A Birthday Dinner

Yesterday was the boy's birthday. In lieu of a big party this year, he decided a small dinner party would be preferred. We invited two couples we're friends with, and I planned a lovely vegetarian* menu which I neglected to fully photograph. I like to try to make something fancy for dinner parties. Casseroles and stir fries are great for week nights, but if we're having people over and I actually put down a table cloth, I want something a little dressier. Last night's menu was as follows:
First Course: French Onion soup with Gruyere Croistini*
Dinner: Balsamic and herb marinated grilled portabella mushrooms and baked tofu, coconut and nutmeg mashed sweet potatoes, homemade chunky cinnamon apple sauce, rapini with red pepper flakes, garlic, lemon and pine nuts.
Dessert: Peanut butter mini cheesecakes



I didn't photograph the soup or the cheesecakes, though I have cheesecakes left over so I'm going to try to get a photo before they all end up in our bellies. Dinner was very well received and enjoyed by all :)

* ZOMG WHY NOT VEGAN!? It wasn't my birthday. I don't eat French Onion soup to begin with because of my onion sensitivity, it's the boy's favorite soup and he asked me to make it for him. Considering the rest of the guests, as well as the boy, were omnis, and the rest of the meal, including the dessert, were vegan, I had no problem making him french onion soup with cheese as a rare treat.

And unrelated to all this -- I had to turn comment moderation on due to the high influx of spam I was getting in my comments. I LOVE the comments and support so keep 'em coming, and I'll try to approve them as fast as possible! As long as you're not trying to sell me porn.