You are now officially retired from the ABVM club!

Congrats on your two auspicious events. Graduation and your new VM!

Your menu sounds amazing and of course your glorious kitchen, I am sure, stole the show.

NYCBlueDevil - I knew you would break down and your menu even outdid my menu from a few weeks ago!! I will have to try the carrot soup - was it from the book or the web?
Who was the graduate honoree?
Holly-Kay - I am betting on you for the next VM - don't let us down... You can get the Costco version or go for the Diamond at WS for twice the price (OK - I was the sucker who went for the WS version but wanted the pre-programmed features and the smaller top) -
BTW - I used my dry container and made an awesome cornbread - ground up the corn that was on sale and baked it in the regular oven.

BTW - Maybe we should all meet for a vacation!

Sounds great! Since DD works at Costco I will look into it though I have to say the idea of a pre-programmed feature sounds enticing.

Congratulations nycbd - and to your daughter as well. :-)

A2--the graduate was the Dukie (like me). She started her real life job today too!

A lot of the recipes (the soup, the edamame hummus, the green goddess dip, the ginger lime salmon and the flank steak) all come from Food to Live By, the cookbook written by the Earthbound Farm people. It is my favorite cookbook.

The cornbread sounds great. Fabulous to make it from scratch. Lucky you.

The tall container is the only downside. I can keep the blender on the counter but only with the top off. I will just barely fit under the cabinets that way.

Goodness, that menu is inspiring! I've been perusing all the vitamix threads carefully, poring over reviews at CR and Amazon, and generally obsessing about whether or not to get one. Your post here has definitely moved me one step closer!

Congratulations to your daughter for her achievements, and to you for yours (a wonderful workable kitchen and a new appliance to use in it).

Wow! That menu sounds amazing!

I've had my VM for years and after reading all of the VM posts here, I realize I've been under utilizing it.

Congrats to your daughter on her graduation from Duke! I'm a Duke alum as well! Small world :)

OK, I'll bite- what's the "AB" in ABVM club?

AB = All But. Just like ABB is All But Backsplash.

Congratulations to you and your DD!! Wow -- that is an impressive menu! You've upped the stakes from a "party tray" for graduation parties!

Congrats to your Duke graduate. So exciting for you!

Thanks A2. She really likes her new job too. Now one off the payroll, two more to go (they will be college sophomores next year). Just finished the last of the party food. I am completely unable to cook an appropriate amount of food. We are always eating it for days!

I made egg salad in the VM today. It was too smooth. I think it would have been fine with a smaller amount.

Do you think I can grind coffee in the VM?

It has already been a monumental Spring for you. Congratulations on the grad's accomplishments and your new kitchen and new Vitamix! That all brings great joy for you and your family.

I have a Vitamix too and can keep it under my upper cabinets on my counter because I got the smaller container. I almost always use it and keep the tall container in the cupboard. It was a good investment for me. Enjoy!

Must. Resist. Reading. Vitamix. Threads. You all are going to wear me down. Before here, I could have never imagined myself considering spending that kind of money for one. Ya all are going to be the death of me! haha

Sounds like a wonderful menu and it's great to hear that all went so well in the kitchen with your helper as well as with the party.

NYC- DH is in charge of coffee and he uses a burr grinder. I will defer to others on that one. Glad you like it since I influenced you..

Andrea- let's get you out of the ABVM club!

Tonight, I made another batch of the watermelon lemonade sans rosemary post metric century bicycle ride - so refreshing!