Sam I Am-Part 2 The Food

The food was very easy and simple for this party.  Usually, I tend to have way too much food.  Zeb encouraged me not to do so many things and I followed his advice!  

I borrowed these lanterns and had them hanging above our dining room table.  

And this was the food!

My Mom found this Sam I Am for me and knew that I would be able to use it somewhere!  I thought it looked so cute in the back of the napkin container.  I used glass plates so I didn't need the part that plates were supposed to be stuck in.  I decided to stick to my color theme on the food--so we used both Doritos and Cheetos!

Of course, we couldn't have a Sam I Am party with out green eggs and ham!  This picture is so dark (not sure why).  My Mom made the ham and cheese croissants a few weeks ago and stuck them in the freezer.  I will get the recipe from her and post it.  They are easy and my kids LOVE them!  The green deviled eggs tasted really good--you just had to get past the color!

I love fresh veggies and dip and these were easy.  We put them in shot glasses just for presentation.  The veggies are carrots, orange bell peppers, and cucumbers all cut in strips.  The dressing is Green Goddess and oh so yummy!

Green Goddess:  

1 scant cup of Hellman's light mayo

1/2 cup light sour cream

1/2 tsp pepper

2 cloves, garlic

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp (plus another dash) of Worcestershire sauce

3 Tbs tarragon vinegar

3 Tbs scallions

1/3 cup snipped parsley

Combine ingredients well.  Keep refrigerated.  Make day before serving.

And we had some green and orange fruit.

I made Sam a smash cake.  It was very simple--just a boxed cake with a butter cream icing!  Figured it was his first cake so he didn't know what good cake tasted like!

The cupcakes were yummy, but took 2 hours!  Never again will I make my own real buttercream frosting.  It alone took an hour and I didn't love the way it tasted.  You had to bring the egg whites to 140 and then beat for ten minutes in mixer then add one tablespoon of butter at a time mixing well----ahhh! for the birds, I tell you!  But, the cupcakes, were a different story--yummy and easy and fancy looking!  

Key Lime Cupcakes:

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 Tbs key lime zest

3 large eggs

1 1/4 c all purpose flour

1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup half and half

2 Tbs fresh key lime juice

Combine butter, sugar, and zest.  Beat on high until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  In a separate bowl, whisk flour, cracker crumbs, baking powder, and salt.  In a small bowl, whisk half and half and lime juice.  gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, alternately with half and half, beginning and ending with flour mixture.  spoon batter into prepared muffin tins until each cup is 2/3 full.  bake for 16 minutes.  cool completely. Using a mellon baller, carefully remove a small amount of cake from the center of each cupcake.  Pipe or spoon 1 tsp of key lime filling in the center.  frost with key lime buttercream frosting.

Key Lime Filling:

3 oz softened cream cheese

1/4 cup powdered sugar

10 oz jar lime curd

beat cream cheese at medium speed until creamy.  add sugar until smooth.  add curd until thoroughly combined.  

Key Lime Buttercream:

Just make a buttercream frosting and add 2 tsp of key lime zest!

The cupcake toppers were foam stickers that I bought from Michael's 75 % off on March 3rd (the day after Dr. Seuss's birthday)  My cousin cut scalloped shapes out of scrapbook paper.  The are stuck in the cupcake using green and orange toothpicks.

Sam's cake