It's party planning time...

This is our first REAL party. We have thrown a BBQ or 2, but nothing like this, where everything is prepared for in a kitchen and braised and baked. A BBQ is easy. You get some meat together, marinate it, grill it. Done.
This is much more complicated!

So here is our final menu:

Starters (out when guests begin arriving):
2 Pesto Goat Cheese Dip
Assorted cheeses on cutting board with crackers/breads
Spinach / Artichoke Dip

Main Appetizers (the ones I am stressing about)
Braised Chipotle Pork Shoulder (shredded and served with fresh corn tortillas)
Beef Satay skewers with peanut sauce
Assorted Roasted Vegetables
Grilled Shrimp
Butternut squash soup (still conceptual at this point)

Desserts:
Chocolate Croissants
Strawberry/Raspberry Phyllo Pinwheels

Friday night we are having prep with Ben (our co-host) so that we can get the dips ready and marinate all the meats and go ahead and braise the pork. Even the recipe says it is better the next day.

So the day of will mainly be cleaning frenzy. Most things won't need cooking until an hour before the party starts. We still need to purchase inexpensive wine glasses so that we aren't worried about someone dropping one (or one getting elbowed off a table. etc). We need wine charms as well. We are going to put lights on the tree in the back yard, and more than likely put Lilly in the bedroom so that the back door can stand open the whole night.

Tomorrow we have to finish up some Christmas shopping. We will look for wine charms while we are out. The ones at Crate N Barrel were pretty highly priced. I think Pier One (i get a 20% discount anyway!) will be the place to find those.

I also need plastic plates and some small plastic bowls cups for the soup. I am thinking Costo for sure. We are doing a test run tonight of the pork and beef satay. I couldn't find any decent pastry dough at HEB so I will have to look for that later on in the week, or even on Saturday during a last minute shopping trip.

We shopped and shopped and shopped today! I am so tired just thinking about all the things we have left to so. I mean, I need to clean this house top to bottom. I am going to try and not think about that for the rest of the night!