perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
The holidays will be here before you know it. Now’s the time to start filling your freezer with sweet and savory treats that you can pull out in a moment’s notice. A couple months out I tackle some of my more time-consuming recipes. When our kitchen table and bedrooms begin to fill, I’m always glad I did. Gingerbread cookies are always a favorite.
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
A first-rate finale to our litany of houseguests. An exceptional weekend in every way, my dad came to Chicago to celebrate some very big birthdays. He and his best friend had just turned 90, and on our first night together my mom’s dearest friend had a very special birthday of her own. To kick off the festivities we dined at Mon Ami Gabi, the i
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food detective
You know when you see people on social media, and they seem like they have it all together? I have to confess I was feeling a little high on my holiday horse and thought I’d flaunt my newly acquired baking skills for my next post. I was inspired earlier this month by the NYT’s interactive article on the 24 Days of Cookies. Being a crunchy salty
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
I take joy in setting a beautiful table. I love my bone china, sterling and crystal. Creating a place for my guests to sit infused with grace is a simple pleasure. Many keep their finest tucked away and out of reach. I believe our beautiful things are there to be enjoyed. And with the exception of my silver, I put almost all of it in the
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food detective
How about something sweet? I’ll confess I’m not much of a baker. My birthday cakes are endearingly lopsided and zucchini bread eternally crestfallen. What I’ve come to realize is that cooks and bakers are wired differently. Bakers tend to follow recipes to the law and measure precisely. Us in the cook-camp like to add a pinch of this and bit of
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Isn’t it fun going to those upscale gourmet grocers and walking past their cases filled with amazing prepared fare? While tempting, picking up an entire dinner party that way can cost a small fortune. So, what should you do when you want the convenience of having everything made well in advance but you either want to showcase your own cooking and
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entertaining with style- making it work for you
So excited for my first Chicago party. My youngest, who is in business school at Northwestern, wanted to invite some of her classmates over to meet me and see the apartment before they took off for their summer internships. With my husband and I driving back across the country the week before, time was going to be too tight to pull off a proper
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making it for two
How often do you find a great recipe only to discover it’s scaled for a crowd? In this next series entitled “making it for two” I am going to pare down not only the ingredients but also the prep time so that cooking for two won’t take an eternity. Leaving you more time to spend time with the one you love. My sweet husband has an incredible sweet
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food detective
Many of you will be reading this on June 13th, the day my bi-monthly email blast goes out and wonder what the heck is she doing making cheesecake when her daughter is getting married in three days! I assure you I didn’t wake up at 5 AM to make these little bites. I made them the week before. Experimenting in the kitchen is one of the ways I unwind
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
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It’s April 17th and I woke to my flower beds covered in a blanket of snow. As I put on my boots and hat and mittens to take my dog Willie out, we were greeted with frigid winds and pelting hail. I don’t know about you but I’m ready for a weather change. And while we can’t do a thing to influence Mother Nature, here's a way to bring a little
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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 →