dinner party!

had some fabulous friends over saturday night for a low-key, cozy catch-up kind of evening.
i really enjoy spending time prepping a meal. music blaring, wine-flowing, i had a great time setting up...and that was before the girls even arrived!
due to dietary restrictions, the meal was gluten and dairy free. it can be done!
as always, i snapped a few shots of the deliciousness.
enjoy!
some sunny flowers, courtesy of mel!

appetizers: we started out eating my homemade dips (hummus, guacamole and bruschetta topping) with carrots, celery and mary's gluten-free crackers (they really are the best on the market--give them a try!)

not too shabby!

on the menu: linguine with pesto, roasted cherry tomatoes and ricotta cheese (for those of us who cannot cut dairy out of our diets!)

roasted tomatoes: cooked on a medium heat with some olive oil and pesto.
keep the lid on and cook until they pop!

yum! i love fresh asparagus

the finished product!

i used two types of pasta: fresh linguine for the gluten-indulgent, and rizopia for the gluten-free option
*as someone who has tried and tested all of the gluten-free pasta's on the market, i find rizopia to have the best consistency!

finally: dessert!
one pinterest-inspired item...and gluten-nut-dairy-free cupcakes!

green apples and caramel. the perfect sweet and sour combo!

yummy cupcakes from bakersville
a speciality bakery in the
streetsville area of mississauga

lexi was sad she didn't have a seat at the table.

thanks to the ladies for making the trek over for dinner!
come back soon!