Thankfully Thanksgiving was a smashing success. The “oven ready” turkey I pre-ordered from Jensen’s that came cleaned, brined, seasoned, already in a bag, and in a pan, was seriously one of the best birds any of us had ever eaten. Not only did my daughter’s cute beau make a trifecta of scratch pies- sweet potato, pecan and buttermilk, he
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Can’t believe Thanksgiving is just days away. I am so excited to have a full house in the desert. But with that full house brings a lot of opinions. I’m being holiday- shamed into cooking an authentic entirely by scratch multi-dished meal. Really. Must we… Obviously “we” (meaning me) must. While I was sulking and pushing my cart up and down the
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Last summer the Dorothy Lane Market School of Cooking asked me if I would teach a few classes on holiday entertaining. One of the things I’m well known for are my amazing hors d'oeuvres that seem to come together with relatively little effort, so a November class on make ahead canapés seemed perfect. I sent off nine recipes that could either be
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Nothing beats Saturday night supper for four. As fortune would have it my husband and I were invited for such a dinner last weekend. And to up the ante, not only were our host and hostess delightful friends but incredible cooks. Simmering bolognese greeted us we entered, letting us know we were in for a real treat. But what caught me by surprise
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The other day I was pushing my cart down the frozen food aisle at Trader Joes when my eye spied the most adorable carrots. These frozen little gems looked just like teeny pumpkins in a frost. I had a flashback to my catering days in the 1970’s when turned vegetables (or tournage de legumes) were all the rage. If you’ve never turned a vegetable you
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Homegrown tomatoes still grace the shelves at the market though there is a distinct chill in the air. And while it’s not quite sweater weather I find myself craving comfort food. Time to figure out a way to bridge the seasons with a meal that is as comforting as cashmere but light enough to stand up to these last nights of Indian summer. I adore
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My day job has been competing with my care job, leaving little space for anything else. I can tell my battery is really run down. In times like these I know it’s important to carve out a few moments to take a beat and see the beauty that is all around us. So last weekend I decided to take a break and go to the farmers market. I was stunned that the
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Thomas Keller’s ears should be burning. I have been raving nonstop about his killer creamed corn recipe. It is literally off the chart. The secret it turns out is freshly grated lime zest and big spritz of lime juice. Combine this with just picked sweet corn and you’re hard pressed to find a more sensational side. Living in southern Ohio there is
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Last night some of our dearest friends from Cleveland came down for dinner and to spend the night. I knew I’d want to maximize catching up and minimize running around. So when it came to dessert I almost bagged it. But for some reason presenting a little something special at the end of the night makes it… well, special. So here’s a sweet secret
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When entertaining you agree to do three things: provide you guests with something to eat, something to drink, and the opportunity to be merry. The easiest part of planning a party should be the beverages. Most folks make this step complicated by thinking they need to come up with some snazzy signature cocktail. Few will be happy with your frozen
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Wherever I find myself, I’m happiest with a full dining room table. As a former professional chef and caterer I want to share what I’ve learned over the past three decades of entertaining. On this site you’ll find tricks of the trade to help even the most harried of you pull off a seemingly seamless fête. Come join the conversation! read more →