A Birthday Dinner

We love having parties at Linderhof.     But the best parties are the birthday parties that have been celebrated around the dining room table over the years.

From Daughter Sarah's Thirteen Birthday party to Jim's Mom's 80th, friends and family have joined us for these joyous celebrations.

There are milestone birthdays -- those are usually the ones that end in zero.    And on a Friday night in November, we celebrated a milestone birthday for Husband Jim -- his 65th!

And we celebrated as we always do with friends around our dining room table.

The dining room all ready for a company party.

Thanksgiving's not quite a week away . . .

Since it's November, the blue and white are our turkey plates.

My blue and white, of course, with the blue linen napkins.

The big blue and white bowl is often used as a dinner centerpiece.    It is always on the dining room table mostly empty.   It's really a punch bowl but we've never served punch from it!

And the Chinese bowl still filled with fall pumpkins, gourds and bittersweet.

A quick and easy appetizer that can be made ahead and is really good!

Bacon breadsticks for an appetizer.    It is Husband Jim's birthday, after all, and at Linderhof, the birthday person gets have all of their favorite foods!

Linderhof Brisket is often served for a celebratory dinner.

Linderhof brisket.    A recipe of my mother's and a favorite of Husband Jim's.

Baked low and slow.

Smokestack Baked Beans.    The gold standard by which I judge all baked beans.     We've been making it since the 60's!

Anything with corn and cheese and cream cheese has to be good!

Smokestack Cheesy Corn Casserole.   

The breakfast room table makes a great buffet table.

We served buffet style in the breakfast room.    And we don't mind when guests go back for seconds!

For the Red Velvet Cake Recipe, it's posted HERE

This is my 40th Red Velvet Cake that I've made for Husband Jim for his birthday.      It's his favorite cake. He was the one that got the recipe when he was in high school and proudly brought it home to his mother who promptly made him a cake!

After a certain age, we NEVER put the correct number of candles on a cake -- but for one milestone birthday, we did have a fireman friend come in prepared to put out the "fire"!

All birthdays call for candles, lights down low and the singing of "Happy Birthday".    And then the candles are blown out as a wish is made!

Slices of red velvet cake.    Alas, cake only no ice cream!

Big slices of red velvet cake all around!

Another successful party!

The party is over!    Dinner is finished and the wine bottles are empty.    The guests are gone and soon it's time to clean up!

It's Friday and I'm joining Foodie Friday with Michael at Designs by Gollum and I'm sharing Jim's birthday party with Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday.    There's nothing better to share than a 65th Birthday Party!

Linderhof Brisket

Take your brisket, sprinkle with liquid smoke and sprinkle with celery salt, garlic salt and onion salt.    Turn the brisket over and do the same on the other side.     Wrap brisket in foil, making sure that the fat side is up.     Put in a roasting pan and bake in a slow (250) oven for at least 8 hours.     Let cool before slicing.   Reheat in a 350 oven in the pan juices for about 30 minutes before serving.

Smokestack Cheesy Corn

2 T. butter

4 t. flour

1/8 t. garlic powder

3/4 c. milk

1 1/2 c. sharp American cheese, shredded

3 ounces cream cheese, cut up

3 (10 ounce) packages frozen whole kernel corn, thawed

3 ounces diced ham  (I like Burger's Smokehouse)

Melt butter, stir in flour and garlic powder.    Add milk; cook and stir over medium heat.   Heat until thick and bubbly; stir in cheeses.    Cook/stir over low heat until cheeses melt; stir in corn and ham.   Bake in a 2 quart casserole for 45 minutes at 350.

SMOKESTACK BAKED BEANS

4 slices bacon

40 ounce can pork and beans, drained

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 T. minced onion

1 T. chili powder

1 T. mustard

1 t. liquid smoke

1 cup barbecue sauce

1/4 c. sorghum

Combine all ingredients except bacon.    Put in large baking dish.    Put bacon on top of the beans.

Bake uncovered in 325 degree oven 60-75 minutes.

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