A long time ago, I went on a weekend college trip where the main speaker at the event made a huge impact on my 19-year-old heart. I returned home to a large family gathering of at least 35 people. My mother was always enthusiastic about such gatherings and worked at a clipped pace, smiling throughout—a…
Hosting for the Holidays: How to Turn Your Home Into a Warm, Welcoming Space for Fellowship
This Organizing Trick Is the Quickest Way to Get Your Home Ready for Guests
Once you’ve lived in your home for a while, you start to not really see it anymore. The art on your walls, the pillows on your couch, and the clutter on your countertop become such fixtures in your space that you simply stop noticing them. But when guests come over, they’re sure to see it…
The Gracious Host’s Guide to the Holidays: 3 Rules for a Memorable, Stress-Free Dinner Party
Years ago, I invited both sides of my family to a Thanksgiving dinner. This meant that there were 25 little children from 1 to 9 years of age; we had to deadbolt the door lest any neighborhood children wander in. The adults were 27 in number, which included my brothers and sisters, our parents, various…
Easy Entertaining: Make-Ahead Recipes to Feed Your Holiday Houseguests
For Thanksgiving hosts, Thanksgiving week, from Wednesday (or even earlier, for the extra-prepared) to Sunday, is all about a cooking and entertaining marathon at home. Planning meals ahead of time is my secret weapon for enjoyably hosting weekend guests, while not constantly worrying about what to serve for meals. Thanksgiving is no exception. Thursday’s main…
Ham and Cheese Bread and Butter Pudding
Bread and butter pudding is the quintessential leftovers-turned-comfort-food dish. Made using any type of leftover stale bread, cheese, and add-ins you have on hand, it’s the perfect end-of-the-week dish, as you can clean out all the odds and ends from the refrigerator. I love it made with crispy bacon, but boiled ham is delicious, too….
Slow-Roasted Turkey: An Old-School Recipe With Fall-Off-the-Bone Results
Roast turkey, the centerpiece of most Thanksgiving dinners, can make (or break) the meal. With that much pressure placed on a single dish, it’s easy to feel intimidated. There are complex brines and dry-rubs to make, temperature and timing to keep, and the tetris-like game of fitting all the casseroles and baking dishes into the…
Easy Entertaining: Comfort Food for a Cozy Fall Dinner
I fell in love with fall when I first went to New York in my early 20s. The crisp, fresh air and those endless blue skies are like food for the soul, energizing and invigorating. In addition, the autumnal calendar is filled with feasts and reasons to celebrate. From apple picking and fall foliage tours…
Easy Entertaining: Game-Day Eats and Touchdown Toasts
Fall is here, and tailgating season has begun. Not that we need a reason to gather around food, but if there’s a moment in time that best represents the melding of fun, food, and camaraderie, it’s during the tailgate party, that essential preamble to a sporting event. Spectators must be well-nourished to keep rooting for…
Easy Entertaining: A Dinner in the Garden for Summer’s Last Hurrah
Holding onto the last days of summer, even as I look forward to fall, I am planning a dinner in the garden under the stars. I love the idea of throwing one last outdoor bash as we step into cooler fall nights. Using only candlelight to light our dinner is my ode to the end…
Easy Entertaining: A Farmers Market-to-Table Meal
On Saturday mornings, as many weeks as I can, I make a trip to my local farmers market. Short of growing your own, there’s nothing as satisfying as being able to get fruits and vegetables grown locally and picked right at their peak—fresh, ripe, and oh so flavorful. When they’re harvested ripe, their flavors have…
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