping - mmm), and smoked sable (I had no clue how to serve this, ended up putting with cocktail pumpernickel bread). I know quite an eclectic mix but then so are my friends and relatives! I think I did everything else that was on the menu I posted. The pineapple martinis were a big hit as were the clams and mussels with cilantro butter. There was so much food! Ann T's beef kabobs and Chase's Chicken Tikka were awesome. People loved it. We pretty much ate all day. I will say that I won't do kabobs for this size event again. I will definitely do it for a party of 10 or less where I can stick to a theme a little better. My sister brought a fruit bouquet (hey they are on skewers, right?) and the most amazing strawberries covered (not dipped more like a gourmet chocolate) in thick chocolate. They were both from a place called edible arrangements - very good. They are a town over from me but have stores in the us and Canada. I do feel like I didn't really get to spend any real time with anyone with that amount of people but it was great. Oh, and get this? My aunt brought her dog (helllooo, I have two cats!). I decided to lock the dog in my bedroom. Duh, I forgot to check under my bed for kitties. It turns out I locked Nikki the Pomeranian and Bandit my cat in there for 2 hours! They were both traumatized! My cat is still giving me angry meows over his shoulder and demanding pet at every available opportunity. So, I have a ton of tomatoes (I just kept forgetting I had them and buying them at every store I went to), Brie I forgot to put out and 4 packages of this smoked sable. I would love to do a rustic tomato tart of some sort - maybe with the brie too? I have no clue what to do with the smoked sable. Thank you again for taking the time - I truly appreciate it. ~Maggie Here is a link that might be useful: Edible Arrangements - check out the boxed strawberries o RE: Kabobs / Skewers * Posted by april_bloom (My Page) on Fri, Jun 2, 06 at 9:57 Scallops with Roasted Pepper Butter Sauce 30 sea scallops (about 2 1/2 pounds) 4 medium red bell peppers (about 2 pounds) 2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth 1/2 cup white wine 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoons dried basil, crumbled 2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces 1/4 teaspoon salt cooking spray 1. Thread 5 scallops onto each of 6 (12-inch) skewers. Cover and chill. 2. Preheat broiler 3. Cut peppers in half lengthwise, discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skins sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 15 minutes or until blackened. Place in zip-top plastic bag. Seal and let stand 10 minutes. Peel peppers, and discard skins. Place peppers, broth, and wine in a blender; process until smooth. Combine pepper mixture and basil in a skillet. Bring to a boil cook until reduced to 1 12 cups (about 5 minutes). Reduce heat to medium-low; gradually add butter, stirring until melted. Cover and keep warm. 4. Prepare grill. 5. Sprinkle kabobs with salt; place on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 2 1/2 minutes on each side or until done. Serve with bell pepper sauce. Garnish with fresh basil, if desired. Yield 6 servings (serving size: 5 scallops and 1/4 cup sauce). Calories 208 (23% from fat); Fat 5.2 g sat. 2/5 g, mono. 1.2 g poly 0.7 g); Protein 29.8 g; Carb. 9.4 g; fiber 1.6 g; Chol. 67 mg; iron .9 mg; sodium 970 mg.