At Home with Michael Chiarello Easy Entertaining Recipes Ideas Inspiration

Celebrated television, cookbook, and restaurant chef Michael Chiarello is a master of simple, casually elegant cookingand a fabulous host. In this cookbookpacked with great recipes, gorgeous photographs, and inspiring entertaining ideashe shares his secrets for celebrating in style (and having fun doing it too!). Whether hosting four around the kitchen counter or a hundred for a cocktail party, readers will find everything from appetizers and main courses to desserts and drinks (over 130 recipes in all), time-saving tips, an all-important section on stocking the pantry (great for impromptu gatherings!), whimsical menus, and creative settings and table arrangements. A holiday cocktail party throws together quickly with bowls of crunchy Fusilli Snack Mix and Crispy Sausage-Stuffed Olives, all washed down with citrusy margaritas. Roll out the red carpet for an at-home movie night featuring Pop Culture Popcorn, Giant Bean Cassoulet with Fennel-Spiced Chicken, and Chocolate Mousse Cannolis along with the latest video release. Even a sit-down dinner can be a relaxing affair with Forever Roasted Lamb with Herbes de Provence, Lemon-Oil Smashed Potatoes, Garlicky Vegetables Primavera, and, for dessert, Molton Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes. Uber-casual Chiarello inspires calm and confidence in even the most jangle-nerved hosts, inviting everyone to think like an entertainerand relax like a guest.

"Chiarello's latest offers a plethora of recipes and tips that will be familiar to fans of the author's Food Network show on home entertaining and will appeal to anyone eager for fresh ideas about cooking for guests. Many dishes are well-known but have been tweaked, like the surprising Grilled Avocado and Tomato Salad, or the classic Italian melon and prosciutto appetizer that's become a creamy chilled soup served in cantaloupe shells. The book begins with a listing of flavorful pantry staples and proceeds through a wealth of items for every part of the menu, including creative drinks like Tomato Water Martini. Chiarello's tips on technique will help most cooks prepare even the difficult recipes with less frenzy; Party Method Fontina Risotto, for example, is done in two steps, but has the same delicious consistency as a risotto made in the old-fashioned (read: long) way. Each dish also has helpful notes on accompanying wines, presentation suggestions, etc., and a section at the end provides even more advice on entertaining. The inviting photos should seal the deal for anyone who doesn't already know Chiarello's warm California style from TV; this beautiful book is sure to make even cooks who are apprehensive about hosting a party keen to try." -Publishers Weekly

""Think like an entertainer and relax like a guest" is the mantra of chef Chiarello, host of Food Network's Easy Entertaining, as he shares his " ber-casual" and ber-effective secrets for hosting a great dinner party. Recipes are as inventive as the pantry-stocking and time-saving tips, creative settings and innovative menus. Serve Crispy Sausage-Stuffed Olives for a cocktail party, Lasagna of Roasted Butternut Squash for an entr e and Chocolate Panini for an unexpected dessert. -USA Today

Michael Chiarello is the host of NapaStyle on the Fine Living Network and Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello on the Food Network. Founder of the acclaimed TraVigne restaurant in St. Helena, California, he was named Chef of the Year by the Culinary Institute of America and Food and Wine magazine. His previous books include Michael Chiarello's Casual Cooking, among others. He lives in the Napa Valley.

Photographer Karl Petzke lives and works in San Francisco and Napa, California. His work has appeared in numerous books, including Espresso.