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Oktoberfest Menu

Oktoberfest Menu

I’ve always loved October.  By then, I’ve stopped mourning the end of summer and fall is well underway.  It usually signals big sweaters and comfy boots, tailgating parties and warming comfort food.  But it is also time for Oktoberfest!  I’ve had Munich and...

Sliders, Sides & Sundaes:  A 4th of July Party

Sliders, Sides & Sundaes: A 4th of July Party

I made the decision NOT to host a fourth of July barbecue this year and opted for a fun new approach in my backyard.  I decided to host a Sliders, Sides & Sundaes Party.  I’d make a bunch of different kinds of sliders, put out a selection of salad sides and set up...

A Father’s Day BBQ Feast

A Father’s Day BBQ Feast

When I think of Father’s Day, I automatically think steak and barbecue!  The men in my family have never liked fancy restaurants much and they have always loved a good steak, so BBQ always seems to work.  Plus, it is casual and fun and when outdoors, everyone can just...

Mother’s Day Finger Food Brunch

Mother’s Day Finger Food Brunch

An elegant afternoon feast of finger foods that is both beautiful and tasty is my game plan for Mother's Day this year.  If I tell you it is also a healthier choice for your Mother’s Day Brunch menu, do you get excited to hear more?  Or do run in fear of another...

Mother’s Day Brunch for Two

Mother’s Day Brunch for Two

When was the last time you carved out time for just you and your mom?  Mothers Day is usually a family affair…Mom, Dad, all the kids and often extended family members.  But as a daughter, just setting aside some one on one time with your mom on the big day can be...

My Family’s Simple Easter Brunch Menu

My Family’s Simple Easter Brunch Menu

As a kid, Easter was the only time my family really had brunch and to be honest, my parents just considered it a late breakfast.  Because the Easter egg hunt and basket hunt took a little bit of time in the morning, breakfast was just pushed back an hour!  But it was...

St. Paddy’s Day Menu

St. Paddy’s Day Menu

A DIFFERENT SAINT PADDY’S DAY MENU, FIT FOR A CROWD The Irish get one day a year to highlight their cuisine here in America and undoubtedly, out comes the corned beef and cabbage.  I too, traditionally make it for the holiday.  But this year, I pulled out all the...

Easy Super Bowl Recipes:  Kick Off To Touchdown

Easy Super Bowl Recipes: Kick Off To Touchdown

I love Super Bowl…plain and simple. It is something I look forward to all year long. It has a little something for everyone. For the football lovers, this is it…the final showdown to decide who is the new champ. They’ve put in a year of yelling, cheering and booing....

An Easy Going Valentine’s Day Menu For Two

An Easy Going Valentine’s Day Menu For Two

I wanted to put together a relaxing dinner menu for Valentine’s Day this year. I wanted it to be special but not something I was going to have to spend hours in the kitchen preparing. I also wanted it to be a bit lighter this year as we have vowed to make healthier...

New Year’s Day Brunch

New Year’s Day Brunch

It started back in New York when I was working in the restaurant business. New Year’s Eve is big business and in New York, they take it seriously. 4am. Therefore, guess who started prepping at 2 in the afternoon and didn’t get done until 4am? Yup, that was me. I...

Christmas Dinner for Two

Christmas Dinner for Two

My Christmas dinner menu this year is going to be a “meat and potatoes” lover’s dream! I’m pulling out all the stops for a delicious, rich meal that’s packed with favorites from years past. I’m not worrying about calories or fat or points or anything else that might...

Thanksgiving Menu For Two

Thanksgiving Menu For Two

For years, I’ve cooked the big Thanksgiving meal for my family. There were years where I lived away from family so threw these big Thanksgiving dinners for friends. I absolutely love everything about the menu planning, shopping, prepping and cooking the meal. I love...

Labor Day Weekend: Tex-Mex Flavors

Labor Day Weekend: Tex-Mex Flavors

It’s Labor Day weekend and it is time for another pool party & BBQ. I’ve invited relatives and friends and am planning a fun afternoon of swimming, eating, drinking and lots of giggles. This year, it is Tex-Mex!  Whether they like really spicy food, won’t eat meat...

4th Of July Barbecue

4th Of July Barbecue

I’ve celebrated the 4th of July on the beach, in the Mountains, at friend’s houses and even in another country (not my favorite, they don’t get it!) and all of them included food….good food and lots of it. BBQ reigns supreme on the 4th and why wouldn’t it? The whole...

Easter Dinner Menu

Easter Dinner Menu

Easter definitely kicks off spring in my house.  New fruits and vegetables are available and everything is fresh and green!  I alternate each year between hosting an Easter Dinner or an Easter Brunch.  This year it was dinner.  I had some classics (leg of lamb and...

St. Patrick’s Day Dinner Menu

St. Patrick’s Day Dinner Menu

St. Patty’s Day was a big deal for us New Yorkers. I never missed a Saint Patrick’s Day Parade . It meant an entire day of partying with friends and hitting every Irish Pub in the City. (There are hundreds….lol!) Our favorite was Rosie O’Gradys on the Upper West Side....

Valentine’s Day Menu for Two

Valentine’s Day Menu for Two

When you want to impress, this menu will do the trick. It is rich and decadent but easy to pull off if you do some things before your special guest arrives at the table. Make your Creme Brulee the night before so all you have to do after dinner is torch the sugar....

Christmas Lunch Menu

Christmas Lunch Menu

This light and healthy Christmas lunch includes a Shrimp, Lemon & Dill Orzo Salad, fresh berries with Vanilla Yogurt, an assortment of bread, crackers & breadsticks and a glass of Cremant. In sunny California, it is the perfect holiday meal. Christmas Lunch...

Christmas Dinner Menu

Christmas Dinner Menu

This particular Christmas, I had a guest who requested lamb and asparagus. While it is true, I usually make lamb for Easter, I thought this was a great request and something new. So, baby lamb chops, roasted asparagus, glazed carrots and red potatoes made the menu. We...

Thanksgiving Menu

Thanksgiving Menu

A traditional Thanksgiving meal at my house includes all the family’s favorites: “Da turkey”, Nanny’s stuffing, gravy, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce from a can and peas and carrots from a can.  Dessert can come in many forms at my house today but on...