The Comfort Table: Recipes for Everyday Occasions by Katie Lee

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Food has a nostalgic power. Just like hearing a favorite song, cooking and eating can transport us to a moment in time: Sunday family suppers or brunch with friends, a Fourth of July barbecue or a Chrismukkah feast. Katie Lee grew up in a small West Virginia town where her grandmother's kitchen was not far away, and her warmest memories are of being around the table with loved ones. In The Comfort Table: Recipes for Everyday Occasions, she brings her roots in southern hospitality to the table with year-round menus for occasions big and small.

Whether she's throwing a Super Bowl party for friends or putting a pot roast in the oven for the first snowfall of the year, Katie shares her favorite home-cooked menus for making holiday feasts delicious and ordinary meals special. With more than 100 mouthwatering, easy-to-prepare seasonal recipes, she provides sumptuous soup-to-nuts menus, along with practical tips for effortless entertaining, including suggested wine pairings, playlists, hostess gifts, and general cooking tips.

Welcome autumn with the rustic elegance of a home-baked apple pie. Roast an irresistible turkey rubbed in herb butter for Thanksgiving (and stir up a spicy gumbo with the leftovers). Host a relaxing day for your friends with a healthy vegetarian spread and spa recipes for postprandial pampering. From the decadent — Nutella French toast sandwiches and juicy lamb burgers — to the sublime — creamy curried chicken salad and crispy zucchini chips — Katie serves up a rich assortment of seasonal recipes for the home cook for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

A guide to enjoying great food with good friends around the Comfort Table, KatieLee's simple recipes for cooking and entertaining guarantee the best kind of meals — ones prepared with love that turn every occasion into a celebration.

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My house practically has a revolving door. There are always friends knocking and they are usually hungry. These are items that I always have on standby, because I never know when I might fi nd myself having an everyday occasion.

HERBS

I prefer to use fresh herbs, but dried are good to keep on hand for use in a pinch. I recommend planting a small herb garden either in your yard or in a window box.

SPICES

I have a whole shelf in my pantry devoted to spices. Each is labeled with the date that I opened it, and after six months, I throw it away and buy a new one. The potency diminishes — I like to be sure my spices are very flavorful. Whenever I travel, I pick up spices to re-create the dishes I ate on vacation when I get home.

IN THE FREEZER

Fresh veggies and fruits are best, but I always keep some in my freezer. Frozen vegetables are good to cook a quick soup; frozen fruits are ideal for smoothies or to add to mixed drinks, or to make a sauce for ice cream.

IN THE REFRIGERATOR

Some people say you can tell everything you need to know about a person by their shoes, I say look in their refrigerator. My meals are never the same from day to day, but there are some must-haves that I always keep on hand. I like to have the makings for panini or to be able to throw together a quick cheese plate for drop-in guests. And I always, always have a bottle of Champagne chilled and ready to go!

IN THE PANTRY

A well-stocked pantry is a time saver. Not having to run to the grocery store for every little thing at the last minute makes a big difference when the urge to cook strikes.

IN THE BAR

It's cocktail hour somewhere! And having a versatile bar makes it that much more fun when guests arrive. In addition to spirits and mixers, it's a great idea to keep a drink-mixing guide by the bar in case someone requests a cocktail you're not familiar with.

HORS D 'OEUVRES ON THE FLY

If I'm having friends over for drinks last minute, these are my go-to hors d'oeuvres. They take only minutes to prepare and are always a hit and appropriate for any occasion.

- Wrap store-bought breadsticks in prosciutto.

- Fill endive leaves with hummus and dust with paprika. (Endive leaves make great vessels for other simple, tasty combinations as well, like goat cheese with crushed walnuts and drizzled with honey, or smoked salmon with crème fraîche and chives.)

- Make a variety of crostini by toasting thinly sliced baguettes and topping with goat cheese and roasted red pepper, Gorgonzola and fig jam, ricotta with olive oil and sea salt, or olive tapenade.

- Marinate olives with fresh herbs and red pepper flakes.

- Season nuts with chili powder and toast lightly.

PARTY TIPS

- Make lists, lists, and more lists of everything that needs to be done for the party.

- Clean and set up the party space the day before.

- To save space, move any nonessential furniture out of the party area and into your bedroom.

- Stash old mail, magazines, and any other loose papers in decorative tins or baskets out of eyesight.

- Take some time to tidy up your bathroom. Clear your sink of beauty product clutter, put out fresh soap, clean hand towels, and plenty of toilet paper.

- Short on space? Clear off the shelf of a bookcase and use for bar setup with martini and wine glasses, a couple of drink garnishes, and plenty of cocktail napkins.

- Designated drivers and nondrinkers shouldn't be forced to drink water all night. Offer a nonalcoholic drink such as a fruit spritzer. Just mix fruit juice, club soda, and sliced fruit.

- To break the ice, give an out going friend a tray of hors d'oeuvres to pass around, and put another friend on drink duty.

- When it's time to wrap up the party, turn the lights up and put away the booze.

Copyright ©2009 by Katie Lee