• Food for Large Groups,  Hosting,  Recipes,  Videos

    How to Make Fettunta (Italian Garlic Bread)

    Fettunta is of my favorite things to serve as a part of heavy appetizer or to go alongside a yummy stew during the wintertime. If you haven’t heard of fettunta, it is Italian version of garlic bread. It’s full of flavor, and you toast it until it’s crisp around the edges but still soft in the center. You will need: Bread Olive oil Garlic Baking sheet *The bread you see in the video is a bit of a unique color because I used kalamata olive ciabatta. 1. Slice garlic bread into 3/4 inch slices and place on baking sheet. 2. Drizzle or brush with olive oil. 3. Cook on broil…

  • Hosting

    RSVP: The Forgotten Common Courtesy

    RSVP comes from the French phrase, “répondez, s’il vous plaît,” which means “please reply.” When it comes to event planning, the host would like the guests to reply and tell them whether or not they will attend. In this day and age, with the exception of weddings, most people don’t see the value of a timely reply. Not only does it help the host prepare the party space and amount of food, replying is really common courtesy. Other times, people reply with a “yes” and do not write the event onto a calendar. At the very last moment, there happens to be a scheduling conflict, and someone loses out. I…

  • Food for Large Groups,  Hosting,  Recipes

    Housewarming Party Menu Items

    Lots of people are moving or have recently moved, so I find that the most common questions I get center around preparation for a housewarming a party. I recently made a video on tips for hosting a dinner party, or you can watch How to Have a Housewarming Party on  a Budget. I’ve put together a list of easy, delicious and healthy housewarming foods that your guests are sure to love! Mix and match 4 to 6 items from this list and you’re off to a great start! Simply click on the photo to link to the recipe.  Mint Berry Sparklers    Fresh Mex Salad    Quinoa & seafood Greek…

  • Hosting

    10 Tips for Hosting a Dinner Party

    Here are my top 10 tips for hosting a dinner party. The things on this list have helped me over the years and I hope they can help you too! These things can be stressful, but they don’t have to be.  1. Sleep. The night before your event you will need plenty of rest. It will be tempting to stay up late working on tasks, but don’t do it! Go to bed early so you can wake up early and refreshed! What I do is set a bed time alarm and I stick to it. It is hard enough falling asleep with so much on my mind. No need to…

  • Health,  Hosting,  Recipes

    The Divine Hostess: A Guide to Cooking, Hosting, & Healthy Living

    After a lot of hard work, I am happy to announce the arrival of my first book! Thank you everyone for your encouragement and sharing in my excitement on this journey. The book embodies my philosophy of eating well and living well. It’s not simply a cookbook-but it is instead a cooking handbook that assists with understanding herbs and spices, cooking techniques, and simple ways to entertain in groups.This book is great to have on hand when cooking and makes a fantastic gift. I hope you enjoy reading it! With love, Fifi How to Get the Book The book is now available in my eStore at www.divinehostess.bigcartel.com *Signed copies available. …

  • Hosting

    A Divine Brunch

    More than eating out, going to movies, or hitting a nightclub….I love events that take place at home. Think about it: no lines, no entrance fees, no one saying, “last call”, and most importantly, the perfect volume to have a conversation. What could be better? There are so many advantages to at-home events. These days, it seems to be like pulling teeth when it comes to getting someone to RSVP for an event– even if that person is your roommate! I do not know what it is. There are other mediums to invite people and to get a feel for whether or not you need to plan for their attendance.…