Food + Family + Football

I hosted a family gathering on Saturday afternoon/evening... because Penn State was playing Minnesota. College football rocks. And Penn State won --- which made the evening much sweeter! But in the meantime, there was funny little nieces and a nephew running around (and around and around the kitchen island!). And lots of delicious food!

Appetizers seemed appropriate, and I had a vague memory of mini-toasts with bacon and cheese from several years ago. So I thought and thought and could not remember the recipe. So one roommate and I created these little beauties! With good use of ranch dressing and Caesar dressing and CHEESE. Yummy!

Football means burgers & brats. Zeph, the 20-year-old younger brother, showed some ridiculous chef skills. Mixing meat with spices and worcestershire sauce and grilling to perfection. I was sufficiently impressed!

And I've been waiting to try this recipe for Roasted Garlic & New Potatoes... This is the "before" picture. After they were golden-brown, I was too busy burning my fingers on roasted garlic to take an "after" picture! :)


And the additional reason for this family gathering:
Celebrating my parents' 30th wedding anniversary!!!
*clapping* *yelling* *general happiness*
And so I made a cake.

Fudgy, moist chocolate cake.. with peanut butter frosting.. and dripping luscious chocolate-peanut butter ganache topping.
Confession: I'm not a real cake fan. And not really a lover of chocolate & peanut butter together, unless they are in perfect proportions.

But I really loved this cake. REALLY.