I Like You or Christmas with Paula Deen

I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence

Author: Amy Sedaris

Are you lacking direction in how to whip up a swanky soiree for lumberjacks? A dinner party for white-collar workers? A festive gathering for the grieving? Don't despair. Take a cue from entertaining expert Amy Sedaris and host an unforgettable fete that will have your guests raving. No matter the style or size of the gathering--from the straightforward to the bizarre--I LIKE YOU provides jackpot recipes and solid advice laced with Amy's blisteringly funny take on entertaining, plus four-color photos and enlightening sidebars on everything it takes to pull off a party with extraordinary flair. You don't even need to be a host or hostess to benefit--Amy offers tips for guests, too! Readers will discover unique dishes to serve alcoholics (Broiled Frozen Chicken Wings with Applesauce), the secret to a successful children's party (a half-hour time limit, games included), plus an appendix chock-full of arts and crafts ideas (a mini pantihose plant-hanger), and much, much more!

About the Author: AMY SEDARIS lives in Manhattan with her imaginary boyfriend, Ricky, and her pet rabbit, Dusty.

The New York Times - Henry Alford

"Clinically simple" may not be the mots justes here — "preposterously resourceful" is more like it. After all, we're talking about a hostess who, for 25 cents, will laminate her party guests' baby pictures or customize their cigarette lighters by wrapping them insticky shelf paper. She suggests using both an espresso spoon to curl eyelashes and Milk of Magnesia as a face mask. She offers four ideas for repurposing pantyhose, including a plant hanger, a bath sachet and a somewhatterrifying beauty aid she calls an "eye burrito." In short, I'm not sure what this author needs more — a round of applause or a fully licensed professional to sit her down and tell her all about lithium.

Publishers Weekly

There's no way around it: Sedaris fans are going to have to buy both her lavishly illustrated book and her audiobook adaptation. No one should be forced to decide between enjoying the visual delights of her kitschy photo-filled book or the aural pleasures of Sedaris's wonderfully exuberant narration. The rubber-faced comedienne proves equally limber vocally with her quicksilver changes from perfect deadpan to goofy dialects. The jaunty musical score and quirky sound effects enhance the production and complement her narration. Sedaris sounds like she's throwing a party in the studio and listeners would be foolish not to RSVP. The fourth disc contains a PDF file with all 76 recipes for her "15-minute meals in 20 minutes," which were read aloud on the previous discs, in addition to 70 more "Jackpot Recipes." A truly delightful audiobook. Simultaneous release with the Warner hardcover (Reviews, July 17). (Nov.)

Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

In this first solo publishing effort, playwright and comedic actress Sedaris (coauthor, The Book of Liz) shares with readers her collection of quirky, idiosyncratic tips on entertaining garnered from her mom, Girl Scouts, waiting tables, bartending school, and other eclectic sources. Though the lion's share of the book is devoted to what she calls her "personal jackpot recipes" (for such colorfully named dishes as "Brenda's Vulgar Barbeque Sauce"), Sedaris also includes creative ideas for themed parties, instructions for wacky craft projects (mostly made out of retired pantyhose), and advice on gift-giving for everyone from nuns, priests, and children to the divorced man in the office and women in early menopause. Bearing in mind that the book's subtitle refers to substances the author euphemistically calls "party enhancers," public libraries will no doubt find an audience for this wild and irreverent guide. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 6/15/06.] Deborah Ebster, Univ. of Central Florida Libs., Orlando Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Christmas with Paula Deen: Recipes and Stories from My Favorite Holiday

Author: Paula Deen

"I've gone through all my books and put together this collection of my most treasured recipes and memories for the holiday season to share with you...You'll find a few new dishes, a sprinkling of new holiday stories, and some family pictures you might not have seen before."

There's no holiday Paula Deen loves better than Christmas, when she opens her home to family and friends, and traditions old and new make the days merry and bright. Filled with Paula's trademark Southern charm and happy reminiscences of Yuletide seasons past, Christmas with Paula Deen is a collection of beloved holiday recipes and stories interspersed with cherished family photographs. Included are Paula's most requested homemade gifts of food; a collection of cookies sure to become your family's favorites; easy dishes for a Christmas breakfast or brunch that will let you enjoy the food and your guests; impressive fare for Christmas dinner and holiday entertaining and, of course, spectacular cakes, puddings, pies, and other sweet things.

"So Merry Christmas, y'all, and best dishes and best wishes from me and my family to yours."

Publishers Weekly

Christmas, that time of good cheer and lapsed diets, is the perfect holiday to showcase the cooking of Food Network star Deen (Paula Deen Celebrates!), who specializes in the kind of butter-and cheese-laden fare that epitomizes family-style comfort food. Sweets and snacks account for most of the recipes, since Deen happily admits to never varying from her Christmas dinner menu, which centers on a Standing Rib Roast and features a trio of potato dishes, including some unbelievably decadent Crème Fraîche Mashed Potatoes. Cooks will find the cookies and desserts familiar but richer, like eyebrow-raising but delicious Chocolate Cheese Fudge and creamy Chocolate Sandwich Cookies. Snacks and breakfast dishes are crowd pleasers, like gooey Praline French Toast Casserole and Cheese-coated Bacon Wraps. Devoted viewers of Deen's show may miss the sound of her warm drawl narrating the process, but the smattering of glowing family photos and anecdotes about her grown kids and recent marriage, though she's told them before, are decent stand-ins. Several pages of baking hints are included, but most of the recipes are simple and straightforward enough, with readily available ingredients, that even novices should be able to put together a generous Christmas spread. (Nov.)

Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information

Judith Sutton - Library Journal

Deen's (Paula Deen Celebrates!) seventh cookbook shares her favorite Christmas recipes, most of which have appeared in previous books, along with treasured memories and anecdotes. There are three chapters of recipes for Christmas morning, Christmas dinner, and a holiday open house, and two others are devoted entirely to desserts. Black-and-white photographs of Deen and her extended family are scattered throughout. Her previous cookbooks have sold millions, so expect heavy demand.