I Used To Watch My Grandmother Make

Doing Makeup Was A Way To Create Characters, Only I Got Tired Of Doing It For Other People.

I'd Love To Give My Girls A Traditional Thanksgiving With Turkey And All That Jazz, But We've Raised Them To Love Tuscan Food So Much That They Don't Care For It. My Favorite Is A Nice Polenta With Beef Stew And Broccoli Rabe On The Side.

I Used To Watch My Grandmother Make Fancy, Julia Child-style Beef Bourguignon. And Growing Up In New York City, I Was Exposed To Many Cultures. I Experimented With Puerto Rican And Jamaican Food.

When Entertaining, It's Great To Wow Your Guests With An Outstanding Recipe, But It's Also Very Important To Design A Menu That's Not Too Demanding Of Yourself, Otherwise Everybody Will Have Fun But You. A Great Appetizer Or Simpler Dish Is A Good Way To Work A Menu That's Delicious But Does Not Impose Too Much Effort Or Time Spent In The Kitchen.

Thanksgiving Was Always A Favorite Holiday For Me. The Preparation Was Fun! My Grandma And I Would Walk To The Butcher On Jamaica Avenue In Queens, Order The Bird, And Buy All The Fixings At The Market.