Grilled Pizza Baby Shower

Salads are always appropriate for a ladies' luncheon, but they're even better when paired with grilled pizzas!!  For a friend's baby shower, a long table, filled with her amazing collection of crystal, china & flatware, invited guests to share in a leisurely feast, served family style.  We used Gwyneth Paltrow's pizza dough recipe from My Father's Daughter and the result was perfectly crunchy on the outside, doughy on the inside, with plenty of earthy flavor.  This will be my new go-to crust recipe, which I'll use for build your own pizza parties all summer (plus it held up great over night in the fridge).  And the pistachio, strawberry & vanilla bean layered semifreddo is worth the extra steps for a pretty, sweet finish.   Amy added special touches with printed menus, place cards and a baby photo guessing game.  All in all, a fun afternoon of rose & lunch from the grill, made all the more delicious by good friends, great weather and a baby on the way...

The Menu

sips

raspberry & peach bellinis

rose

snacks

burrata, artichoke & pesto crostini

fig jam, prosciutto & mint crostini

to share

grilled pizzas:

margherita: buffalo mozzarella, tomato & basil

wild mushroom, ricotta & arugula

finocchiona, caramelized fennel and onion & mozzarella

grilled caesar salad

california chopped: baby kale, cherry tomatoes, asparagus, avocado, chickpeas & basil vinaigrette

honeydew, cantaloupe & mint

sweet

strawberry, pistachio & vanilla bean semifreddo

chocolate espresso cookies with sea salt