Hospitality is in my DNA. I founded Home with a Twist, a daughter’s twist on her mother’s traditions, in memory of my mother to celebrate her life and the gifts she shared with me. Mother loved to celebrate life’s occasions – big and small.She taught me how to prepare fabulous food, entertain guests with style and design a traditional home with a pop of color and a splash of animal print. Share my fondness of blending Mother’s mid-century style with a modern spin.
Mrs. Twist Takes on Instagram
When I was little, spending the night at my big sister`s house was the best thing in the world. She`d let me stay up late, and in the morning she`d pull this warm cake out of the oven. The whole kitchen smelled like sugar and butter, and I thought she was the fanciest baker alive.
Turns out, the secret was just Bisquick, butter, sugar, and one egg. The crumb topping is brown sugar broiled to a golden brown.
When you have overnight guests waking up on a Saturday morning, a warm pan on the counter while the coffee brews welcomes everyone into the kitchen.
The sweetest hospitality comes right from a box in the pantry.
Comment CAKE and I will send you the recipe.
Did your family have a back-of-the-box recipe you still make?
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I used to believe that hosting meant having it all together before anyone sat down. The right napkins folded the right way. The food timed perfectly. The house looking like no one actually lived in it.
But after forty years of opening my front door to people, I can tell you this. Some of the best conversations I`ve ever had happened over mismatched plates. Some of the deepest laughter happened when the recipe didn`t turn out. Some of the most meaningful moments happened when I stopped performing and just sat down with my guests.
Your table is already enough. The dishes in the sink, the chairs that don`t all match, the candle you lit to cover the fact that you burned the rolls. All of it.
Because the women sitting around your table didn`t come for the presentation. They came because you made room for them.
When was the last time you sat down at your own table and actually enjoyed being there?
If you’re new around here, let me introduce you to one of my favorite little corners of Home with a Twist: The Hostess Journal. 🥂
It’s my video journal where I share the real-life side of hosting — the recipes, tables, organizing, shopping, planning, little details and lessons I’ve picked up after more than 40 years of opening my home to people I love.
Just practical ideas, inspiration and a little encouragement to help you feel more confident opening your own front door.
There are 12 episodes waiting for you on YouTube, and if you’re new here, it’s a great place to start getting to know me and my hosting philosophy.
So grab a cup of coffee (or a glass of wine) and come spend a little time with me in The Hostess Journal.
Comment JOURNAL and I`ll send you a link to watch. 📺
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Comment PLAYBOOK and I`ll send you this week`s episode of The Hostess Journal on YouTube where I meet you in my kitchen for a chat and my FREE Thanksgiving Playbook.
In this week`s Hostess Journal, I share three hosting tips that save my sanity:
1. Pick one recipe you can make with your eyes closed. Everything else on the table can be assembled, picked up, or warmed through.
2. Hand the early arrival a job with the drinks. The first friend who walks into the kitchen gets to be the guest mixologist. It puts them right at ease and gives them a role beside you.
3. Why you need my FREE Thanksgiving Playbook and how to get it.
Host with intention, not perfection.
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Catch up on Recent Posts
- Heirloom Bisquick Velvet Crumb Cake: The Easiest Breakfast You’ll Ever Make for Guests
- Cinnamon Toasted Pumpkin Bread – Semi Homemade
- Five Ways to Make Your Home Feel Like Fall Without Decorating for Fall
- The One Thing I Want You to Organize Before You Host Again
- Heirloom Recipe – Julia’s Vermicelli Pasta Salad