A few weeks ago, one of my favorite customers approached me about catering a birthday dinner for his wife that would feature foods from New Zealand. I, of course, hopped on the idea and suggested that we serve the meal tapas-style. The rest is history. We had a great night and the yummy small plates were well-received!

You don't have to live in the South to practice the tradition of Southern hospitality! It's true that much of the South has grown and changed but a warm welcome is a Southern tradition that remains. Intimate dinner parties are a gracious way to entertain. We don't really need an excuse to celebrate, do we? Celebrate Everything!  The recipes this week are from my award-winning cookbook Celebrate Everything! with Photography by Paul Nurnberg.

Charlie Brown's pal, Linus van Pelt, was right! There's something incredible about pumpkins in the fall. Luckily, you don't have to stay up all night in the pumpkin patch to find a great pumpkin recipe.