Project: Baby Shower

This weekend my project is a baby shower for my younger sister. She is having her 4th baby, a little boy. Er, not little exactly, he's looking like a big fella, but you know what I mean.

The shower will be a small affair and mostly about Mom-to-be instead of the bundle of joy. 4 of the 7 guests are diabetic, so the refreshments required a little more thought. Green onion roll ups, sugar free coffee and tea, a vegetable platter are on the list, plus a cake that is in no way sugar free. :) Hey, I have to have a cake!
The cake is going to e home baked, devils food and classic white cake marbled together with a home made buttercream frosting and topped with raspberries and mint leaves as well as decorated around the edges with miniature chocolate flowers... you guessed it, I'm making those, too.

The coffee is a recipe similar to the coffee I had at a wedding years ago. It was soooo delicious that I had to ask what was in it. Caramel flavoring, coffee, and cream. i thought, 'that's it!?'
The key was the coffee preparation, it was cold brewed. this is basically putting coarse grounds into a large stainless steel bowl and mixing cold water into them. the recipe I used called for 2 cups water for 1/5 of a pound of coffee. Let it steep for 12 hours and then strain the grounds out. Relax, I know it sound expensive for how little coffee you get, but it makes something of a coffee concentrate that is then mixed with ice, cream, flavors, etc. For $7-$8 you get a full pound of coffee, another $2-$3 and you can buy heavy cream, half and half, or even skim milk for the fat conscious.Add a flavored syrup or simpler still -- get flavored coffee beans.

I'm finishing up all the details today - prepping any food that I can, baking cake, brewing coffee, chopping veggies, and so on. Since he shower site is 3 hours drive away, the food will be installed in a cooler in the back of the van.
I'm also making a shower gift as well as a prize for one of the games. I am right on schedule with all of the details, how did that happen?