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As I write this, I have just finished consuming 6 large shrimp, a giant king crab leg & claw and 4 scallops. Not to mention the fudge I had as a "snack" and the pancakes, bacon & hasbrowns we had for breakfast. So don't feel bad if you fell victim to the holiday binge...I do, too. And I still have 4 pounds (yes, as in lbs) of Nueske's bacon in the freezer, one of my favorite annual gifts from my mom's best friend. I did really good up until Christmas Eve. And it went downhill from there. Fast. So if you're feeling the binge blues, join the club! I don't beat myself up anymore over my holiday eating. It's all tied together with nostalgia, emotion and tradition. And I give myself a little extra leeway to eat what I want - at least for Christmas week. But then it ends. And the New Year is waiting there for me - silently judging. I know, everyone hates resolutions these days. They aren't attainable, you set yourself up for failure, yada, yada, yada. As for me, a resolution is just a goal. And goal setting is all about setting yourself up for success. There are a few keys to do that without feeling like you've failed in the first week and giving up all together, before you've even started. I am a very goal-oriented person. And while I know that not everyone is, I think that a few keys in goal setting can help get you ready for whatever goal you have in the New Year. I'd like to share a few things that I have done over the years to make myself more successful at keeping and attaining my goals. Set an challenging, yet attainable, goal. If you want to add exercise to your daily life, start small. Take a walk twice a week, then the second week move up to three times a week. Until you reach your goal. Take small steps to make big leaps. Make yourself accountable. Whether you can do this on your own or you need a group to help, set up a structure that holds you accountable for your goals. I belong to an online accountability group for my workouts daily. I've been off the wagon, but I also know I can jump back on without judgement, but they will also hold me accountable. I also keep my goals written on a dry erase board, somewhere where I will see them everyday. Including encouragement and tracking, so I can see my progress as I go. Make short term and long term goals. Set daily, weekly, monthly and annual goals. By breaking it down in little groups it will help you have a measurable short term goal that can help lead you onto success. Don't compare your goals to others goals. We all have different goals, different rewards and different ways of reaching them. Your goals do not need to compete with anyone else's. Focus within. Do NOT beat yourself up if you aren't making fast enough progress. Keep taking those small steps. So I hope if you go into the New Year with a resolution or goal in mind that these steps help make it a success! And remember, we are always here to cheer you on!

'Tis the season - for buffets! I've been wanting to talk about this topic for quite a while, and there's no better time then now. As we start entertaining, gathering and eating our way through the holidays a few small tips and tricks about setting up the perfect buffet will help your party flow smoothly and remove some of your party stress. I happen to LOVE planning menus. It's one of my favorite things to do. Back when Saturdays were my day off I would sit down and plan out my full week of recipes, my grocery list and my prep for the week. I actually tend to over-plan, but when it comes to planning a party there is no such thing as being over-prepared. I hope these little tidbits about planning a buffet will come in handy as you start planning holiday and New's Year's party's, gathering with the ones that you love! And if you don't love them...well, feed them good food anyways :) Menu Planning As a former event planner, it's always surprised me that we don't share menu planning knowledge anywhere that we can. It's awfully difficult entertaining at home, trying to decide not only the menu, but what to make and how much of it to make. I'm here to share some good news - there is a formula! Here are some easy, straight-forward guidelines to use next time you are planning your party. For an Hors d'oeuvres party: It's really easy to get caught up in the excitement of planning a menu. But try to rein yourself in, Rudolph!! Remember, you still have to make the food, set up and entertain. And then there's the clean up... Make it easier on yourself. For real, everyone. No one will miss that one extra item that you felt like you had to add in. Spend quality, thoughtful time on your menu and add in some simple, special touches and everyone will still leave talking about how great the food was and your sanity will still be intact. Here is a quick guideline of how many different types of items to serve: Up to 25 guests: 4-6 selections 25-50 guests: 6-8 selections 50+: 8-12 selections But how do you decide what to make? There's a formula for that, too! I'm here to help - and share a little industry knowledge that's usually kept a closely guarded secret. Well, the SECRET is out! And your party just got easier!! Use the selection guideline from above, plus the category list below and you're halfway there! You can mix and match how many from each category below, but this should help act as a general guideline to help you work out a great party menu. I've also included a few great ideas and recipes to get you started. Just click on the recipe title to go to the recipes for easy, no-fuss menu planning. Fruits, Veggies & Cheese: Fruit, Veggie and Cheese Trays, Beet & Goat Cheese Bites, Stuffed Strawberries, Baked Brie stuffed with Apricots, Walnuts & Honey, Grilled Rainbow Peppers with Herbed Cream Cheese Starched Based Apps: Bruschetta, Crab Rangoon, Chicken & Green Chili Empanadas, Asparagus & Gruyere Tart Meats/Proteins: Gingered Beef Skewers, Huli Huli Chicken Wings, Firecracker Shrimp Snacks: Cheese Puffs, Cheese Crackers, nuts, chips, popcorn, pretzels. Dips & Spreads: Babaganoush, Cheese Fondue, Chutney Cheese Ball, Gruyere & Bacon Dip, Parmesan Tuiles with Mushroom Mousse Desserts: Classic Chocolate Truffles, Cortney's Sour Cream Cut Outs Ok - so now you know WHAT you're making. It's time for the next formula - HOW MUCH? Now you can simply take the amount of guests and multiply it with the guideline below and you know exactly how much you need to make. As a reminder 16 ounces = 1 pound. For a basic hors d'oeuvres party you can plan on 2-3 pieces of each appetizer served. For heavy hors d'oeuvres plan on 5-6 per person. Deciding on trays and meats break down by weight in a pretty straight-forward way: Plan on 3 ounces of meat per person. For fruits, veggies and cheese plan on 4 ounces per person. For desserts: Mini Desserts 3-4 per person, Cake or Pie .75 pieces per person. Here are some great tips and suggestions that I've learned over the years to make life easier: Everything should not go out on the buffet at once. Hold some items back for refilling. This way you can continually refill as things empty and it always looks full. Have the items that you are refilling plattered up and ready to go. And I mean READY TO GO! Put a fruit tray together, with the dip in a bowl and a SPOON IN THE DIP and tongs on the tray! Wrap it all up with plastic wrap. That way when you take the old tray way and replace it with the new you aren't searching for utensils in the middle of the party. You can also hand it off to someone to set out for you and know that they have everything that they need. Keep a reserve of something that you can throw together fast - have sour cream and Greek seasoning? You have an emergency veggie dip. Yogurt, brown sugar and oj- emergency fruit dip! Keep an extra baguette and crackers back and you have a great filler if things start running out fast. Be creative and DON'T panic. You will never have enough meatballs, shrimp or strawberries. Just come to terms with it now. You will probably run out and that's OK!! Be efficient with your time. Pick the right amount of items and make them in bulk. This will streamline the amount of work you have to do and make your prep time more efficient. Fill in with snack items, bread and crackers. I leave you with this - nothing ever goes perfectly. We are not perfect. We are not meant to be perfect. Embrace the fact that a few things might not go the way you want them to. And then let it go. The stress that you feel will transfer to your party and it's a downer, man! A simple "Wow, those meatballs were SOOO good that they're all gone!" will suffice. You don't need to make excuses for why you ran out of meatballs (mostly because Uncle Ted snarfed down 20 of them). And you don't need to feel bad about it. Replace those meatballs with one of your backup trays of something else, and go ENJOY your party. You deserve it!! P.S. Stay tuned for more blog post like this one, explaining planning, serving and feeding a family or a crowd. I have lots to say and many more great tips and ideas coming your way soon!

Ingredients: For the mushroom mousse: 1 Lb. mushrooms, chopped into small pieces 1 oz butter 1 shallot, small dice 3 cloves garlic, chopped 2 T. parsley 4 sprigs thyme Pinch of mace 2-3 drops tabasco, optional (or ½ tsp. cayenne) Salt and Pepper ¾ C. heavy cream For the tuiles: 1 pound parmesan, grated Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large skillet, heat the butter until almost brown over medium heat.  Add the mushrooms, shallot, garlic, parsley, thyme, mace, salt and pepper, and tabasco or cayenne if using. Saute for 5-7 minutes or until the mushrooms are a soft consistency.  Remove the thyme stems. Puree and let cool. In a stand mixer, beat the heavy cream to heavy stiff peaks.  Gently fold the cooled mushrooms into the peaked cream. Check for seasoning – salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready. On a lined baking sheet, make mounds of 2tbsp worth of cheese.  Bake for 4-6 minutes.  Remove from oven, and working quickly, wrap around a cone roller to make a cone. Pipe mousse into cones and enjoy!

Ingredients: 16 mini rainbow peppers, halved, seeds and membranes removed 1 tsp olive oil 1/8 tsp kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 garlic clove, crushed 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives Zest of 1 small lemon Directions: Place peppers, olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper in a small bowl.  Toss to evenly coat. Set aside. In another small bowl, thoroughly combine cream cheese, garlic, dill, basil, 2 tablespoons chives, fresh ground pepper, pinch of salt and lemon zest.  Transfer the cream cheese mixture to a piping bag and put in the refrigerator until ready to use. Grill peppers directly on flame, until slightly charred, about 2 minutes per side.  Transfer to a small platter. Snip the tip of the piping bag and carefully fill each pepper half with the cream cheese mixture.  Top with remaining 1 tablespoon chives.

Ingredients: 1 cup flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup shredded cheese of your choice 4 tablespoons cold butter 1/3 cup heavy cream coarse salt pepper for the top 1 egg (for an egg wash top) optional Directions: In a food processor, combine the flour, salt, shredded cheese, and butter. Pulse until crumbly. With the mixer turned on slowly, stream in the cream until a dough ball forms. Then turn off the mixer. Lightly flour a surface and roll out the dough as thin as you can. Think thin crust pizza. You don't want to be able to see through the dough, but thin is your friend for these. They will puff some when they bake, so you don't want them to be too thick. Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into small squares, or any shape you want. You could also use cookie cutters for a fun variation. I also used a frosting tip to get those small holes in the center of my crackers. Roll the scraps together and cut again until you've used all the dough. Depending on your shape and thickness, you might get slightly more or less crackers in your batch than I did. Place the cut dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Whisk the egg in a small bowl and brush the tops of the crackers with it. Sprinkle on a little coarse grain salt and black pepper. Bake at 375°F for 18-20 minutes, until golden brown. Once cool, store in an airtight container if you're not consuming these within the day.

Ingredients: ½ cup water ½ cup milk 7 teaspoons unsalted butter 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon sugar A pinch of chili powder 1 1/3 cup bread flour 2/3 cup grated semi-hard cheese, finely shredded, plus more for sprinkling 2 Tbsp. chopped herbs 4 eggs Method: In a 2-quart sauce pot combine the water, milk, butter, salt, sugar and chili powder. Cook over high heat until the butter has melted. Turn the heat down to low and stir in the flour. This will turn to dough quickly, so don’t be afraid to really stir! Add the cheese and fresh herbs. Continue stirring until the paste/ dough is smooth (the cheese will melt into the dough and that’s good)! Remove the pot from the heat and allow the mixture to cool, approximately 10-15 minutes. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer stir in the eggs one at a time. The dough will get lumpy, but keep stirring and it will smooth out. Put the dough in a large pastry bag, with a large tip. Pipe the cheese puffs onto a prepared baking sheet. Do not pipe them too high or they will collapse slightly when they’re cooling, about the size of a silver dollar makes them perfect mouthfuls. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese, and if you want, sprinkle on sesame seeds, poppy seeds, any other small seeds or spices you have on hand. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes or until the bottoms begin to get golden brown.

Ingredients For the cookie dough: · 1 cup butter, room temperature · 2 cups sugar · 3 eggs · 6 cups flour · 2 tsp baking soda · ½ tsp salt · 1 cup sour cream For the frosting: · ½ cup butter, softened · 4 cups powdered sugar · 3 tbsp milk Method: 1. Cream butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a separate bowl sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Add to the creamed mixture in batches, alternating with sour cream. This will be a sticky dough. Divide dough into two equal potions, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until easy to handle, approximately 2 hours. 2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 3. On a floured surface, roll dough out to ¼ inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes and place 1 inch apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-12 minutes or until edges are very lightly browned. Cool on baking racks. 4. For the frosting: Beat together the butter, powdered sugar and milk until smooth. Add food coloring if desired. Frost with spatula or piping bag. Makes about 9 dozen cookies.

Ingredients: · 12 ounces dark chocolate · 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream · 6 tablespoons unsalted butter · 1-2 tablespoons honey or corn syrup, if needed Method: 1. Chop chocolate into small pieces and set aside. 2. Cut butter into small pieces and set aside. 3. In a double boiler, bring the cream to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate and butter and stir until completely melted. If needed, place back on low heat to soften mixture. Remove from heat. 4. If mixture looks separated, add honey, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it comes together. 5. Pour chocolate into a shallow bowl or dish. Cool, cover and refrigerate until firm, approx. 2 hours. 6. Line a baking sheet with parchment or use a silicone liner. Scrape a portion scoop over the top of the truffle mixture to form a 1” ball. Place on lined baking sheet and repeat. 7. Place in refrigerator for 10 minutes to cool. 8. Roll or dip in chosen coatings (cocoa, nuts, sprinkles, melted chocolate, etc). 9. Cover and refrigerate. Makes approx. 30 truffles

Ingredients: · 10 Slices center cut bacon · 8 ounces softened cream cheese · ½ cup mayonnaise · 2 rounded tablespoons prepared Dijon style mustard · 1 ½ cups shredded gruyere cheese · 3 green onions chopped · ½ cup smoked almonds, coarsely chopped · Baby carrots and a selection of spiced flat breads, cocktail sized pumpernickel or rye breads, or sliced whole grain baguettes for dipping Method: 1. Preheat oven to 425F. Place a cooling rack in baking sheet, place the bacon on the cooling rack and bake for 20 minutes. Drain on a paper towel, then chop into ¼ pieces. 2. Lower the oven to 400F. 3. In a mixing bowl combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, Dijon, Gruyere and green onions with cooked bacon. Transfer to a small, shallow casserole or baking dish (about 1 ½ quarts) and bake until golden and bubbly at edges 15 to 18 minutes. Top with the chopped smoked almonds. Place on a platter and surround warm casserole with breads and carrots for dipping.

Ingredients: · 2 package (8 ounce) cream cheese · 1 cup shredded Colby Jack Cheese · ½ cup mango chutney · 2 green onions, finely chopped · 1 garlic clove, minced · ¼ tsp. salt · ¼ tsp. pepper · ½ cup finely chopped walnuts · 2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley · Crackers, bread cubes and apple slices Method: 1. In a small bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Shape into a ball and roll in walnuts. Press Parsley into ball and chill. For the Mango Chutney: Ingredients: 2 cups sugar1 cup distilled white vinegar4 mangoes, peeled and cut in 3/4-inch pieces1 medium onion, chopped1/2 cup golden raisins1/4 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped1 garlic clove, minced1 teaspoon mustard seeds, whole1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes Method: 1. Combine sugar and vinegar in a 6 quart pot; bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. 2. Add remaining ingredients and simmer, uncovered, until syrupy and slightly thickened, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Stir occasionally during cooking.

Ingredients: · 1 ½ tablespoon cornstarch · 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice · 1 cup dry white wine · 1 garlic clove, halved · 1 pound shredded or cubed cheese · 1 tablespoon kirsch or cognac (optional) Directions: 1. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of the wine. 2. Rub the inside of the fondue pot with the cut garlic cloves (make sure your fondue pot is stovetop safe. If not, do the next steps in a stovetop safe pot). Add the remaining ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons of wine and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. 3. Slowly whisk in the cornstarch mixture and simmer, whisking constantly until thickened, about 1 minute. Reduce the heat to moderately low and add the cheese in handfuls, whisking constantly, until each addition is melted until adding more and the fondue is smooth, about 5 minutes. Stir in the kirsch or cognac, if using. Place on heated fondue base. 4. Serve with pieces of crusty bread, veggies, endive, apple, apricots, dates, root veggie chips, sliced salumi, etc. 5. Enjoy!

Ingredients: For the Dressing · 1/3 cup mayonnaise · 1/3 cup sour cream · 3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar · 1 Tbsp. finely chopped dill · 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce · ¼ pound blue cheese · Salt · Pepper For the shrimp · 1 large egg · ¼ cup buttermilk · 1 ¾ pounds shelled and deveined shrimp, tails intact · Vegetable oil for frying · 1 cup cornstarch · Salt · ¼ cup hot sauce Method: 1. Make the dressing in a food processor, combine everything except the salt and pepper and puree until nearly smooth. Scrape into a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. 2. Make the shrimp in a large bowl, beat the egg with the buttermilk. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. 3. In a large saucepan, heat 1 ½ inches of vegetable oil to 375F. Line a large baking sheet with paper towels. Spread the cornstarch in a shallow bowl. In three batches remove the shrimp from the buttermilk mixture, allowing the excess to drip off, and dredge in the cornstarch. Add the shrimp to the hot oil and fry over high heat, turning occasionally, until golden and just cooked through, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to the baking sheet and season with salt. 4. In a large bowl, whisk the hot sauce with the melted butter, add the fried shrimp and toss well. Transfer to a serving platter and serve right away with the blue cheese dressing and celery sticks.