Parties

Pimento Cheese recipe that’s classic and simple with just grated Cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, pimentos, and cayenne pepper. It’s easy to make and great as either a dip or for sandwiches! Homemade pimento cheese is one of those classic Southern dishes that many of us remember from childhood as something we never gave much thought to. …

These Chocolate Caramel Shortbread Bars are decadent and delicious! They are covered in a rich nutella ganache and topped with a brown sugar streusel then a generous drizzle of salted caramel sauce. These shortbread bars will have your guests coming back for seconds and thirds! You’re going to love how easy this recipe for Chocolate …

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie that with a creamy, rich filling poured over a chocolatey crust and covered with a chocolate glaze—this is the perfect dessert if you’re a chocolate and peanut butter lover! Chocolate and peanut butter together are two of my great loves—I’m old enough to remember the old commercials where a Hershey’s chocolate …

Pizza Pasta Salad with pepperoni, peppers, tomatoes, and mozzarella balls is super easy–and perfect for tailgates. Minimal chopping is required and you can mix and match ingredients. If we’re tailgating then you can bet I’m bringing along this Pizza Pasta Salad. It’s one of the simplest recipes I have, yet everyone devours it! Teenagers especially …

Red, white, and blue cake is the perfect 4th of July cake! Everything goes in one bowl and this patriotic cake is one layer so it’s super easy! I love making my easy One Layer Cake because it’s just right for smaller occasions when you don’t have time or don’t want the trouble of multiple …

Prosciutto wrapped asparagus crispy from the grill and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese is one of our favorite and easiest appetizers! The plate is empty almost before it hits the table.  I admit it, we have a thing for prosciutto: Prosciutto with Pears, Arugula, and Goat Cheese; Prosciutto, Arugula, and Cheese; Fig Jam, Caramelized Onion, and Prosciutto …

The best chocolate buttercream frosting with a rich chocolate flavor that’s ready in 10 minutes! You’ll want to eat this frosting on everything! Homemade chocolate buttercream frosting is made with cocoa and melted bittersweet chocolate, giving it a deep chocolate flavor.  The butter and half and half ensure that it’s luscious, rich, and creamy. That’s …

Peach Chutney with fresh ginger and lime juice is the perfect topping for your grilled meats or your holiday ham! Fruit chutneys are excellent for adding that extra touch of flavor to meat, poultry, or fish. And almost any fruit can be made into a chutney, which is basically a relish. Around the holidays, I …

Bruschetta with fresh basil and other herbs, garlic, and balsamic vinegar–makes a great snack or appetizer and keeps for days! If I’m traveling for a party or potluck event, I like to take foods that pack well and can work for easy appetizers or a quick meal. My go-to recipes are pimento cheese, pound cake, …

Easy Feta Dip that you can make in less than 10 minutes! Bring the flavor of the Greek islands to your next party with this simple smooth and creamy dip! I first had feta dip at a Greek restaurant in Franklin, Tennessee, and my girlfriends and I loved it! Then when my husband and I …

Caramelized bacon is crispy, candied bacon made with a pecan, brown sugar, and maple syrup paste—it’s the first thing to go at gatherings! The title says it all, doesn’t it? This was the first recipe I saw when I bought Ina Garten’s cookbook, Foolproof, and let me tell you, people love this bacon. It is …

Cherry Cream Cheese Pie is a delightfully easy no-bake pie that is perfect year round for any occasion. Kids and adults love it! This is a great make-ahead recipe that will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of days before you need it.  You probably remember this cherry cheese pie from church potlucks because …

These cucumber tea sandwiches are simple to make and will lend an old-fashioned elegance to your next party! Made with cream cheese and thin white bread, cucumber sandwiches are always a crowd pleaser. There’s something about cucumber tea sandwiches with cream cheese that’s reminiscent of Great Gatsby days, of times when elegance reigned and things were …

This colorful Pesto Pasta Salad features a zippy lemon basil pesto salad dressing, along with bowtie pasta, sundried tomatoes, asparagus, artichoke hearts, and more lemon zest…it’s overflowing with flavor and color and pizazz! Lemon Basil Pesto Pasta Salad…you know you can’t resist a pasta salad with a name like that. It’s superb and has a …

Vidalia Onion Dip is a simple, creamy, sweet onion dip that mixes up in minutes, bakes for half an hour, and is devoured in seconds! We first tried this sweet onion dip years ago at a work reception that was held at the home of a lovely older couple, Mr. and Mrs. Chancy, in Florida. …

Cheeseburger Soup is everything you love in a burger—bacon, beef, cheese, onions, tomatoes, all in a creamy, luscious, EASY soup! I don’t know about you, but I adore soups in the winter. I think I could eat soup for lunch and supper every day. But sometimes, you just want a burger, right? A thick, juicy …

These Baked Chicken Wings with Honey Garlic Sriracha Sauce are spicy-sweet, sticky, and DELICIOUS! These wings are my family’s favorite and we always have them on the table for game day! You know you have a winner when your husband cleans his plate, licks his fingers, and proclaims whatever you’ve cooked to be, “The best …

Chicken Vegetable Soup is filled with shredded chicken, butterbeans, corn, tomatoes, okra and onion—all frozen which means no chopping! Healthy, quick, and easy! This chicken vegetable soup is our new go-to for the winter. Well, in addition to Homemade Tomato Soup and White Chicken Chili. And easy Classic Chili. And my favorite Navy Bean and …

Lasagna without Ricotta is made with an Asiago cheese sauce instead of ricotta cheese. This lasagna is full of robust Italian flavor and will leave your guests asking for leftovers!  Note — this post is full of tips and suggestions to help you make the best lasagna ever. I suggest you read through everything before …

Southern Deviled Eggs are creamy with a touch of sweetness from pickle relish and a sprinkle of paprika on top. Very simple and tasty! A Southern gathering isn’t complete without a plate of deviled eggs…and that plate is always a deviled egg plate. Every good Southern hostess should have one, usually passed down from her …

Cream Cheese Pound Cake is sweet, buttery, moist, and delicious—the perfect pound cake! It’s an easy go-to cake for any occasion and it’s my family’s favorite cake! Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe Remember those cookbooks that churches or various ladies’ groups put together? Not even a hard cover book, just pages held together with a …

Navy Bean and Ham Soup made easy with canned beans, ham hocks, carrots, celery, dried rosemary and thyme, and a little bacon for flavor. This is the best Navy Bean Soup! It’s so easy to get caught in a soup rut, like a chicken rut, where you serve the same old same old recipes week …

Southern caramel cake with homemade caramel icing from butter, sugar, and milk. This one tastes just like Grandma’s! A classic favorite, Southern Caramel Cake is just a regular yellow cake frosted with a sweet caramel cake icing. Some folks like to drizzle the caramel icing in between the layers and just let it drip from …

Chili without Beans is full of beef, peppers, tomatoes, and spices—it’s so flavorful and just right for game day or a family night at home! This make-ahead and freezer friendly chili recipe with no beans is great for parties and to store in the freezer for busy weeknights.  **Cook’s Tip: I usually make this chili for …