"Ladies Who Lunch."

Back in October, I hosted a Ladies Who Lunch. It was essentially an excuse to get together with friends who are either A) unemployed, or B) have random work schedules that give them time off during the work week.

I didn't know how successful the event was going to be since most of my friends are usually busy with their spouses and kids.

Turns out, they'd easily toss those babies aside for a weekday jaunt over to a friend's house for food and drinks. Which is probably why we're such good friends.

I provided two options of finger sandwiches- tuna salad and cucumber/ cream cheese. I also threw together a mixed greens/ goat cheese/ candied walnuts salad. And no luncheon would be complete without booze. But since we're ladies, I classed it up with orange juice and served mimosas. Lastly, I used leftover CandyMelts to make souvenirs. Which I then forgot to distribute and ended up eating myself.

The event was a potluck and my friends did not let me down. They brought a meat/ cheese platter, corn/ black bean salsa, and cupcakes.

Oh my God, did I end up going to town with all that food. I think my face was buried so deep in my plate, I didn't even contribute one word to the conversations.

It ended up being a total success! Thanks to the people involved (Rachel, Rawnie, and Christina) the food, the gossip, the timing- everything went off without a hitch. I've been meaning to plan another get-together, but this whole "unemployed during Christmas time" is totally cramping my style. Hopefully, I'll host another in the near future.

Boner'ppetite!

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Recipe: Turkey and Bacon Turnovers

These turnovers make the perfect dinner for football night. They're kind of like pub food because they're heavy and hearty, but the flakiness of the puff pastry makes them seem much more civilized.


TURKEY & BACON TURNOVERS
Found in Cuisine Fast & Fresh magazine (Fall 2012)

INGREDIENTS
4 strips thick-sliced bacon
1 sheet frozen puff pasty, slightly thawed
4 tsp. Dijon mustard
8 oz. deli-sliced turkey breast
4 slices Cheddar cheese
1 egg, blended

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400F (204C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Cook bacon in a skillet until it's reached desired crispiness. I don't like my bacon too crunchy, and I thought it might continue to cook a bit more when placed in the oven, so I went slightly under. When it's done cooking, transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.

3. Flour a smooth working surface. Roll puff pastry out into an 11-inch square on the floured surface. Use a pizza slicer to divide into four even squares. Spread with 1 tsp. Dijon (or more if you like). I just eyeballed it.

4. Arrange turkey, bacon, and cheese on half of each pastry square.

5. Brush edges of each square with the egg wash, and fold in half so each square is now a triangle. Gently press the tines of a fork all along the open edges to seal shut. In order to make everything fit, you may have to move your filling around.

Note: When I did this step, I accidentally poked a few holes through my pastry. If this happens to you, gently pinch the holes to stick them back together.

6. Brush the tops of the triangles with more egg wash and bake until golden and crisp, approximately 25 minutes.

These turnovers can easily be great for both adults and children. If your kids don't like an ingredient, just omit or substitute. Maybe use ham or roast beef instead of the other meats. 

Made according to the recipe, they can be a little on the salty side (probably because I packed mine with bacon), so if at all possible, I would not omit the Dijon mustard. It acts as a tangy balance to the saltiness of the meats.

I served these handheld-treats with an heirloom tomato salad from The Barefoot Contessa. It seemed like a good idea for "healthy'ing" the meal up. Unfortunately, it got four thumbs down in this house and we will not be making that salad again. 

Whether you're hosting a sporting event, going to the beach for the day, or packing a picnic, these turnovers are perfect because they're self-contained and don't require any silverware.

Boner'ppetite!

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