"Garden Fresh" Baby Shower

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by Rochelle Drumm

Spring showers bring mommy-to-be flowers! Shower your special mommy-to-be and guests with a garden themed event full of bright, Spring-time florals and delicious garden-fresh faire. I've created some tips, tabletop ideas and menu suggestions to help make your experience a little easier.

Menu Theme

Garden-fresh faire with greens, organic produce, herbs and citrus zest.

Favors

Create individual place settings using fresh herb plants or packets of seeds. Customize the diapers to match the herb to the meaning for a cute tabletop setting. Or, you can always hand paint the names on small clay pots. Be creative and give your guests something memorable to take home. For instance, for the mom-to-be (or even each of the guests), include a copy of the book "The Meaning of Herbs: Myth, Language & Lore" by Ann Field and Gretchen Scoble.

Menu SuggestionsCrudités with a trio of dips (recipes below)Parmesan cheese bread with fresh rosemary Mixed spring greens with mustard and tarragon vinaigretteLemon and herb roasted chicken and snow peas on skewersRoasted asparagus served with fresh grated parmesan and basil aioliLemon squaresMini-me dark chocolate chip cookiesIced tea with mint and lemon slicesWhite wine (for guests, not mommy-to-be)?Yummy Party Dips and Dipping Devices

On? a ?rectangular ?platter? ?arrange? the? vegetables? alternating ?colors.? You can use the following suggested ingredients. Garnish? the? platter ?with? ?at? leaf ?parsley if desired.? To save? time, ?prepare and? store? each ?vegetable? separately? in ?air-tight? containers? the? day ?before.?? Cover? with ?some? water ?so? the ?vegetables ?do ?not? dry ?out.??? When? ready? to? prepare? your? platter, ?drain ?your ?vegetables? and ?pat? dry.? Arrange? your ?trio ?of? dips? next ?to? the? vegetable? platter? and? enjoy.? Serves? 10 to 12.

Crudités8 ?carrots ?peeled, ?cut ?lengthwise ?and ?then ?in ?half. ?Cut ?into ?spears?.8? stalks ?of ?celery, ?washed,? cut? lengthwise ?and? then? in ?half. ?Cut ?into? spears?.1 ?English? cucumber.?? Wash? and ?cut? in?to ?1/2" to 3/4" ?slices.? ?If? you? want? to? make ?it ?decorative ?before slicing, take ?a ?fork ?and ?slide ?it ?down? the ?skin ?of ?the? cucumber; ?repeat??.2 cups? of? broccoli? ?orets?, ?blanched? in ?hot? water ?for? 2 to 3 ?minutes? until? bright? green, ?remove? and? soak? in ?a?n ice ?bath ?to ?stop? the? cooking.? Pat? dry? on? kitchen ?towel.??2-3? red? bell ?peppers?, ?washed,? seeded? and? sliced? in?to ?1/4" ?slices?1 ?cauli?ower?, ?cleaned? and? cut ?into ??orets. ??Blanch ?2-3 ?minutes? and? soak ?in? an? ice ?bath. ??Pat ?dry ?on? kitchen ?towel.?

?

Dill Dip2/3 cup mayonnaise2/3 cup real sour cream1 tbsp chopped green onion1 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley1 tsp beaumonde seasoning2 tbsp fresh chopped dillSqueeze of fresh lemon

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate at least 45 minutes to an hour. Dip is best if you chill it overnight.

Spinach Dip 1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained (squeeze liquid out with a kitchen towel. DO NOT COOK SPINACH.1 cup real sour cream1-8oz can of water chestnuts, drained and chopped3 tbsp green onions, chopped fine1 package Knorr vegetable dip mix

Mix all ingredients and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Roasted? Garlic? Hummus?

Preheat? oven ?to ?400 ?degrees?

2-3 ?cloves ?of? garlic ?roasted ?(see? "how-?to" ?below)?2 ?tbsp ?Tahini?1-?15?oz. ?can? ?garbanzo ?beans ?(save? juice)1/3? cup? fresh? lemon? juice??Salt?? and pepper?

Put ingredients? in?to ?a ?food ?processor ?and? slowly? begin ?to? mix.?? If ?the? dip? is? too? thick,? add? some ?of? the ?juice ?from ?the? garbanzos ?until ?you? have? your? desired ?right ?consistency.? Refrigerate? until ?ready ?to? serve?.

Roasted garlic: ??Cut? 1/4" ?to? 1/2;" from? the ?top ?of ?the? garlic. ??Place? the? garlic ?in? the? center of a piece of tin foil?. Drizzle? with? olive? oil? and? twist ?up? tightly. ??Place? on ?cooking ?sheet ?on? in ?a? muffin ?pan. ??Bake? for ?20-30 ?minutes? until ?garlic ?is? soft.? Let ?cool ?before? you? squeeze ?out? the? cloves. ??Save ?the ?remaining? cloves? in? the? refrigerator.?? Use ?to ?make? garlic ?toast ?or ?a ?fresh? marinara? sauce.

Rochelle Drumm is a fashion industry executive with a premiere Women's Apparel Company. Over the past two decades she gained diverse experience in all facets of the wholesale and retail businesses, including finance, design, manufacturing and retail.

Rochelle considers herself blessed to have a great family and the title of "Best Auntie" granted to her by the darling babychix. She focuses her drive and passion towards helping children have a brighter future and menus to make your experience easy.