Author: Debbi Covington

 It’s December 11th (the day before my 50th birthday, no less) and I just realized that I haven’t written our Christmas cards yet. What happened to the summer? The past few months have been a whirlwind. I’ve been swamped with catering jobs, cookbook signings, deadlines and paperwork. I guess time flies when you’re having fun! Our home is actually decorated and we’ve been doing a bit of holiday entertaining.

Your December wedding day was perfect! The ceremony was romantic. The flowers were gorgeous. The reception was wonderful. The food was amazing. The band was fabulous. The cake was delicious. The weather was beautiful. It all just went by too fast! With all of the effort that goes into planning a wedding, why should it end with the toss of a bouquet and a quick getaway?

Throughout history, every society has celebrated the end of the harvest. Many have set aside a day of thanks. In 1941, Thanksgiving Day became a national holiday celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November. It’s the one day of the year that we Americans can consume an abundance of food without a second thought about calories! The recipes this week are all Thanksgiving side dishes. Team a couple (or all) of them with a roasted turkey for a modern twist on a traditional Thanksgiving menu. All you’ll need to add is a pumpkin pie topped with sweetened whipped cream for a grand finale. Happy Thanksgiving!

Nothing in the world smells quite like sourdough bread does when it’s baking. My mother was the Queen of Sourdough Bread in my hometown of Wilson, North Carolina. It was her ministry. If someone was sick, she sent them a loaf of her freshly baked bread. If someone had a birthday, she sent them a loaf of her bread. Baptist ministers have preached sermons about her bread. Her bread has even been used for Communion.

October is a fine time to be in Beaufort, SC! Cooler temperatures invite Beaufortonians out of doors to CELEBRATE EVERYTHING! And, Halloween is a great time to host a Spooky Soiree.

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. Five fantastic ones are right here!

As it turns out, my nephew has also inherited Mama’s “love of cooking” gene! We recently spent an afternoon together baking cookies in my kitchen. Ray wanted to bake sugar cookies. I wanted chocolate chip. We compromised and baked them both!

My husband, Vince, and I have just returned from a much-needed vacation to the mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina. We both have salt water in our veins and love the ocean. Still, it’s always great to admire the breathtaking majesty of the mountains. The cooler temperatures were pretty wonderful, too! Always on a quest for new recipes and catering ideas, I found myself surrounded by trees loaded with apples and couldn’t resist the temptation to test some inspirations.

Seafood is a favorite choice for a small and casual party. All three of the recipes in this issue are delicious and easy to prepare and two of them can be made the day before serving. It’s easy to be a hostess! This is how we do it in the south.

Cooler morning temperatures over the past few days have inspired me to dine al fresco! This week’s recipes are perfect for a weekend breakfast on the porch.