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Holiday Entertaining

© Connie Krochmal

Parties are an important part of the holiday season. Holiday entertaining is a great opportunity to express your creativity through cooking and party planning.

Busy people need quick and easy ideas. For open houses, roll-ups and wraps are perfect. They can usually be prepared ahead of time, and refrigerated until needed. The best book around on the subject is "Wraps and Roll-Ups" by Dona Z. Meilach. This is part of the Nitty Gritty Cookbook Series from Bristol Publishing Enterprises. By using different wrappers, fillings, and sauces, you can create scores of tasty party treats. For deserts, try the chocolate-banana roll-ups.

Enjoy treats without all the fat with "Busy People's Down-Home Cooking Without the Down-Home Fat" by Dawn Hall. This hardcover has a concealed spiral binding. It is part of the Busy People's series from Rutledge Hill Press, a division of Thomas Nelson. All of the recipes can be prepared in around 30 minutes with seven ingredients or less. What more could you ask from a cookbook? The author even includes a chapter on breakfast.

From 3D Press comes the superb "Virginia Bed and Breakfast Cookbook" by Melissa Craven. This hardcover with a hidden spiral binding features delightful time-saving, easy recipes and details for over 75 distinctive B & B's in the state. A Virginia map shows their locations. As you might expect, many of the dishes are suitable for breakfast, but there are chapters for entrees, appetizers, and much more. It is beautifully illustrated with line drawings.

For a taste of the South, check out "Beyond Grits and Gravy-the South's All-Time Favorite Recipes" by Gwen McKee and Barbara Moseley, authors and editors of 65 cookbooks. This appears as part of the Best of the Best Series from Quail Ridge Press. For this volume, the authors selected 400 classic Southern dishes, including everything from gumbos and stews to preserves. Along with the recipes, the authors serve up their favorite food memories, cooking tips, and photos.

People have a craving for comfort food, and that's why diners were so popular in their heyday before they were killed off by fast food places. Bring back memories of the past by serving comfort food like that served in diners. "Retro Diner Comfort Food From the American Roadside" by Linda Everett makes a memorable contribution. This is part of the Collectors Press Retro Cookbook Series. Readers will enjoy the wonderful nostalgic photos and cherish the authentic recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinners.

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