This is a dish I know you’ll be making all winter long. The butternut squash is tossed with a simple mixture of sugar, butter, and spices, then roasted until it’s soft and caramelized. It seriously tastes like candy!

The perfect pairing to any turkey!

It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without the star of the show: a perfectly roasted turkey! It’s seasoned with salt, pepper, and sage then perfectly roasted to a golden brown (but still moist and delicious).

Have you noticed everywhere you look there’s pumpkin? Pumpkin muffins, pumpkin lattes–pumpkin spice everything! So, we’re joining the bandwagon and making our version of pumpkin spiced crème brûlée. To me, this is the best of the pumpkin pie–that classic pumpkin spice filling made into a custard and then sprinkled with sugar and toasted to make that hard candy crust. I know it’s crazy, but this desert seems so light and totally decadent at the same time! It’s an absolutely heavenly way to end a beautiful Thanksgiving meal.

A confetti egg is a name I came up with because I thought it sounded a whole lot better than hard-boiled and brined eggs! These are perfectly cooked hard-boiled eggs that we place in beet juice brine so that the whites turn a brilliant shade of pink. Sprinkled with “confetti” vegetables, it’s a festive way to start a party!

Move over hummus–there’s a new dip in town! Roasting the garlic really mellows out its sharp tones, and brings out the sweet and nutty flavors. Pureed with white beans and topped with a medley of nuts, parsley and sun-dried tomatoes, it’s the perfect dip served with crostini’s or basket of crudités.

These crunchy beauties are always the favorite at my parties! We start by making our own curry seasoning blend and add it to sautéed ground beef, then use it to fill wonton wrappers and deep fry them to perfection. Served with a spicy mustard dipping sauce, they are positively addicting–I bet you can’t eat just one!

Who doesn’t love Madeline cookies? They are just the perfect size, and that adorable shell shape makes them so display-friendly! So, why not make them savory? As a nod to my southern heritage, we added corn meal, chives, and pepper jack cheese to the batter, lending a twist to the classic shape. They go perfectly with a cocktail.

Nothing says the 70s like rumaki. Back in the day, they were stuffed with water chestnuts or sautéed chicken liver. To bring it up to date, we used two of my favorite ingredients: cheese and prosciutto! This modern rumaki is stuffed with goat cheese and roasted almonds, then wrapped in prosciutto and baked until golden brown. Salty, sweet, cheesy and crunchy all in one bite–it’s a disco party in your mouth!

These little gems come from the Piedmont region of Italy, and translates to “lady’s kisses.” The Nutella sandwiched between little hazelnut shortbread just melts in your mouth, and is a delicious end to a party. Put a few aside to pair with your morning coffee!

Nothing says a holiday party like a good punch! This one will be your go-to party starter, because it’s not too sugary and pairs beautifully with the menu. If you prefer, you could use champagne, but I use a really good sparkling wine. Slightly sweet and effervescent, the festive bubbles and rich, red pomegranate get you right into the holiday spirit!

Easy to make and adds a wonderful crunch and flavor to your dish!

As the name implies, this your last chance to use those summer beauties! It doesn’t matter if they are ugly or even blemished—just cut them up and blend them into this sublime chilled tomato goodness. Serve alongside a crispy Parmigiano Reggiano cheese crisp (that are so quick and easy to make—and totally addictive).

This sauce of fresh tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, shallots, and garlic with a pinch of vinegar is super colorful and SO flavorful! It’s the perfect topper for this perfectly sautéed chicken, all on a bed of arugula. You’ll love the fresh balance of sweet, savory, bitter, and salty.

Whether you spell it with an “s” or not, this simple, elegant, and versatile dessert with a basic batter that, when cooked, turns into a creamy, dense, flan-like custard. The choices of fruits are as varied as the seasons. Out of the oven, the top is puffy and brown. When served warm, dusted with powdered sugar, it is sure to soften the blow of summer ending.

Perfectly cooked pasta combined with crisp summer beans, sweet cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil. This dish is so colorful, with all the red, white and green, reminds me of a tasty Italian flag. The pasta and vegetables are tossed with some of the starchy cooking liquid from the pasta and Pecorino-Romano cheese that creates a creamy, yet light sauce. I just adore good pasta and this one is a keeper. It perfect for a light lunch or a starter for dinner.

Nothing makes your house smell more fantastic than roasting a chicken. There is something so comfortable and cozy about coming home and smelling that aroma coming from the kitchen. As the weather starts to cool down a bit, I can turn on the oven again without fear of heating up the whole house, and this dish is a perfect way to end summer and can easily be made into the fall months ahead. The chicken is seasoned with fennel seed, which adds a savory subtle anise flavor. The addition of the onions, olives, and wine lends a slight salty sweet pan sauce, making this one of the most flavorful roasted chicken dishes I have prepared. I know you will love it.

Panna Cotta translates from Italian to mean “cooked cream”. It is a molded cold custard that is just sublime. The first time I made it, my young son said, “It tastes like ice cream but doesn’t melt”. And he was right! It is so simple to make and comes together in just a few minutes. The hard part is waiting for it to set, about 5 hours. We are serving it today with some fresh summer fruit that we toss with a little sugar and liquor to bring out more of that great summer flavor. It a simple dish that is so elegant and sure to be a great way to end your summer meal

Ratatouille is a French Provencal Vegetable dish that is usually made in the summer with onions, eggplant, peppers, zucchini, and herbs. It’s a great way to use that abundance of veggies you may have in your garden, or that you bought at the farmer’s market. It takes a little while for it to cook, but you will be so rewarded! It’s a dish that is good the day it is made but only improves with time, giving all the flavors have a chance to mellow. It is so versatile because of the many ways you can serve it. It’s the perfect side dish served warm alongside grilled meats and fish. Or, you can serve it cold as a salad or add it to a sandwich. You can top a crostini with it and you have a quick appetizer. I love it so much that I double the recipe! I put some in my freezer for later in the season and have a container of it in my fridge all summer long.