Special Occasion

There’s room in everybody’s schedule for dinner parties. Whether you’re hosting or attending as a guest, you’ll love my hand-picked recipes for special occasions. These recipes are worth making if you’ve got a free afternoon, and some dishes make plenty to feed a hungry crowd. It’s a great idea to create your dinner party around one of these recipes, like the silky pork and shrimp wontons so you can enlist help from your dinner guests to speed up the process.

Spicy Jambalaya with Chicken, Shrimp, and Sausage

~3 mins to readby
Overhead shot of cooked Jambalaya in bowls on black table. Recipe from garlicdelight.com.

Our take on jambalaya combines my favorite parts of the Cajun dish – soulful spices and aromatic holy trinity – with an extra punch using spicy Italian sausage instead of andouille. Why it works We separately brown the meat and vegetables for extra flavor. Alex learned this technique from his parents who learned it from … Read more

Garlic Butternut Squash & Zucchini Gratin

~2 mins to readby
Butternut Zucchini Bacon Brie Gratin

With winter around the corner, this Garlic Butternut Squash & Zucchini Gratin recipe is the ultimate comfort food. It showcases roasted butternut squash and zucchini with creamy brie on top. Why it works Cooking garlic in bacon grease adds a hearty aroma to the gratin. I LOVE the color combination of the bright orange butternut squash and … Read more