Beads for Brunch: Lampwork, Semi-precious and Lucite on the Menu!

And Don’t Forget Dessert!

Woe for those who have so many obligations that they don’t take time out to fraternize with bead friends. Its easy to fall into that trap… being guilty of it myself lately. So the logical thing to do was to organize a bunch of beading friends for brunch. Now, first let me say to those of you who know me on this sunny So. Cal coast: my home is small so I could only invite a few of you at one time, and this won’t be the last one I have. If you weren't invited, then don’t cry in your E-6000 just yet. I’ll be sending out more invites over time. Just be patient. Having said that…

BYOB…. You know what that means!

A simple invitation… bring your beads, your project, your Ott Lite and yourself. Leave the environment up to me… tables, chairs and brunch. I decided to put two tables into my family room together to make one big table. I ran and extension cord underneath to be able to plug in a few Ott lights, and then covered it all with a multi-colored checkered tablecloth. Some Fleetwood Mac and Sam Cook mingled in with a few others in the cd player… ambiance! The stage was set...now just to get busy in the kitchen!

Bashed Bead Borscht… ha! Just kidding!

So what do beaders eat? Finger foods that are easy, I guessed. That way we don’t get bogged down with utensils and we can munch while we bead. Out came the little box of recipes that I’ve been stuffing hand written yellow cards into for years. Treasures in their own right, but some are still yet undiscovered. These beaders were up for experimentation, so I got out some new ones. You’ll find the recipes for these dishes at the bottom of this article, so as not to get your taste buds all in a bunch.

Here’s what we had…

Chicken curry salad stuffed into pasta shells, cucumber tea sandwiches, spicy deviled eggs and creamy potato salad on pita chips. This finger food lets you keep one hand free so you can be beadin’! The recipes are easy to make and seem to satisfy everyone’s taste buds. For dessert we had bite sized Reece’s Peanut Butter Cup cookies, one of my families favorites!

Guests arrive

Everyone sat down at once and got out their bead goodies. We are all mid-project so it was fun to see what each person has in the works. What I love about his group of lovely ladies is that they don’t get caught up in the chitter-chat that can prevent any beading from happening. Not these gals. They’re here to bead! So we went to town for about an hour. Then we got hungry, so I served up our lunch at my dining room table and we lounged on the couches to eat and talk beads. Happiness is a full belly, bead friends and a free afternoon!

Sweet stuff…

Soon they were frothing for a sweet dessert, and I brought out a surprise! I ordered some small cake slice boxes to put some pretty beads in for each guest. You can have them too, using the link at the end of this article. They came unassembled, and I zipped them together easily and then wrapped some vintage beads in tissue and stuffed them into the box. When you arrange the boxes on a plate they look like a cake! I tied a ribbon around the outside of the boxes to hold them together and placed a small cluster of roses from my front yard garden in the center. Everyone was so tickled with their gift! For fun, I served each guest their box using a cake server, and it was fun to see them open them, since every box held something different.

Sweeter still…

Then I brought out the real dessert, which was Reece’s peanut butter cup cookies. These cookies are done in a tart pan, so they come out looking like baby cakes! And they’re heavenly. You’ll end up eating about 6 or 8 of them, since they're small and they slide right down. In no time they were gone.

The day winds down

More beading, more laughing and talking, more eating. What a fantastic day. They may be far and few between, but for beaders who have family, work, obligations and such, they’re precious!

“Dear Dara,  Your bead gathering was the funnest thing I’ve done in a long while. I can’t remember smiling so much and laughing that hard! Thank for my bead gift… can’t decide if I like the gift or the box better. :-) Next time we can gather at my house. I’m already planning recipes. Love to you,  Gail.”  ~Gail DeVincenzo, friend and fellow bead nut

Resources:

http://www.bayleysboxes.com/cake%20slice%20box.html

Curried Chicken Salad in Pasta Shells

3 cups chopped chicken breast (boiled)

1/3 C raisins

1/3 C slivered almonds

1/3 C light mayonnaise

3 green onions, sliced

1 tsp curry powder

1 pkg pasta shells

Boil pasta shells until soft. Mix together remaining ingredients and stuff into the shells. Place in the fridge to chill, about one hour.

Cucumber sandwiches

1 English cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

1/4 C Mayonnaise

1/3 C cream cheese

1/4 tsp Garlic salt

Dash of Dill

White bread with the crust cut off

Combine mayo, cream cheese, garlic salt and dill. Spread onto white bread, and then cover with thin slices of cucumber. Place a slice of bread on top of the cucumber. Cut sandwiches into triangles to serve.

Spicy Deviled Eggs

1 dozen eggs

1 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 1/2 tsp. mayonnaise

1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce

Black pepper

Paprika

Boil eggs and let them cool. Slice them in half and remove yolks into a bowl, and combine with the other ingredients. Be cautious on the hot pepper sauce. Add enough to your liking. Fill egg holes with this mixture, adding a sprinkle of paprika to the tops when done for garnishing. Chill before serving.

Creamy Potato Salad

1 lb. red potatoes, boiled, cooled and cut into chunks

1/4 C light Italian salad dressing

1/2 C light mayonnaise

1 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 boiled egg, chopped

4 green onions, sliced

Pita chips

Blend Italian dressing, mustard and mayo together. Add in egg and green onions and fold over potatoes until coated. Let chill for 30 miutes prior to serving. Serve a heaping tablespoon onto a pita chip and arrange on a platter so they’re easy to pick up.

Reece’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

3/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1/2 cup butter
1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3 Tablespoons milk
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 C all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking soda

One bag of Reece’s Peanut Butter Cup mini’s

Mix together peanut butter, butter and brown sugar. Add milk, vanilla, and egg. Add salt and baking soda. Add flour and mix gently but well. Roll into 1” balls and place into a small tart pan. Push one unwrapped Reece’s Peanut Butter Cup into the top of the cookie ball until its almost in. Bake at 350’ for 12-15 minutes. Cool slightly before eating. Delish!