Take Some Stress Out Of Your Holiday Meal Best Ever Make-Ahead Holiday Dinner Tom and I have hosted Christmas Eve dinner 20 times over the past 25 years. How do I know this you may be wondering? Because I keep a list of every menu for every party, dinner or […]

Risotto Recollections Roasted Pumpkin and Saffron Risotto Main: Here is a recipe that Tom and I sent out with our 2005 Christmas cards having deemed it “Tuscan Tom’s Recipe of the Year.” We had just returned from a three-week vacation to Umbria, Tuscany, Venice, and Rome with Kim and Mary […]

Simply Delicious! Wine Country Chicken, Grape & Cashew Sandwiches Main This fast, simple delicious sandwich recipe is from my girlfriend, Gloria, whose sister served it at her winery which is why I dubbed it “Wine Country” sandwich (it was either that or Gloria’s Sister’s Amazing Chicken Sandwich). Here’s a photo […]

Let’s Talk Turkey (and Sides) Grill Your Thanksgiving Turkey! Free Your Oven! Main Tom and I have been hosting Thanksgiving dinner for more than three decades (as some of the photos in this post will attest)!  On our first Thanksgiving, Tracy set the turkey on fire (not on purpose) and […]

A “Grand” Idea Grand Marnier Grilled Chicken Main Here in Southern California, we’ve had a late spring with plenty of April showers and May gray which has been good for my garden but not much else. Tom has been longing to fire up his new Weber grill, and when the […]

If You Knew Sushi Like I Know Sushi Sushi Bake Casserole Main or Starter I love a good California roll so when I saw this recipe in the New York Times described as a deconstructed California roll, I was in. But first I had to track down a few ingredients […]

Flavorful & Full of Fiber Chili Pumpkin Chicken Chili Main I like pumpkin but I am not one of those people who stands in line the first day Starbucks rolls out its Pumpkin Spice Latte (that would be my late sister-in-law). The Washington Post recently had a list of its […]

A Cultured Dish Tom Sez “Wow” Yogurt Marinated Chicken Main Here is a recipe we have been making in Mai Tai Tracy’s Kitchen since 2010. The first time I told Tom we would be having chicken marinated in yogurt he was not all that enthused. However, after one taste he […]

Overnight Sensation Tom’s Make-Ahead Gruyère Mac and Cheese Main We’ve hosted Thanksgiving almost every year since 1990. (I can’t remember ever being that YOUNG!!) I always ask our guests what is a “must have” tradition at Thanksgiving, and Mac & Cheese is a frequent request.  We are crazy about Tom’s […]