Celebrating the launch of The 52 New Foods Challenge at Williams-Sonoma

You know that feeling when you’ve spent weeks planning a really special get together for your friends and family.

The night (finally) arrives. You’re a little nervous, but excited.

You keep running over the list in your mind to make sure you haven’t left out any details.

You’re hoping everything will come together just as you imagined.

Most importantly, you want each person to feel welcome and celebrated in your home.

In the end, that’s what it’s all about, right?

And then they do. And you’re so happy.

That’s exactly the feeling I had last Thursday night. My friends at Williams-Sonoma along with their fantastic co-host, Jeanne Chan of Shop Sweet Things, brought together a wonderful group of people to celebrate the launch of the exclusive Williams-Sonoma edition of The 52 New Foods Challenge.

I had so much fun cooking (and swapping real mom tips) with the amazing Amanda Haas, head of Culinary at Williams-Sonoma.

She knows a thing or two about cooking! Be sure to check out her blog and pickup a copy of her family cookbook, Real Family Food, for more family-friendly recipes. We had a great time cooking up a few delicious dishes together.

Everyone raised a glass to toast my IACP Culinary Nomination, too. Coming from an IACP award-winning chef, I was incredibly honored and grateful (Amanda won the IACP Cookbook of the Year award for her work on A16 Food + Wine). Blushing.

There was a bounty of delicious food.

Great conversation.

And great friends (new and old).

Books to sign, too, of course.

Lots, and lots, of books. I can’t wait to hear what you decide to cook first!

It was so much fun cooking with these moms. Be sure to check out their blogs for some fun and inspiring busy mom style-saver ideas and their reviews of how easy it is to get cooking together as a family with The 52 New Foods Challenge.

Shop Sweet Things
BonJonGourmet
Cooksmarts
Copy Cat Chic
Edible Silicon Valley
Good on Paper
JoyFoodly
Molly Goodson
Perfect 10
Red Tricycle
Savvy Every Day
Savvy in SF
Sky Creatives
Style Smaller
Stylenik
Team Wiking

Tune in next week for all of the delicious recipes I featured at this event. There’ll be a chance to enter to win one of the beautiful gift totes from Williams-Sonoma, loaded with special treats.