my mother in law's birthday is saturday. need to plan a get together for just the ladies, little and not so little. we're behind in planning as we have both been remodeling our houses. she just finished and it is beautiful so we want to hold our brunch there. oh yeah, she asked for a saturday morning brunch. with manicures/pedicures, the whole works. a basic girlie party.

i need quick easy decorating ideas and food.

one idea i found on the internet was a "Hat's off to Nanny" party. everyone wears big fancy hats or basically the hat of your choice. not sure if i have time to ask everyone to do that. i've got the manicurist booked...i just need to plan the food...any help would be great!

About an English tea and finger food kinda of theme for the food?
Little finger sandwiches, cookies, crackers and sliced cheese, maybe some brunch type of cassarole, etc

I love the English tea theme to go along with the hats!

OK, softballmom, I admit to being a total dork here, but I simply can't resist. If it were me, to go along with the mani\pedi segment of the party, I'd have to serve something like Buffalo Chicken Fingers Fingers or Crunchy Coconut Chicken Fingers Fingers, or Pickled Pigs Feet Feet....er, well, maybe not, since I can't stand pigs feet...but you get my drift. But I can't think of any other food that would be a "foot food".

...like I said, I cop to being a total dork...

Seriously, though, maybe a spinach and strawberry salad, and a brunch quiche, and some cookies or lemon bars for dessert? Something easy, "spring-y" and quick to fix or make-ahead.

Haha. I think that is hilarious!!

TripleA - i like the way you think. and usually that would fit my mother in law to a T but she's requested a very girlie morning...not sure what's up with that, she's usually the one making mud pies with the kids and keeps a bowl of eye ball candy in the fridge to put in their cereal to get a good laugh...

Anyone that would put fake eyeballs in her grandkids' cereal, sounds like a very cool grandma to me! Love it!

I should do that to my kids...hahahahaha

That spinach and strawberry salad sounds really good! What do you put in it..besides spinach and strawberries

Also, what is your quiche recipe? I have been looking for a good quiche recipe!

Hope you like spinach...here goes:

Spring Spinach and Strawberry Salad
INGREDIENTS
* 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
* 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 1/2 cup olive oil
* 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
* 1/4 teaspoon paprika
* 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
* 1 tablespoon minced onion
* 10 ounces fresh spinach - rinsed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces
* 1 quart strawberries - cleaned, hulled and sliced
* 1/4 cup almonds, blanched and slivered

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce and onion. Cover, and chill for one hour.
2. In a large bowl, combine the spinach, strawberries and almonds. Pour dressing over salad, and toss. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Spinach Quiche

INGREDIENTS
* 1/2 cup butter
* 3 cloves garlic, chopped
* 1 small onion, chopped
* (1) - 10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
* (1) - 4.5 ounce can mushrooms, drained
* (1) - 6 ounce package herb and garlic feta, crumbled
* (1) - 8 ounce package shredded Cheddar cheese
* salt and pepper to taste
* (1) - 9 inch unbaked deep dish pie crust
* 4 eggs, beaten
* 1 cup milk
* salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Saute garlic and onion in butter until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Stir in spinach, mushrooms, feta and 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon mixture into pie crust.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into the pastry shell, allowing egg mixture to thoroughly combine with spinach mixture.
4. Bake for 15 minutes. Sprinkle top with remaining Cheddar cheese, and bake an additional 35 to 40 minutes, until set in center. Allow to stand 10 minutes before serving.

I've never been a fan of spinach, just plain as a vegetable side dish, but I do like it when it's in with something else....good way to get spinach into fussy-eater kids, too (like me)!

YUM!

Here's a simpler, easier version of a quiche and the Strawberry Spinach Salad. This quiche is not a spinach quiche, however.

QUICHE INGREDIENTS

* 2 (9 inch) deep dish frozen pie crusts
* 1 tablespoon finely chopped green bell pepper
* 1 small onion, finely chopped
* 1 (4.5 ounce) can mushrooms, drained and chopped
* 6 eggs
* 2 cups heavy cream
* 8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
* 8 ounces shredded Swiss cheese
* 12 ounces cooked ham, chopped
* 1/2 teaspoon vinegar
* 1/8 teaspoon dried tarragon
* 1 pinch garlic powder
* 1 pinch ground nutmeg
* 1 pinch dried parsley
* salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and pre-bake crusts for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2. In a large skillet, saute green pepper, onion and mushrooms until onions are soft and translucent. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix eggs and cream together. Stir in the shredded Jack and Swiss cheese, chopped ham and sauteed vegetables. Stir in vinegar and season with tarragon, garlic powder, nutmeg, parsley, salt and pepper. Divide filling into the 2 baked pie crusts.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 55 to 60 minutes, or until filling is set and crusts are golden brown.

SALAD INGREDIENTS

* 1 bunch spinach, rinsed
* 10 large strawberries, sliced
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
* 1 cup vegetable oil
* 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, mix the spinach and strawberries.
2. In a blender, place the sugar, salt, vinegar, and oil, and blend until smooth. Stir in the poppy seeds. Pour over the spinach and strawberries, and toss to coat.

These versions are for the "can't cook" moms (LIKE ME). I'm trying, though, I really am.

Oh, you must know me so well. You have come back with the "can't cook" versions, hahaha. But seriously, we will be trying this salad very soon. I am actually craving a salad!! Yippee!

Hm, yes, well I come from a real "Earth-mother" type mother: grows her own veggies, bakes her own break, cans her own fruit and sews her own clothes. Me, I'd live by eating at the food court in between shopping bouts at the mall, if I could. In that respect, I am not my mother's daughter, LOL!

So, how did the party go Softball mom?