Lunch for the Secretaries

It's nearly 3:00 as I type..... I've been busy all day with a Christmas lunch for the three secretaries in my husband's offices. We did this the year before last-- had the three ladies over here for a holiday lunch. I don't know why we didn't do it last year, but we didn't, and they seemed to be disappointed when my husband brought in gifts for them instead of inviting them for lunch.

So today we did both.... lunch here, plus a gift bag for each of them. They didn't seem to want to leave, but by two o'clock my husband had to drive them all back to the offices because he had a meeting. I'll have to remember to do this for them every year.

I made a tortellini and vegetable casserole in pesto sauce, plus a tossed salad. Then I took those Pillsbury crescent rolls and instead of separating them into triangles, I laid the dough flat, sprinkled some shredded cheese on them and rolled them up....... then you cut them into one-inch pieces and lay them flat on the baking sheet. They puff up into little pinwheel shapes and look really cute.

For dessert, we had vanilla ice cream topped with strawberries.... very Christmas-y looking.... then I had boxed chocolate cookie dough ... little pre-cut squares that I put into the oven while I was getting the ice cream ready--- hot cookies to put on the little plate underneath the glass ice cream cups. The placecards had resin angels hot-glued onto them, and the secretaries all wanted to take them home, which of course I knew they would (and why not?)..... and I used candy canes and red-wrapped chocolate truffles by each place-setting. The table looked very festive.

Tonight we get to do it again, but on a smaller scale.... one of our neighbors is coming over to see our tree and all my husband's vintage Christmas tree lights. We'll have hot apple cider and hot cookies again.... and I still have some of those strawberries left over if anyone wants ice cream. I let the ice cream sit out on the counter before serving it, and the strawberries were warm, so it didn't feel like we were eating a cold dessert after lunch this afternoon.

Cold outside again today.... while the secretaries were here, I kept the cats in our bedroom with the door closed. Nice and sunny outside, but just too cold for my southern-born cats out there today. Stupid weather.... I absolutely hate it when it gets like this. You get so spoiled when you don't have to worry about heavy clothing and bulky coats....