My extravagance is my garden - it's the first thing I look at every morning when I wake up. It gives me so much pleasure.

You don't have to do everything from scratch. Nobody wants to make puff pastry!

With more and more fast food available, it takes an extra effort to cook delicious, healthy meals. I have always been a proponent of simple, easy food that doesn't take forever to cook so you really can eat well at home.

I try to greet my friends with a drink in my hand, a warm smile on my face, and great music in the background, because that's what gets a dinner party off to a fun start.

The planning is everything. Deciding which dishes you're going to prepare can turn into the make-or-break decision five days later, when you actually serve the meal.

I use other cookbooks for inspiration. I must say I tend to cook from my own cookbooks for parties.

Instead of going out to dinner, buy good food. Cooking at home shows such affection. In a bad economy, it's more important to make yourself feel good.