Food & Recipes

As I was jamming to Bill Withers and Stevie Wonder on the piano, matching my burger formation and plating patterns to the rhythm of the music, I realized just how much music plays a roll in a kitchen – especially my kitchen. From the second I turn the light on in the kitchen to the minute the last dessert is served, I have a master play list that gets me through the meal.

There are tons of factors to consider when throwing your own bash: who to invite, what to wear, how long will it take to clean your house, and most importantly the menu. Luckily I'm the food department of Cooking with Caitlin and this is something I'm always thinking about. Here are a few party menu planning tips to take into consideration the next time you find yourself creating a menu.

Here are my final notes on preparing our Third Thursday event a couple days ago.

As much as I love writing and talking about food all day long, there is nothing better than the instant gratification attached to feeding people and getting their reaction. In our three years of business, we haven't ever prepared the same menu twice, so the new recipes we post are meals we ourselves have served to real people.

During this trip, we had the good fortune to stay amongst Italian families....we did get to attend a several Italian dinner parties and there were a few lessons learned when it comes to easy entertaining.

Have you ever had to feed 70 people without running water? Or what about having to prepare a meal for 50 with only a butter knife - and a plastic butter knife at that? We have.

It seems that Memorial Day was just yesterday and now we find ourselves smack dab in the middle of the summer. Wow how time flies. As the Fourth of July holiday weekend looms, I (Molly) find myself trying to plan out the food menu for the weekend’s festivities. And, like always I run through the mental Rolodex of Caitlin’s creations mixing and matching what fits the occasion.