Every great summer party starts with a list. Throwing something together chaotically ends up being more work than taking 15 minutes to make a plan first.

Katie Lee

Categorized in : Great Work Together Party

When I look back on my childhood, my fondest memories are those surrounding the dinner table.

look dinner childhood memories

If summer had one defining scent, it'd definitely be the smell of barbecue.

barbecue scent smell summer

I love comfort food - it's the basis of everything.

everything comfort food love

My dining and entertainment philosophy - I can boil it down to 'the three C's - I like my food like my fashion: casual, classic, and with a touch of couture.

down fashion i-can food

Betrayal is one of my biggest fears. Betrayal happens on many different levels all the time, and there is no worse feeling than realizing someone you thought you could trust has gone against you.

feeling you trust time

I love to have a dinner party. I love to have people over. I like the feeling it creates in my home - having guests laughing and telling their stories - and I put a lot of thought into it. I plan my menu kind of depending on whatever mood I'm in.

dinner home love people

There's something so intimate about a picnic with your guy.

picnic your something guy

I think it's fun to serve comfort food because it's an instant ice-breaker. If somebody's expecting fancy food, and you whip out some fried chicken, they feel like, you know, they can put their elbows on the table, and the etiquette police aren't going to come out.

feel you police food

The grill is the summer equivalent of a fireplace; everyone gravitates to it.

fireplace grill everyone summer

The kitchen is definitely the room that gets used the most in my house.

room kitchen used house

I'm all or nothing. I'm either having fresh vegetables, or I'm eating fried fish.

fish nothing vegetables eating

For breakfast, a grain bowl is healthy but hearty.

bowl healthy grain breakfast

The rich, hearty flavor of portobello mushroom caps are a dynamite alternative to the traditional burger.

mushroom burger flavor rich

I pretty much grew up with my grandma. She would pull a stool over to the kitchen, and I would climb up at the kitchen counter, and I'd help her make biscuits.

climb she help kitchen

I love cooking except for an annoying step - cleaning up.

step cleaning cooking love

My number one elixir for anxiety? Comfort food.

comfort-food anxiety comfort food

I once had a 'best friend' share private stories that I had told her in confidence to another mutual friend. I think the worst part, aside from the actual betrayal of trust, is that this experience affected my future relationships, as I was hesitant to be as open with my other friends.

best confidence future trust

I love spicy food, so I'm not sure why I have this aversion to wasabi, but I really detest it.

why spicy food love

I do shop on eBay. I love to buy china on eBay. I've bought quite a few sets of plates. I like to buy gifts as well. If I know somebody has a favorite writer, I look for a first edition. It's also a great place to buy vintage jewelry.

great look vintage love

Spritzers are festive yet economical. By adding seltzer and juice, you stretch the number of people a bottle of wine serves.

you juice wine people