The Burwell School Fundraiser was so much fun!! I saw so many people I knew, including my first grade teacher, an old next door neighbor, more teachers from my high school, and even had the privilege of having a nice conversation with Southern author Lee Smith! Lee’s daughter-in-law is also getting a masters in nutrition!
Here’s the front of the Burwell School, one of the earliest female academies in North Carolina, opened in 1837. The house dates back to 1821. My parents’ house across the street was built just a few years later in 1833. Hard to believe these homes saw the Civil War.
Dinner Buffet
The food was outstanding!
BBQ roll sandwiches….fruit….meatballs…chicken salad….shrimp…smoked salmon rolls….ham….phylo wrapped jam pastries….savory cheese dishes…..hummus + pita…..Asian shrimp + chicken noodles……mmmmmm!
More….
My first dinner plate
I decided to skip all the breads/sandwiches because I thought they’d be too filling and I can eat rolls anytime, so I tried to stick to the more unique finger foods.
(Clockwise from shrimp…)
Shrimp, shrimp noodles, pita with hummus, phylo roll, 3 salmon rolls with caviar, a chicken meatball, fresh fruit, grilled pineapple with a small piece of ham and mustard.
Plate II
More shrimp noodles, another chicken meatball (they were soo good!), hummus and veggies, savory quiche thing, strawberries, smoked salmon caviar roll in the middle (SO good!)
Drinks
I started the night with a few glasses of sparkling water. Strangely, I wasn’t in a huge wine mood so I did my trick of holding off through the “first round.”
I eventually had a glass of Chardonnay. Honestly, I kind of mindlessly sipped it. Should’ve stuck to sparking H2O. I never enjoy wine as much when I’m standing for some reason.
Dessert
DESSERT. You guys know dessert buffets are my #1 weakness in life. I have SUCH a hard time deciding what to have and want to taste everything.
The desset buffet was as big as the food tables!
I tried to choose desserts that looked homemade, since store-boughts are always disappointing. I didn’t eat all the pink cake and had half of the cupcake, which was sub-par. The cherry pie was amazing!!
Clockwise from cupcake…
Chocolate cheesecake cupcake (B-), cherry pie (A+), raspberry chocolate cake (C+ – something was wrong with it), lemon bar (B+), coconut cake (B+), chocolate cake (A-)
I also shared some pound cake with my mom (had 2-3 bites) and had half of a small macaroon and decided it wasn’t that great.
So in general = too many desserts.
But for ME = good job not going overboard (i.e. It could have been a LOT worse!)
Auction
Here’s the live auction, led by author and soap opera writer Michael Malone!
Afternoon
My mom and I got in a great hour long walk all around Hillsborough!
She also had been making the cat, Lillian a.k.a. “Lillis Billis” beg me all afternoon in a cat voice:
“Pleaaaaase can I be on the blog Kath. Puh-lease. I will eat my cat food and you can take photos….”
So to make my mom stop bugging me, I give you Billis, appropriately eating some kitty treats out of her kitty bowl on the food blog.
My mom and me before we left –
Leaving On A….
Mom and I are getting up early tomorrow to hit the gym before we fly to Baltimore. I’m cooking her an oatmeal breakfast and we’re having a very late lunch once we get to my grandparents’. Looks like I’ll be having afternoon snack for lunch and lunch for afternoon snack!
Until then..
Alicia says
Hey kath, enjoy your weekend. I have to say that the buffet spread looks great!
And your mum is right about the cat. It’s so cute:)
I have to add that you look really good in that blue dress.
VeggieGirl says
Glad you had fun at the Fundraiser!! Looks like there WAS great food – yum!
Billis is too cute :0)
Have fun in/a safe trip to Baltimore!!
hk says
What a fun night!! I can’t believe how old and historic that school house is, amazing! Have a lovely breakfast with your mom and a safe flight, enjoy!
the husband says
I miss you! Glad your dinner looks good! You look beautiful and I can’t wait to see you in a couple days.
Billis looks pretty stylin as well…
LT says
He he that cat is cute and has a unique little face! You look so great in that dress…it’s very flattering. Have fun in Baltimore!
Amy says
I love that cat! Oh mu gosh…he is just totally so adorable. He looks like he is quite a character! What fun you had!
mary says
Hi everyone this is just a random question but i’d like your thoughts! I excersice 6 days of the week..usually mondays are a 30 minute workout of pilates, tuesday about 25 minutes of doing the bowflex, wednesday usually pilates again or some type of video workout, thursday the bowflex again, friday a 30 minute ab workout, and saturday or sunday (depending which day i’m taking off) a little cardio on the tredmill plus a ab workout and maybe the bowflex. would you guys consider this moderatly active or lightly active? (i’m trying to figure out my daily needs!)
Suzanne says
What fun! Those buffet tables look yummy and dangerous too. But, you did such a great job at limiting yourself but still trying a bit of everything. I love how you ‘graded’ all the desserts. I think that’s a great way to stick to what you REALLY like and discard the below average desserts. Why waste calories!
I think I’ve mentioned it before, but dessert buffets are my #1 weakness as well!
And unfortunately, we are going to a buffet for my husband and his friend’s bday (we always combine their bdays because they’re only a few days apart). I will have to put my ‘buffet restraints’ on! I will think of this post and gather my strenghth. haha…
Thanks for the grill tips by the way! Have a wonderful rest of your trip! 🙂
Kelly T says
aww hubby misses you…
I dont even like cats but i like that one cause he looks like he has a ‘tude.
Civil war…thats nuts. I used to live in Oil City PA which is the first place that oil was ever struck in the US. The town looks like that one (as far as i can tell) but much dirtier.
Did you buy anything at the auction?
BethT says
That face! Cute kitty. I think you should have a pet photo contest… haha.
Nick says
Nice night and excellent looking dinner. I enjoyed the dessert ratings (grades). Dessert is always the best part of a buffet because you choose from so many different kinds but you don’t really have to choose because you can have them all!
– The Peanut Butter Boy
caitlinbo (in FL) says
haha i love the cat. so cute. its pretty neat your mom lives in a house from the 1800’s. i love the south!
have a nice weekend
Becca says
I love your dress Kath!
yaz says
Matt, you’re just too cute!
Ruby Red Vegan says
An entire dessert buffet?! Oh no! You handled it well – like you said, it could have been worse. I know when I get started with the sugary stuff, I usually don’t want to stop. Ugh.
I’m glad you had a fun time! Plus, your dress is really really cute. 🙂
Cassie says
looks like a fabulous time and what great food!
Betsy says
billis is just tooo cute. and i love your mom’s voice for the cat. my dad sometimes does that with our dog. oh parents.
Jenny says
love your site! i am on a quest to lose some lbs & your food tips are great. have to also say that you look amazing in your blue dress; can I ask where you got it?
hk says
SCONES! I’ve found the best vegan recipe!! venagyumyum.com (she’s been featured on Martha!) The full recipe and baking instructions are on her page…see link
http://veganyumyum.com/2008/03/lemon-maple-scones-with-vegan-clotted-cream/
Lemon Maple Scones with Clotted Cream
Makes 12-15 2? Scones
2 Cups All- Purpose Flour
2 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
Zest of 1 Lemon
1/3 Cup Earth Balance Margarine
3 Tbs Maple Syrup (or regular sugar)
1/2 Cup Soymilk
2 Tbs Lemon Juice
Preheat oven to 400º F.
Whisk all the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl (flour through zest). Mix the wet ingredients together (syrup, soymilk and lemon juice). Using a pastry cutter or a fork, blend the Earth Balance into the dry ingredients until there are no chunks of margarine left and the mixture looks like damp sand.
Pour in the wet ingredients and mix with your hands to form a soft dough. Only mix until just combined, adding more flour if the mixture is too wet. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and roll out to a slab 3/4? thick. Using a biscuit cutter or a glass with about a 2? diameter, cut out your scones. Press the scraps of dough together, roll out again, and continue cutting scones until you’ve used up your dough.
hk says
SCONES! I’ve found the best vegan recipe!! venagyumyum.com (she’s been featured on Martha!) The full recipe and baking instructions are on her page…see link
http://veganyumyum.com/2008/03/lemon-maple-scones-with-vegan-clotted-cream/
Lemon Maple Scones with Clotted Cream
Makes 12-15 2? Scones
2 Cups All- Purpose Flour
2 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
Zest of 1 Lemon
1/3 Cup Earth Balance Margarine
3 Tbs Maple Syrup (or regular sugar)
1/2 Cup Soymilk
2 Tbs Lemon Juice
Preheat oven to 400º F.
….etc I couldn’t fit all of the recipe/directions, so check out her page that I linked to the recipe above…but these look GOOD!!
hk says
SCONES! I’ve found the best vegan recipe!! venagyumyum.com (she’s been featured on Martha!) The full recipe and baking instructions are on her page…see link
http://veganyumyum.com/2008/03/lemon-maple-scones-with-vegan-clotted-cream/
….etc I couldn’t fit all of the recipe/directions, so check out her page that I linked to the recipe above…but these look GOOD!!
Lauren says
Your evening looked like a lot of fun! What a beautiful school. I’ve said it once and I’ll probably say it many more times in life, I love antebellum architecture. I swear, I don’t know how I was born a northerner…my heart lies in the south!
The food at the event looked wonderful. It seems like you did a good job of indulging in what you wanted and avoiding what didn’t truly appeal to you. Buffets are hard for a lot of people, but you just have to trust your ability to discriminate!
Hope you enjoy the rest of your time away. Cute cat, by the way =)
ann says
I love Billis!!! haha so funny! I’m glad he got to be on the blog! LOL
But I love Lee Smith more…
Sounds like you had a great time!
Kath says
All,
Billis is a GIRL!!! Her name is Lillian Valentine 🙂
Thanks for all the nice comments.
Kath
mel says
aww matt..too sweet!! Have a great weekend Kath
Michele says
What the f is a “cat voice?”
Eres la chica más loca del mundo…como un cabra. SI quites el blog el mundo sería mejor.
brownies... says
Michele: crazy like a goat?! …vale…?
steph says
Hi Kath – do you mind sharing where and when you got your dress? I love it!
Thanks!
flipflops says
steph I think it is anntaylorloft. I’ve got the same one. :o)
Katie says
This is the CUTEST post! So Southern Belle of you. And ps -t aht dress is way cute!!
Heather says
That’s so exciting that Michael Malone ran the auction! Have you read any of his books? Handling Sin is hilarious (I had no idea that he was a soap opera writer).
Looks like you’re having fun! You and your mom look so much alike!
Jen says
That looks like great fun, and I’m very jealous of the dessert buffet. I so agree with your strategy of only eating the very best stuff there (or it’s not worth the calories…) but was wondering if any of those dessert contributers might possibly read your blog? Just in light of the comments…. I was really just curious!
Betty says
Hi, Katherine, thanks for the blog on the auction. I was really sorry to miss it, especially because everyone is saying the food was great. I did contribute the hummus (from Saladalia, theirs is the best around) but what I am bragging to you about is the fresh broccoli stuck into the middle of it, which I grew in my garden. Very healthy, and you could dip with it instead of using the pita.