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"Garden Fresh" Baby Shower

by Rochelle Drumm

vegetablesSpring showers bring mommy-to-be flowers! Shower your special mommy-to-be and guests with a garden themed event full of bright, Spring-time florals and delicious garden-fresh faire. I've created some tips, tabletop ideas and menu suggestions to help make your experience a little easier.

Menu Theme

Garden-fresh faire with greens, organic produce, herbs and citrus zest.

Favors

Create individual place settings using fresh herb plants or packets of seeds. Customize the diapers to match the herb to the meaning for a cute tabletop setting. Or, you can always hand paint the names on small clay pots. Be creative and give your guests something memorable to take home. For instance, for the mom-to-be (or even each of the guests), include a copy of the book, "The Meaning of Herbs: Myth, Language & Lore" by Ann Field and Gretchen Scoble.

Menu Suggestions

  • Crudités with a trio of dips (recipes below)
  • Parmesan cheese bread with fresh rosemary
  • Mixed spring greens with mustard and tarragon vinaigrette
  • Lemon and herb roasted chicken and snow peas on skewers
  • Roasted asparagus served with fresh grated parmesan and basil aioli
  • Lemon squares
  • Mini-me dark chocolate chip cookies
  • Iced tea with mint and lemon slices
  • White wine (for guests, not mommy-to-be)


Yummy Party Dips and Dipping Devices

On
 a 
rectangular 
platter
 
arrange
 the
 vegetables
 alternating 
colors.
 You can use the following suggested ingredients. Garnish
 the
 platter 
with
 flat
 leaf 
parsley if desired.
 To save
 time, 
prepare and
 store
 each 
vegetable
 separately
 in 
air-tight
 containers
 the
 day 
before.

 Cover
 with 
some
 water 
so
 the 
vegetables 
do 
not
 dry 
out.


 When
 ready
 to
 prepare
 your
 platter, 
drain 
your 
vegetables
 and 
pat
 dry.
 Arrange
 your 
trio 
of
 dips
 next 
to
 the
 vegetable
 platter
 and
 enjoy.
 Serves
 10 to 12.

Crudités
  • 8 
carrots 
peeled, 
cut 
lengthwise 
and 
then 
in 
half. 
Cut 
into 
spears
.
  • 8
 stalks 
of 
celery, 
washed,
 cut
 lengthwise 
and
 then
 in 
half. 
Cut 
into
 spears
.
  • 1 
English
 cucumber.

 Wash
 and 
cut
 in
to 
1/2" to 3/4" 
slices.
 
If
 you
 want
 to
 make 
it 
decorative 
before slicing, take 
a 
fork 
and 
slide 
it 
down
 the 
skin 
of 
the
 cucumber; 
repeat

.
  • 2 cups
 of
 broccoli
 florets
, 
blanched
 in 
hot
 water 
for
 2 to 3 
minutes
 until
 bright
 green, 
remove
 and
 soak
 in 
a
n ice 
bath 
to 
stop
 the
 cooking.
 Pat
 dry
 on
 kitchen 
towel.


  • 2‐3
 red
 bell 
peppers
, 
washed,
 seeded
 and
 sliced
 in
to 
1/4" 
slices

  • 1 
cauliflower
, 
cleaned
 and
 cut 
into 
florets. 

Blanch 
2‐3 
minutes
 and
 soak 
in
 an
 ice 
bath. 

Pat 
dry 
on
 kitchen 
towel.





Dill Dip
  • 2/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 2/3 cup real sour cream
  • 1 tbsp chopped green onion
  • 1 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
  • 1 tsp beaumonde seasoning
  • 2 tbsp fresh chopped dill
  • Squeeze of fresh lemon

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate at least 45 minutes to an hour. Dip is best if you chill it overnight.