Hello and welcome!

I've been in the catering business for over 30 years now. I've noticed how very much people enjoy themselves and others when sharing delicious food. Good food inspires conversation and laughter and makes us "feel cozy".

After all these years of catering and teaching classes, I also realized that there are many of us who would love to cook delicious food but just can't quite get the hang of it. This is what inspired me to write my cookbook "Cooksmart - Catering Secrets for Home Cooks." I wanted to share my recipes and all my shortcuts!

"Cooksmart" is a different type of cookbook in that I've greatly simplified many "difficult" recipes and put them into an "easy to use" format so that virtually any cook can use them successfully. A recipe is like a map and instructions given must be clear enough so you can find your way easily and without the "fear of being lost." Cooks must also be very practical and have troubleshooting techniques up their sleeves as things can go wrong when your guests are late, etc. So, built into my book are troubleshooting techniques for these occasions. You will get my expertise as a caterer in the seasoning and menu planning for your dinners or parties.

Every recipe that will freeze well is noted. Say you're coming up on a family holiday and it is your turn to cook. You may choose some recipes from my book. Prepare and freeze them and totally avoid the last minute panic. In fact, you'll probably surprise and delight yourself with how smart you've been!

In the book I show you how to regularly use shortcuts to save time. One of these is the use of fresh garlic puree on page 189. We chop and freeze parsley for when you just need a little. We freeze things like milk, cream and cheese to have on hand. There is a list of grocery items to keep on hand in your pantry, fridge and freezer to avoid last minute market trips!

Make cooking a fun adventure!

Camilla