ladies lunch and the cabana boy

the hostess with the mostest hotel
Categories: Poultry, Lunch, Posted on April 28, 2012 by Sandy Bergsten
Today marks the arrival of my college roommates. Not a typical fan of girls’ night out, and certainly not of its extended version (women being best served with a generous dose of men) this trio is an exceptional exception. My hubby was supposed to be away for business but changed his plans when he heard who was coming, and why not these are
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say it isn’t soy

the hostess with the mostest hotel
Categories: Grains and Pasta, Supper, Dinner Party, Posted on April 26, 2012 by Sandy Bergsten
One of our house guests observes a gluten free diet. Being out of the gluten loop I decided to go to the source. The Mayo Clinic defines a gluten-free diet as one that excludes the protein gluten found in grains such as wheat, barley and rye. The prohibited list went on for three pages. I was pretty sure I didn’t have any Triticale or bulgar
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creating the playbook

the hostess with the mostest hotel
Categories: Dinner Party, Lunch, Breakfast/Brunch, Posted on April 24, 2012 by Sandy Bergsten
One of the wonderful things about having a vacation spot is that people you love want to come stay with you. The challenge is how to enjoy yourself with a houseful of house guests. Almost anyone can act like a short order cook and housekeeper but who wants to visit that. I’ve never played football but I like football movies. In every one
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cheering from the sideline

perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Categories: Meat, Grains and Pasta, Veggies and Sides, Dinner Party, Posted on April 20, 2012 by Sandy Bergsten
Time to sing the Italian praises of Marcella Hazan once again. Not only does she hold your hand though each intricate step of Italian prep, she walks you through the entire menu offering suitable sides for each dish. When you have lovingly basted and braised for half a day (as with ossobuco) the last thing you want are complicated accompaniments.
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merci buco

perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Categories: Meat, Grains and Pasta, Veggies and Sides, Dinner Party, Well Equipped, Wine Line, Posted on April 13, 2012 by Sandy Bergsten
With a momentary chill in the air and foodies on the calendar this might be the last possible weekend to serve up ossobuco. Big note- the following is not for the faint of heart. These braised veal shanks take most of the day to prepare. But while you will spend more hours in the kitchen then out the beauty of these tender cuts is that they can
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no (ex)cuses

ripped from the ... making it work for you
Categories: Fish and Seafood, Dinner for Two, Dinner Party, Posted on April 5, 2012 by Sandy Bergsten
Dining in one of Suzanne Goin’s restaurants in LA is truly a treat. Her recipes on the other hand should come with a disclaimer. Pay close attention to the timeline. I adore her cookbook, Sunday Suppers at Lucques, and was excited to see one of her recipes in Bon Appetit’s RSVP section. When I see recipe from a place I’ve actually been a patron
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