How to Celebrate Everything: A Family Guide to Rituals and Recipes for Birthdays, Holidays, and Every Day in Between

A New York Times Best Cookbook of Fall 2016 • A warm and inviting guide to turning birthdays, holidays, and everyday occasions into cherished traditions, with more than 100 time-tested recipes—from the creator of the popular blog and book Dinner: A Love Story and author of the New York Times bestseller Dinner: The Playbook
 
“Families crave rituals,” says Jenny Rosenstrach, and by rituals she means not just the big celebrations—Valentine’s Day dinners, Mother’s Day brunches, Halloween send-offs, Thanksgiving feasts, holiday cocktail parties—but the little ones we may not even realize are rituals: a platter of deluxe nachos on Super Bowl Sunday, or a bowl of creamy mashed potatoes after every braces-tightening session. Whether simple or elaborate, daily or annual, these rituals all serve the same purpose for Rosenstrach: to bring comfort, connection, and meaning to every day. 
 
100+ recipes, including:
• popovers, apple fritters, and golden pancakes, perfect for sleepover mornings or birthday breakfasts
• “Interfaith Sliders”: one version with ham and another with brisket
• Rosenstrach’s legendary chocolate Mud Cake—plus an entire section on birthdays, including a one-size-fits-all party planner that does not rely on pizza
• complete menus for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve
• and, of course, dozens of Rosenstrach’s signature family dinners: Grilled Soy-Glazed Pork Chops, Harissa Roasted Chicken, Crispy Chickpeas with Yogurt Sauce and Naan, Grilled Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Butter and Summer Cabbage, and more
 
In this digital, overscheduled age, How to Celebrate Everything helps families slow down, capture the moments that matter—and eat well while doing it.

Praise for How to Celebrate Everything
 
“I have been an ardent fan of Jenny Rosenstrach’s beautiful writing for years. I always know that every word of her books will be something to savor, and How to Celebrate Everything will strike a chord with anyone who enjoys family, friends, and delicious food.”—Ree Drummond, New York Times bestselling author of The Pioneer Woman Cooks

“Enjoy How to Celebrate Everything for the easy-to-follow recipes. But even more satisfying are the wonderful anecdotes of family life and [Jenny Rosenstrach’s] genial examination of the lasting role that food plays in our lives beyond the plate.”—Family Circle (September “What We’re Reading” Pick)
 
“With characteristic warmth and humor, [Rosenstrach] urges readers to ritualize and celebrate the small moments in family life by sharing stories from her own. . . . Rosenstrach is a skilled storyteller and introduces each occasion with an engaging essay before offering up the much-loved recipes that inspired it. . . . A delicious and delightful ode to the ways family and food intertwine, reinforcing each other.”—Booklist
 
“Featured recipes are proven kid friendly and presented with humorous mommy angst and nostalgic commentary . . . Rosenstrach inspires, reminding us that the real celebration is family itself.”—Publishers Weekly
 
“This well-designed cookbook comes with a side helping of lifestyle inspiration.”—Library Journal

Jenny Rosenstrach is the creator of Dinner: A Love Story, the award-winning website devoted to family dinner, and the New York Times bestselling author of Dinner: A Love Story (Ecco), Dinner: The Playbook (Ballantine), and How to Celebrate Everything (Ballantine). She was the features director at Cookie magazine for four years and special projects editor at Real Simple for six. Her essays and articles have appeared in numerous national publications and anthologies, including The New York Times Book Review, Real Simple, Martha Stewart Living, Whole Living, and the op-ed page of The New York Times. She has appeared on NPR’s Weekend Edition and NBC’s Today. She and her husband, Andy Ward, write the Providers column for Bon Appétit. They live with their two daughters in Westchester County, New York.