Happy Holidays from the Diva of Do-Ahead
A Year of Feasts to Celebrate with Family and Friends
Holidays often conjure up warm and nostalgic memories, but they can also provoke a bit of anxiety, especially for those faced with cooking that big Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. In Happy Holidays from the Diva of Do-Ahead, the Diva herself, Diane Phillips, provides 125 foolproof recipes and a no-fail game plan to eliminate the stress and make it easy to prepare meals for 12 holiday celebrations: New Year’s, Valentine’s Day, Passover, Easter, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, Father’s Day, Fourth of July, Rosh Hashanah, and Halloween, with expanded menus and extra help for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Whether it’s Tuna Niçoise Sandwiches for a backyard bash on Memorial Day or Smoked Salmon Spread for an elegant Passover Seder, each holiday features one or more make-ahead menus, plus tips on table settings, decorations, guest lists, estimating beverage amounts, and more. With a tone that is reassuring and confidence boosting, Diane serves as a holiday meal cheerleader, explaining how to get organized in advance and how to create a fabulous meal every step of the way. Her do-ahead premise and stress-free promise enable anyone to enjoy the holidays with family and guests, rather than spending it in the kitchen cooking while everyone else is at the table.
With a user-friendly design and a 16-page color photo insert, Happy Holidays from the Diva of Do-Ahead will appeal to home cooks just beginning their holiday meal traditions, those still developing their holiday cooking repertoire, and those seeking new ideas for putting together a special occasion spread. This invaluable book is full of practical advice for both novice cooks and seasoned entertainers looking for a better way to cook for the holidays.
Praise
“Happy Holidays from the Diva of Do-Ahead is just the book you need for all your holiday entertaining. Jam-packed with tips and ideas on preparing your menus in advance, Diane Phillips’s fabulous book outlines a foolproof plan for all your holiday entertaining that allows you to enjoy the holiday, not stress over it.”
— Colin Cowie, lifestyle and entertaining expert and author ofDinner After Dark and Effortless Elegance with Colin Cowie
“Another winner from the Diva of Do-Ahead, a.k.a. cookbook author extraordinaire Diane Philips! This spectacular holiday gift to her multitude of devoted readers is a treasure chest of scrumptious, stress-free recipes that allow even the most anxious host and hostess to enjoy the celebrations with the rest of the crowd. From New Year’s to Christmas and every holiday in between, Diane is there to show you the easy way to create memorable meals. Enjoy yourself—and don’t forget to send her a thank-you card.”
—Lora Brody, author Chocolate American Style and The New England Table
“Not only is Diane the Diva of Do-Ahead, she is the Mistress of the Magnificent Menu. Every recipe sings out and begs to be cooked. They’re so wonderful that I will be using them for my everyday cooking and weekend entertaining, too.”
—Rick Rodgers, cooking teacher and author of Fondue andKaffeehaus
“In Happy Holidays from the Diva of Do-Ahead, Diane Phillips proves that it is, in fact, possible to have your party and enjoy it, too.”
—Pam Anderson, food columnist forUSA Weekend and author of Perfect Recipes for Having People Over