Ladies Day - Lady Bug Tablescape

Since Mother's Day is less than a month away, isn't it an appropriate time to have a ladies day luncheon to honor all of the special ladies in your life--mothers, daughters, sisters, daughter-in-laws, aunts, cousins, friends and, yes, "ladybugs" too?  What would make anyone smile more than a few cute and lovable ladybugs added to a frolicsome red and white gingham tablescape for a ladies gathering.  So this week's tablescape design is entitled Ladies Day - Lady Bug Tablescape.  Fun and whimsical.  A perfect table for a get together full of laughs and plenty of silliness.

The bright green strawberry plant print tablecloth, a bold red and white buffalo checkered runner, darling daisies and scrumptiously sweet strawberries work so well with this inspiration piece, a whimsical red and white gingham Temptations tea set, adorned with small yellow and light blue flowers and tiny red ladybugs.

Perhaps some yummy ladybug and bee appetizers would be a good starter to the humorous afternoon.

Juicy strawberries.....everywhere!

Some Spinach and Mozzarella Strombroli stuffed with onions, red peppers and mushrooms which is baked until it is golden brown and served with a side vegetable salad and garlic butter biscuits is a perfect make-ahead dish.   The following is the link to the basic recipe:  Spinach and Mozzarella Stromboli.  However, I modified the recipe by adding a half of cup each of chopped and sauteed onions, red pepper, mushrooms and grated parmesan cheese with 1 tablespoon of basil pesto.  Like the recipe suggests, you can add a combination of many ingredients including Italian sausage or pepperoni to make it truly delicious.

Since Easter was just celebrated and butter lambs are always created for the Easter basket that is blessed at the local church, an extra "wooly" butter lamb was added to this table for the garlic biscuits and for amusement and giggles during the occasion.   He needs a bit of a haircut, don't you think?

A fresh and brightly colored cantaloupe butterfly alongside some sweet and juicy strawberries and blueberries brings Spring time smiles to a playful lunch.   Who can resist adding a few "cinnamon red hot ladybugs."  For the instructions on how to cut this fanciful butterfly and for more fun food art, visit:  Food Art Video.

The bright red cinnamon Red Hots painted with a black Wilton Food Writer Pen can create some adorable tiny edible ladybugs.  The candy ladybugs add a bit of merriment and humor to a display of delectable fruit.

Some moist carrot cake cupcakes with smooth and lightly sweetened cream cheese frosting and topped with sprinkles and a Haribo Happy Cherry makes a cheery dessert.

If you wish to make this mouth-watering carrot cake cupcakes, here is the recipe that was passed down from my mom to me.  Moist and flavorful, they are perfect either as a sheet cake or cupcake and are perfect for freezing to use later.

Carrot Cake Cupcake or Sheet Cake

2 C all purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

2 C sugar

3/4 C vegetable oil

4 eggs

2 C grated carrots

1 small can crushed pineapple with juice

1/2 chopped walnuts

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  Cream sugar and oil adding one egg at a time until combined.  Add dry ingredients, carrots, pineapple and nuts and blend well.  Pour into a greased 9x13 inch pan (for a sheet cake) and bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.  If making them into cupcakes, pour the batter until three-fourths full in each baking foil muffin cup or greased muffin tin and bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Cool and frost with cream cheese frosting (recipe below) if desired.  Decorate according to your occasion.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8oz.) package of cream cheese

1 tsp. vanilla extract

4 T softened butter 

Powdered sugar in amounts according to desired sweetness

Blend cream cheese, extract and soft butter until completely mixed.  Add small amounts of powdered sugar to the mixture and blend and taste to your desired level of sweetness.  At room temperature, scoop frosting into a pastry bag and pipe frosting through the nozzle to cover the cupcake.  (If the frosting is used to cover the sheet cake, I spread it evenly over the top of the cake and sprinkle the top with chopped walnuts for a quick and tasty dessert.)

Wishing you all 

a wonderful and heartwarming

 Mother's Day!