A beautiful full-color collection of 100 tasty simple recipes for unforgettable meals and gatherings from the enormously popular star of the ABC sitcom The Middle and Food Network s Patricia Heaton Parties. 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 likes to have fun entertaining her loved ones and has never forgotten her roots. Growing up in the suburbs of Cleveland in the 1960s Patricia s hard-working parents--like the characters she plays on TV--didn t have a lot of extra money. With five kids to raise extras like movies and restaurant meals were special treats. Home cooked dinners were 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. Some will be on the healthier side and all will be inspired by the dishes she loved growing up the favorites she s relied on to feed her hungry boys and the scrumptious showstoppers she serves at her fun-filled 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 including: Pot Roast and Roasted Root Vegetable Hash with Poached Eggs Bite-Size Crab Cakes with Lemon Aioli Quick Bread & Butter Pickles Spaghetti Bolognese Shortcut Paella Winter Corn Chowder with Oyster Crackers Falafel Patties and Tahini Maple Dipping Sauce No-Churn Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream Bourbon Pecan Glazed Pound Cake Apple and Cheese Danish Maple Bourbon Old Fashioned Patty s Party Punch Cucumber Mint Mocktail Blueberry Shortbread Cookies Infused Sea Salts DIY Cracker Jack Peppermint Kisses Patricia provides readers with the tools for everything to make it easy to pull it all together with sample menus kitchen setup and tips for getting organized. Best of all she spices it up with hilarious stories family photos and anecdotes from her Hollywood career.