Lite Fall Bites

This past weekend I was in charge of the food for a church event. We were supposed to provide "Lite Bites" for 350 women. I had the greatest committee on earth and here's what we came up with...

We set up tables with different breads and spreads. Pumpkin Bread and butter, Challah bread and Cinnamon Honey Butter, Whole Grain Bread and Herb Butter, and French Bread with Goat Cheese rolled in Craisins and Toasted Hazelnuts.

Then we had servers (single men we bribed with leftovers and a chance to meet women) walking around with trays of Cucumber Salami Bites, Apple Slices with Toffee Dip, and Soup Shooters.

The soups may have been the biggest hit. We served Curried Apple Butternut Squash Soup, Fall Harvest Tomato Soup, Black Bean Soup with Lime Crema, and Potato Soup with Bacon Crumbles.

To drink, there was apple cider and for dessert we had bags of caramel popcorn. I'm getting hungry all over again writing about it. I had so much fun doing this with my amigas. I'm so lucky to have friends who love food as much as I do!

Trays ready to be taken out

Black Bean Soup Shooters

Bread and Baskets on the prep table

Goat Cheese rolled in Craisins and Toasted Hazelnuts

Compound Butter (with herbs straight from Kirsten's garden)

Caramel Popcorn

Jessica's amazing pompoms. We hung this on the wall right behind the caramel popcorn table. I wish I had pictures of the awesome centerpieces too. They were mums in carved out pumpkins and then the same thing in miniature with apples and mums. We labeled the spreads by writing their names on little pumpkins. Like I said, best comittee ever.

Fall Harvest Tomato Soup

I can't stop craving this soup. I got it from my friend Jessica, who got it from our friend Hollie, who got it from some girl, who got it from the mom of some guy named Brandon. It looks like everyone has tweaked it, so I doubt Brandon's mom would even recognize it. But I'm not scared to give her a shout out anyway. Good work lady.

Yum. Make this today and put Parmesan cheese curls on top. You won't regret it.

Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 lb. carrots, pealed and chopped
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
4 cup chicken broth
1 16 oz. can pumpkin
1 1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
2 T fresh basil or 1 T dried basil
1/4 cup half and half

Instructions
In a large pot, saute onion in butter 4-5 minutes. Add carrots and saute until carrots are soft and onion is translucent. Add tomatoes, chicken broth, and pumpkin. Puree in blender. Return mixture to the pot and add salt, pepper, and basil. Add more broth if you want the soup thinner. Heat soup to desired temperature and add half and half. Garnish with Parmesan cheese curls and enjoy!

Compound Herb Butter

Kirsten, my gardening goddess, made this compound herb butter. Spread over a fresh slice of whole grain bread... delicious.

Ingredients
1 lb. butter, softened
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bunch of green onions, chopped (mostly green portion)
2-3 T fresh thyme
1/2 bunch of fresh parsley, stems removed, chopped
kosher salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Let butter set at room temperature for 2 hours. Mix in herbs. Form into a roll on wax paper. Refrigerate until firm.