Janea’s second birthday

Ja-Ja, my niece, has evolved into a little lady since her first birthday. Now double her age, she has grown into her actual name, Janea. For her second birthday celebration, this Saturday, I built the menu around a savory birthday cake made of macaroni and cheese. I have some decorating ideas floating in my head, but we’ll see how it evolves.

Janea doesn’t get many sweets and she certainly prefers pasta to sugary foods, so I know a mac n cheese cake will be right up her alley. I’m serving that and a feast of mezze dishes that I can serve all at once, at room temperature and be done with. For dessert, the rest of us will be enjoying a chocolate peanut butter cake. I am not sure what I mean by that… I’m thinking of devil’s food cake with a peanut butter filling and creamy, dark chocolate frosting. I’m inspired by the memory of these store bought Drakes rolled up cakes, like a Yodel, that had a peanut butter filling. Does anyone remember the name?

Did I mention that I met Rose Levy Bernbaum at IACP conference last month? I love her Devil’s Food Cake recipe. So it will be that and something I make up with peanut butter and cream, like a ganache. For the mezze, I’m inspired by Claudia Roden’s “The Book Of Jewish Food” YUM! YUM! YUM! Pics to come…

MENU
Mac N Cheese Birthday Cake
Middle Eastern Meat Pies
Hummus / Tabouleh / Tzatziki Platter with Warm Pita, Grape Leaves & Crudite
Homemade Falafel with Tahini Dip
Roasted Cauliflower
Honey & Chili Marinated Beets
Pickled Green Tomatoes, Red Peppers & Green Beans
Balsamic Roasted Fennel
Minted Zucchini
Cumin Mushrooms
Tamarind Okra
Quinoa Salad
with braised chard, white beans, basil, feta, red onion and tomatoes
Lebanese Cous-Cous Salad
with scallions, butternut squash, currants, almonds and lemon
Mujedera: Lentils, Rice and Fried Onions
Yukon Gold Potato, Olive & Carrot Salad
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

DRINKS
Hibiscus Iced Tea
Ginger Mint Lemonade

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