Some desserts are so fancy they feel like they’ve got their own publicist. Chocolate chess pie? It’s more like the friend who shows up unannounced but always brings wine—reliable, delightful, and guaranteed to make your day better. This pie doesn’t just disappear; it evaporates. Blink, and all that’s left is an empty pie plate and a lot of happy faces.

I first met this chocolate miracle thanks to my friend Eric McCloud. Eric always shows up with the exact thing you didn’t know you needed. One Sunday, he walked in with a chocolate chess pie, and let me tell you—it was love at first bite. By the end of the evening, the pie was gone, and so was any pretense of self-control. I begged for the recipe.

You know that saying, “this hits the spot”? I’m convinced it was coined with G. Lee’s winter soup in mind. If you asked me to pinpoint exactly what made it so unforgettable, I’m not sure that I could. Maybe it was warm and comforting on a cold Suffolk day. Maybe it was the savory seasoning or the tender tortellini. Or maybe, just maybe, it was the company - sharing a meal with women who feel like sisters.

Whatever the magic ingredient, I felt inspired to take a run at recreating this masterpiece in my own kitchen. Here’s my version of G. Lee’s Winter Soup.

This week, I found inspiration in a recipe for a lime curd tart that was simply too beautiful to resist. The tartness of the lime curd was perfectly balanced by the sweetness of fresh raspberries. The bright colors made it a showstopper on the table. The best part? The shortbread crust. It came together effortlessly, yet looked so elegant that you’d think it took hours to prepare. In one bite, you get the best part of a crunchy cookie with the creaminess of pudding and fruit.

Last week, we watched the Chiefs play the final game in their lead up to another Super Bowl vistory. Friends joined us in the carriage house for local beer on tap from @Nansemondbrewingstation, Bar-b-que sliders (because Brian is from Kansas) and chocolate pudding. It’s a strange menu, I’ll admit. But, everything had a purpose. If the Chiefs didn’t win, I had to hedge my hospitality bets with some serious comfort food.

“She is the best hostess,” they said. “That was the best party,” they raved - Want to know my secret? It was the frozen whiskey sours!

Before we moved to Suffolk, we lived in a wonderful Virginia community called Fawn Lake. Some of the best hostesses I’ve ever known entertained there. One particularly amazing lady often served this cocktail. Everyone loved it - to the tune of, Yes, to “seconds?” And Absolutely, to, “a little more?”

"When I served this New England clam chowder to my husband, Brian, he looked at me like I'd just discovered fire. 'Where have you been hiding this soup magic?' he asked. Apparently, my kitchen had been keeping its clam chowder secrets better than Area 51. Now, I'm the proud chef of a dish that's convinced my husband I'm a culinary wizard.”

You’ll love this dreamy clam chowder. It’s hearty - filled with tender briny clams, and a creamy broth that tastes like velvet feels. It’s the perfect soul-soothing dish for chilly days.

Try My Friend Vikki’s Apple Cake (Which She Stole From Her Good Friend Carol) - Its super moist and perfect with your morning coffee, for an afternoon snack or for dessert with a dollop of whipped cream - or for absolutely no reason at all. It’s just the right amount of sweet!

We love to have a fresh cake on hand at The Truitt House (you just never know when a friend might drop in!), and lately we have been loving this fresh blueberry breakfast cake. We’ve made it so often lately that it may just have become our new summer house cake!

The delicious heat of the summer just begs for cool food. Nothing says simple and refreshing quite like a good chicken salad, served on a bed of greens or a fresh, buttery croissant.

If ever there was a dish that will change your life, it’s this one. Julia Reed shared this recipe in her cookbook, Julia Reed’s South, which I’ve read cover to cover more times than I can count. I’ve adapted the recipe slightly to fit our taste.