Welcome guests!

Recently, we held an on-site/off-site meeting at work for our senior managers from around the globe. An on-site/off-site involves setting an out-of-office message and gathering for a few days without interruptions. The meeting included welcoming several colleagues visiting from India, which was certainly a reason to celebrate! Many co-workers, who have collaborated for years, had never met face-to-face before—what a wonderful way to connect.

I love cooking for a crowd! My husband jokes no matter how many guests are invited, I cook for 40. My husband and friends Kissy and her husband also pitched in to help setting the buffet, preparing food and making sure our guests had a great time. Since several team members are vegetarian, we adjusted the menu to to suit everyone's taste. My husband took charge of the grill, and we prepared most of the food ahead of time, allowing us to spend quality time with our guests.

Menu

Fresh vegetables with dip

Chicken breast marinated in yogurt, lemon, and garlic, then grilled

Herb-marinated grilled chicken breast

Grilled chicken sausage with apple

Roasted vegetables from the farmer's market

Farro salad with tomatoes and shallots

Baked Penne pasta with ricotta cheese and sauce

Fresh fruit paired with salted caramel dip

Coconut banana bread

We used the Fiesta Omni servers for the vegetables and mini bowls to hold the dips. Mini flower pots held olives and home made pickled green beans. A brightly colored tablecloth, we bought in San Tropez on our Mediterranean cruise, set the color palette for the buffet.

To entice our team to come into the office, I typically bring homemade baked goods on Thursdays. Everyone wanted to make sure I would be baking for the party, and I didn't disappoint them!

Kissy and I gathered all the Spring-colored Fiesta dishes (my co-workers are well aware of my dish obsession!). We arranged a buffet on the kitchen island for a self-serve setup. We paired different serving pieces with the food. I used post-it notes to ensure we had enough serving pieces and silverware, and I planned the buffet layout ahead of time. A three tier server made from vintage Fiesta plates was a gift from a very special friend and served the fresh fruit. A Fiesta bread tray with the daisy decal from the Tamarack WV visitor center held the banana bread. Flowers from Trader Joe's were set in the center, along with candles, leaving only the guests to arrive.

The tortilla warmer from Fiesta held the roasted vegetables, and the larger covered casserole held the farro salad. Longaberger baskets held rolls and utensils.

Fortunately, the weather was beautiful, allowing us to enjoy the outdoors and the spring atmosphere. Kissy and I had spent several weeks planting annuals, making the yard look perfect!

I'm incredibly fortunate to have wonderful co-workers and friends who are like family, helping us make the day special!