Cinco de Mayo is one of my favorite times of year because it gives me an excuse to eat my favorite kind of food - Mexican! Growing up my mom would always throw a Mexican serape over the table and serve a big buffet of Mexican food with monkeypod wood platters. The platters are really more Hawaiian, but they just scream party! Here's a little tablescape and menu inspiration for your next ... View Post
Holiday Gift Guide for the Home Cook and Entertainer
Here are my picks for the perfect gift for the home cook and entertainer: From left to right, top to bottom: 1. Thermapen / 2. Wusthof 8-inch Chef's KnifeΒ / 3. Lodge Cast Iron PanΒ / 4. Klip It BPA-Free plastic containersΒ / 5. Hamilton Beach Slow CookerΒ / 6. TableclothΒ / 7. CoolerΒ / 8. Wusthof Steak KnivesΒ / 9. Flame Retardant ... View Post
Easy Desserts
Hubby and I went to a holiday dinner party at a friend's house the other night.Β They prepared the most lovely and impressive meal, a shrimp and lobster (!!) stew, fresh asparagus, and a bright green salad, plus tons of appetizers and red wine. She was so sweet, she even went out of her way to make sure the entire meal was gluten-free for me. Then for dessert, she pulled out coconut and ... View Post
Beautiful Buffets
I am a huge believer in serving food in a buffet over a plated dinner. It allows people to pick and choose what they want and not feel pressured to eat anything they may not like. Plus, guests can go back for seconds if they so please. These photos from my Pinterest Parties BoardΒ provide some great inspiration for my next buffet. I love how the food items are arranged in ... View Post
Fall Decor
For my fall decor this year, I was inspired by the warm, woodsy colors of my hikes in Wisconsin, mixed in with touches of black and white. I try not to follow any rules and just adorn the place with what makes my heart go pitter patter. This leads me to create interesting textures by mixing items of different materials, such as glass, woven materials, silver, straw, wood, candles, and real ... View Post
Barbacoa Pulled Pork
One of my favorite dishes to make when serving a crowd is pulled pork. It's so versatile since it serves a lot of people, it's incredibly tasty, it's relatively inexpensive, and it pairs well with different kinds of flavors. Here I oven-braised a boneless pork butt roast in a smoky (but not too spicy I promise!) barbacoa sauce. I just love the earthiness that the chipotle chile powder ... View Post
