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Book Review ~ Southern Living Party Cookbook

When you are planning a party there is so much to keep track of and prepare. You have to make the guest list, pick a theme, send out invitations, plan your decor, choose a menu, clean your home, and all the other things that go along with getting ready for a party.

Make your party planning easier when you use The Southern Living Party Cookbook. You will find menu ideas already put together for you as well as tips for party hosting. What a time saver for you!

make party planning easy with The Southern Living Party Cookbook

This post contains affiliate links. I will receive a small portion of any sale in exchange for advertising these products. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review - all thoughts are my own.

Over the past year I have helped plan three baby showers, a ladies summer social, a winter cookie exchange, and two birthday celebrations for a women's organization. Parties are a lot of fun, but when you are starting from scratch with ideas it can be a bit daunting. I wish I had used the Southern Living Party Cookbook to make it easier! For my upcoming summer social I will use ideas from the Summer Nights Menu and Luncheons section for sure!

Southern Living Party Cookbook by Elizabeth Heiskell

The Southern Living Party Cookbook A modern Guide to Gathering review

In The Southern Living Party Cookbook - A Modern Guide To Gathering, Elizabeth Heiskell shares an entertaining guide that you will turn to again and again for those formal or casual parties that come up in your life. 

Book Review of The Southern Living Party Cookbook

We all have times where we need to plan a party ~ whether it be a bridal tea, Easter brunch, impress the boss (or in-laws) dinner, a holiday get together, a summer night cookout, or any other occasion you can think of. If you are tired of the same old menu that you usually use, this book has 31 different menus to help you change things up a bit.

book review of The Southern Living Party Cookbook by Elizabeth Heiskell

This book not only helps with your menu ideas. It has estimations of how much food or beverages you will need depending on the number of guests, hostess gift and parting favor ideas, buffet/table decoration tips, there are photos for every menu and recipe, and plenty of extra notes/tips for each occasion.

This book is divided into 5 sections of parties 
  • Teas, Coffees, and Receptions
  • Come By For a Drink Y'all
  • Brunches and Luncheons
  • Cookouts
  • Celebrations and Dinners
Each of the sections has 5-8 menus included. Each menu starts out with a life story of Elizabeth and what led her to include that theme in the book. Those little moments draw you in and make the recipes a bit more interesting. While you may not have the exact same situation, you can see how the different parties/menus would be useful for yourself.

Menu Highlights From Each Section

menu highlights for each section of southern living party cookbook a modern guide to gathering

I have included one recipe from each of the menus for each section in the book so you can see a sampling of what tasty recipes are included.

Teas, Coffees, and Receptions - Chicken Salad Pastry Shells, Fruit & Mint Skewers, Classic Homemade Mayonnaise, Sausage & Grits Quiches, Long-Stemmed Strawberries with Lemon Curd Dip

Come by for a Drink, Y'all - Mama's Fried Chicken, Smoky Spiced Pecans, Heirloom Tomato and Avocado Salsa with Blue Corn Chips, Mint Chocolate Truffles, Crab Cake Hush Puppies, Salted Butter Pecan Bites, Cheese Straw Tomato Tartlets

Brunches and Luncheons - Banana Pudding Pie, Quick Petits Fours, Potatoes Gruyere, Marinated Veggie Salad, Lemony Green Bean Pasta Salad

Cookouts - Marinated Herbed Tomatoes, Janie's Baked Beans, Mrs. R's Coleslaw, Frozen Peaches 'n' Cream, Grilled Romaine with Charred Lemon-Feta Vinaigrette, Farmers' Market Pasta Salad with Parmesan Vinaigrette, Sweet Tea Julep Pops

Celebrations and Dinners - Marinated Whole Beef Tenderloin, Crabmeat Maryland Dip, Chocolate Cheesecake, Cornbread Dressing, Double Chocolate Fondue, She-Crab Soup


I think you will be pleased by the wonderful recipes included in the Southern Living Party Cookbook ~ A Modern Guide to Gathering. Your menus will be easy to plan and your palate will be delighted by the delicious food.

I hope you found this review helpful and that you will add this cookbook to your kitchen library. Let me know in the comments what your favorite party recipe is. Check out my other Book Reviews here.

party planning made easy with southern living party cookbook a modern guide to gathering


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