It wouldn’t be the 4th of July without the most perfect recipes for an epic party. 

From start to finish, I have a fantastic menu ready for you! This menu is seasonal, colorful, and drop dead delicious! I love serving beautiful food, but more importantly, I love spending time with friends. Plan a menu that kills it in the taste department but still allows you to enjoy your guests. Many of these recipes can be prepared in advance or require very little action just before serving.

Welcome your guests with a special drink like Strawberry-Lemonade (no one will complain if you add a little something to make it an adult beverage) and have a side like guacamole and chips ready to go! Between the delicious Corn Soufflé, the gorgeous BBQ Chicken Sandwiches, and the blow your mind desserts, I have you covered!

Let’s get this party started!

Enjoy!

-xo

Guacamole and Chips

Strawberry Lemonade 

BBQ Chicken Sandwich 

Ina Garten’s Tuscan Lemon Chicken 

Corn Soufflé

Tomato BurrataTartine

S’mores Dip

Country Cake with Berries

Red Velvet Cupcakes

 

If this is your menu for Memorial Day, please invite me!

Everything is drop dead delicious and total crowd pleasers. Your guests will go crazy for everything from the guacamole and chips to the platter of corn soufflé. It’s the kind of make ahead menu that allows you to spend less time in the kitchen and more time with your guests!

Oh, and the desserts? The Country Cake with Whipped Cream and Berries is perfectly sweet without going overboard and the colors are totally on point for the holiday. Blow everyone away with my Cookie Dough (yes, real cookie dough) Ice Cream Sandwiches! And if you decide to splash a little something into the Strawberry Lemonade to make it an adult beverage, that’s just more fun for everyone!

I can’t wait to see your pictures! Tag me on Instagram and Facebook @everykitchentellsastory.

Happy Memorial Day!

Enjoy!

-xo

Guacamole

Strawberry Lemonade

Wedge Salad with Creamy Herb Dressing 

Corn Soufflé

BBQ Chicken Sandwich

Turkey Burgers

Asian Marinated Steak

Cookie Dough Ice Cream Sandwich 

Country Cake with Berries

 

 

This is pretty much the Easter brunch of my dreams! Can you imagine walking a buffet table filled with a gorgeous Glazed Ham, Frittatas, the perfect Potato Stacks with just the right amount of parmesan and thyme, Roasted Asparagus, and a savory bread pudding loaded with sausage and cheddar? Where do we even start?

I love the idea of adding a special drink to the menu. My kids have this luscious and sweet Banana Strawberry Smoothie on replay these days and it’s the perfect Easter Sunday smoothie. I would make a big pitcher for a serve-your-self situation or fill a platter with little mini glasses with cute straws filled with this colorful smoothie. Either way, it makes the buffet pop with a vibrant burst of pink color!

I am finishing out this special brunch with a few of my go-to hits for sweet treats. Check out my Chocolate Dipped Oreos dotted with pastel sprinkles, Monkey Bread Muffins in tulip paper cups, and Mini Cheesecakes with Graham Cracker Crusts served in mini mason jars. You can swap out the Oreos for sweet berries or even colorful edible flowers! So cute and festive!

When I create a brunch spread, I always add in a big green salad and a beautiful platter of fresh seasonal fruit. It rounds out the meal perfectly and is a nice crutch for those of us who believe too much food is just enough! Check out my picks to make your Easter Brunch a delicious and special day for everyone!

Enjoy!

-xo

Glazed Easter Ham by Ree Drummond here.

Individual Frittatas here.

Roasted Asparagus by Ina Garten here.

Parmesan Cheese and Herb Potato Stacks by Williams Sonoma here.

Savory Sausage and Cheddar Bread Pudding by Once Upon A Chef here.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie here.

Monkey Bread Muffins here.

Individual Cheesecakes here.

Chocolate Dipped Oreos here.

 

I love Passover because it centers around my two favorite things: family and food! Passover doesn’t have to be stressful as long as you are organized and smart about your menu. Write your menu, make a grocery list, and start your countdown to Passover timeline.

The menu I am sharing is full of delicious options. I chose dishes that are not only delectable and make a beautiful meal, but are EASY! I’m a big believer that turning out an amazing meal doesn’t have to be difficult.

Here are a few wonderful ideas to make your Passover a magical night filled with incredible food!

Enjoy and Happy Passover!

-xo

PASSOVER MENU

Matzo Ball Soup

Brisket with Potatoes & Carrots

Roast Chicken 

Crispy Smashed Potatoes

Roasted Asparagus

Roasted Broccoli

Roasted Cauliflower

Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons 

Matzo Toffee

Find all of the amazing recipes below!

Matzo Ball Soup from Bon Appetite here.

 

My Brisket recipe here.

 

Perfect Roast Chicken recipe here.

 

Crispy Smashed Potatoes from Joy of Kosher here. 

 

Roasted Broccoli recipe here.

 

 Roasted Asparagus by Ina Garten here.

 

Roasted Cauliflower recipe here.

 

Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons from Once Upon A Chef here.

 

Matzo Toffee from Once Upon A Chef here.

If Christmas had a taste, this cookie would be it! It’s loaded with flavors like molasses, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.The flavors alone make for a wonderful cookie but take this treat to another level by adding the world’s most perfect glaze. Make room on your holiday cookie list because this cookie will soon be a seasonal staple in your house.

The recipe is sort of a combination of one I made in culinary school and my best friend’s family recipe. This cookie soon became a family favorite and is pretty much my favorite cookie of all time. It has a chewy texture and delivers the perfect balance of spice and sweetness. The thing about this cookie is that it totally sneaks up on you. It’s so delicious by the time you are two bites into your first cookie, you already know you need another! Seriously addictive.

Make batches and batches of this cookie this holiday season! It’s the perfect treat with a cup of tea or coffee. It also makes for a wonderful cookie plate for friends. You will have a hard time parting with this molasses gem but your friends and family will LOVE it! I assemble holiday cookie plates with different treats and then wrap them up in cellophane with a festive bow. Who wouldn’t want to receive such a delicious gift?

 

 

 

Enjoy!

 

If you’ve been tasked with bringing a healthy holiday snack to your child’s classroom celebration, I’ve got you covered! Teachers want healthier snack options for kids at school. This request even extends to classroom parties. If you don’t want to be the Sugar Grinch, I’ve got some great ideas that will respect your teacher’s request and satisfy the kids’ expectations.

Check out these clever snack ideas that aren’t a total buzzkill for the kids. These ideas are so cute that the kids won’t miss the cupcakes and cookies!

Here are my top 10 Best Healthy Holiday Treats for Kids:

String Cheese Snowmen from No Biggie.

 

Egg Snowmen from Roxy’s Kitchen.

 

Fruit and Cheese Plater from Kevin and Amanda.

 

Santa Belt Cheese Treats from Cute Food For Kids.

 

Reindeer Sandwich from A Spotted Pony.

 

Reindeer Water Bottle from Selections by Sisters.

 

Applesauce Rudolph’s from Melrose Family.

 

Reindeer Tangerine from Mommy Testers.

 

Cucumber Christmas Tree Sandwiches from Tea Time Magazine.

 

Reindeer Snack Bags from Eats Amazing.