Earlier this month I hosted my annual Christmas party, The Holly Ball (a.k.a the Ball Party). At the Holly Ball, all the food is ball-shaped. This was the 4th Holly Ball*** (5th if you count the inaugural party, A Very Manny Christmas–a celebration for my friend Manny’s 50th birthday). Speaking of Manny, I am usingContinue reading Holly Ball 2022
Holly Ball 2019 rolls on! This recipe is a selection from Executive Women…New Orleans Style. I picked it up at a super-fabulous culinary bookshop called Kitchen Witch, which, sadly, closed not long after my visit. I don’t know anything in particular about this book except that New Orleans has an Executive Women International chapter.Continue reading Holly Ball 2019: New Orleans Style Artichoke Balls
Another Holly Ball bite! Today’s ball recipe is ultra-fitting since a prime-time reboot of the ABC daytime soap All My Children was just announced. As someone who used to watch AMC, consider my interest piqued. But let’s face it, the show will be incomplete if Susan Lucci (a.k.a. Erica Kane) doesn’t show. Speaking of EricaContinue reading Holly Ball 2019: Erica Kane’s Cheese Teasers (1983)
Yes, the title of this post says 2019. That’s because I never wrote about last year’s holiday party and I’m sure as hell not having one this year. The Holly Ball takes an entire year to plan because I take note of any and all ball recipes I come across throughout the year and jotContinue reading Holly Ball 2019: Rio-Vista Balls (1958)
It’s the last post of 2018! Earlier this month I had a Christmas party! Yes, Mr. Sauce and I decided to join forces and have the hap-hap-happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tapdanced with Danny Fucking Kaye. OK, it wasn’t that. But it was our first co-party and it was a swinging shindig–with a theme–BALLS! Yes,Continue reading Holly Ball 2018
Welcome to The Lost Family Virtual Supper Club! I am so happy to be one of the bloggers invited to celebrate the release of Jenna Blum’s latest novel, The Lost Family with a cookalong! The book is a saga which revolves around Auschwitz survivor and restauranteur Peter Rashkin, his glamourous young wife, June, and their daughter Elsbeth.Continue reading The Lost Family Virtual Dinner Party ft. 158. Beef Wellington
My parents came into town over Memorial Day weekend and I threw a party so they could meet all of my friends (especially Manny!) whom they have heard many, many stories about but never met in real life. I picked this Chili Buffet from 1977 because I could make everything in advance of the partyContinue reading Tequila Punch & Chili Buffet (1977)
Happy OBtober! Ok, that’s not a thing but maybe it should be. Maybe October should be Old Bay October. At least that’s what my pal Taryn over at Retro Food for Modern Times thinks. And I agree. You guys know how much I love Old Bay. I write about it a lot. Well, since IContinue reading Old Bay Sherried Crab Dip
Hello, darlings. I threw myself a big birthday party! And I made a ton of dishes from my cookbook collection for the occasion. It was a hefty spread and I am looking forward to sharing them with you. But I guess I wasn’t looking forward to it that much because I’m an Aquarius. That meansContinue reading Velveeta South of the Border Dip
FINALLY! After weeks of teasing yinz guys, I finally threw my Mad Men Party featuring recipes from The Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook by Judy Gelman and Peter Zheutlin in honor of the end of the show. My shindig was just one part of an entire virtual Mad Men party with other bloggers from around theContinue reading How We Partied like Mad Men for the End of Mad Men
OK, it’s the last day of hors-d’oeuvres! We go back to the Smirnoff Brunch Book to the BEFORE THE GAME chapter for a nibble from the All on a Summer’s Day menu: It’s the “in” thing to watch football, baseball, and basketball and hockey on TV in the comfort of your own home in the company ofContinue reading Hooray for Hors d’oeuvres: Artichoke Devils
Hors d’ Ouerves Week continues with two other dishes from card A1 from the Cookindex recipe card set. First up is Marinated Shrimp! The little pink pan there indicates that this is an electric skillet dish. Isn’t it so funny how big the electric skillet was in the 50s? I mean, I love mine–but whyContinue reading Hooray for Hors d’Ouerves: Avocado Dip & Marinated Shrimp
Hors d’Ouerves Week continues with a party classic, Deviled Eggs. This recipe is from the very cool Cookindex (1959) card set that I received from the very lovely Susan Marks, the author of the book Finding Betty Crocker: The Secret Life of America’s First Lady of Food and the accompanying Betty-themed blog. She is also a filmContinue reading Hooray for Hors d’Ouerves: Deviled Eggs
So, did ya hear that the Baltimore Orioles have made it to the American League Championship Series? Baltimore is buzzing with excitement over the prospect of the team making it to the World Series. The city is awash in orange (even the Ravens’ football stadium). Everyone is wearing jerseys and tees and showing their civicContinue reading Orioles Magic Cheese Ball
Liberace Cooks!, the awesome 1970 cookbook by Carol Truax, is divided into seven chapters, one for each of the dining rooms in his mansion (well, there are eight chapters if you include “Sauces, Sauces Everywhere”). Chapter VI, Room with a View, centers on the “blue room,” an L-shaped glass room featuring “an around-the-corner bar of quilted blueContinue reading Liberace’s Caviar Cheese Dip
Greetings, friends! We are on the cusp of another season of Mad Men. I believe that it has been clearly documented in this blog how much I enjoy what might be one of the greatest television series of all time. In past years I have made cocktails, canapes, salads, and Steak Diane; for this season IContinue reading Mad Men Canadian Clubhouse Punch
So I threw myself a birthday party! (over 2 months ago) So sue me. I don’t remember every detail of the party or have photos of everything–it was my party after all. And I had, like, 10 people over. So I was busy. And buzzed–from a punch!–but I’ll talk about that later. So I celebrated meContinue reading Wiener Wednesday: 115. Hot Appetizers
The ladies’ holiday cocktail party continues! I’ve already shared with you the wiener part of the evening and the sparkling punch, but here are the remaining delicious dishes, Crab-Deviled Eggs and Smoked Oyster Puffs. Both recipes come from the Better Homes and Gardens Fish and Seafood Cook Book (1971 edition), one of the books from my collectionContinue reading BH&G Fish and Seafood Cook Book: Crab-Deviled Eggs and Smoked Oyster Puffs
