Creation of the Week: Olive and Cream Cheese Penguins

Ok, this has not been the most productive week writing wise. I've still been struggling with not feeling too well, and have had quite a few other obligations, many of which required cooking!

The above photo is of my finest creation of the week, one of the Cream Cheese and Olive penguins that I made for our family dinner on Sunday evening. The theme of the dinner was "Black and White". We were to dress up in our best black and white and bring pot luck "Back and White" dishes to share. I immediately thought of these cute little guys that I first saw on a friend's Pinterest board a few days ago:

I've since found them all over the internet.  Check out
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Penguin+Olives+Cream+Cheese&Form=IQFRDR
for a myriad of links to the cute little guys.  I've been looking for an excuse to bake a cheesecake ever since Christmas, so I also put together an Oreo Cookie Cheesecake.  DD1 spent hours making plenty of gorgeous white Brazilian Limeade, DD3 and her friend whipped up some crepes that they served with blackberries, chocolate sauce, whipped cream and bananas,  and DH spent hours tracking down some  black Squid Ink Fettuccine that he prepared in a delicious Alfredo sauce.   Of course there were many other fabulous black and white dishes, including a delicious cream of chicken and wild rice soup that won 1st place in the family vote.  I need to find that recipe!

Other culinary creations  from this past week have included a Triple Chocolate Cake for a friend's birthdayand the traditional Poppy Seed Chicken that I made for another friend's family on Monday. 

I also took  a couple of hours on Saturday morning to sit down and hem a few flannel recieving blankets at our church women's group's annual conference and service project.  It was quite an assembly line with a long table filled with sergers and sewing machines.   I believe we finished more than 30 blankets and had at least that many more serged and ready to be hemmed.  Others were tying quilts or crocheting hats, headbands, and hot pads, all to be donated to a local shelter.  We also wrote some notes and cards to servicemen and missionaries, then had a nice taco salad and chili lunch.

I'm grateful for opportunities to be creative and opportunities to serve!