Last night was our annual wine-tasting party; our thirteenth, actually. Even after having successfully pulled off so many previous parties, it's still pretty stressful in those final moments! I actually start planning in August for the October party...I just love the whole planning process;  picking a theme,  planning the menu, designing invitations, cooking, decorating, etc. You can imagine what holidays are like at my house! Don't worry, I'll be documenting it all this year!

     Here's a peek into last night's shin-dig; before the spilled-wine sticky floors and before my girlfriends began talking in loud, shrill voices (as you can imagine, the volume of the party increases as the party goes on...). Regan helped me tape Kraft paper to the table, as a runner, and make cute little "flags" to identify the many cheeses (ten in all). I also made wine charms out of corks, so my guests could find their wineglasses throughout the evening.

 And here  are some peeks of the "aftermath":

So, how about some recipes? I failed to take many good photos of the food I made for the party, I was kind of busy and totally spaced it. Sorry. The recipes still work, whether I post a photo of the finished product or not! Enjoy!

Rarely have I NOT made my Aunt Liza's crab dip for a wine-tasting party; it's sort of become a tradition, and it's really, really good! I serve it warm, with baguette slices. It could be a meal all by itself!

Crab Dip

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened (I used Neufchatel cheese)

1 cup sour cream

4 Tbl. mayonnaise (not Miracle Whip)

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1 Tbl. Worcestershire sauce

2 Tbl. dry mustard powder

1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese

1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese

1 pound blue crab clawmeat (I used a combo of basic canned crab and lump crab)

Preheat oven to 350.  Butter casserole dish.  Combine cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, lemon juice, worcestershire and mustard.  Stir till well mixed.  In another bowl, combine cheeses.  Stir half the cheese into the cream cheese mix.  Fold crab into mix, but do not over mix.  Pour into casserole dish and top with remaining cheese.  Bake 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.

Artichoke Dip (also my Aunt Liza's recipe)

2/3 cup mayonnaise (not Miracle Whip)

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

17 ounces marinated artichoke hearts, drained

Combine and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes.