Patricia Heaton's Food for Family and Friends

Book excerpt: “Accessible and comforting . . . Heaton’s uncomplicated fare is an homage to her childhood memories.” —Publishers Weekly A busy working mother raising four boys, Patricia Heaton couldn’t be more comfortable playing “America’s mom” on hit television shows such as Everybody Loves Raymond and The Middle. Though she may be a Hollywood star today, this down to earth, practical Midwesterner has never forgotten her roots. As one of five children growing up in the suburbs of Cleveland in the 1960s, Patricia was raised on home-cooked, rib-filling basics: meatloaf, spaghetti and meatballs, chicken, pork chops, burgers, fish sticks, and pot roast. Yet her mother didn’t let a tight budget stop her from dreaming big, inspired by Julia Child. On her Food Network show Patricia Heaton Parties, Patricia celebrates her culinary beginnings, transforming familiar American fare into delicious, sophisticated, lightened versions for entertaining family and friends. In this fabulous cookbook, Patricia shares her budget-friendly, simple, and deeply satisfying recipes, inspired by the dishes she loved growing up, the favorites she feeds her hungry boys, and the scrumptious showstoppers she serves at casual parties and get-togethers. Patricia Heaton’s Food for Family and Friends features 100 recipes for appetizers, sides, and main dishes, as well as cocktails and “guest goodies”—little treats to send home with your guests. Patricia provides readers with the tools for everything to make it easy to pull it all together. Best of all, she spices it up with hilarious stories, family photos, and anecdotes from her Hollywood career. “Heaton provides a chatty, down-to-earth compendium that will inspire almost anyone to brave the kitchen.” —Booklist