Not Ketchup on #KitchenParty: How to start a food business

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If you've ever thought about bottling your grandmother's secret recipe spaghetti sauce or selling your famous brownies to stores, you'll want to watch this video.

A few weeks ago I was a guest on BakeSpace.com's #KitchenParty show, where I talked in detail about the process I went through to develop Not Ketchup, my new line of gourmet sauces.

Be forewarned: The video is long and covers a lot of business-side stuff. One thing I've learned over the last few months is that creating the recipes is the manageable part of starting a business like Not Ketchup. It's the other stuff that will drive you up a wall. I'm talking trademarks, logo design, labels, sourcing industrial ingredients, finding vendors, pricing, distribution. It's all possible but requires tremendous attention to detail - not always my strong suit, but I'm learning.

[Click below to watch]

Easy holiday entertaining with Green Giant {VIDEO}

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Need ideas for easy holiday entertaining? I hope you'll enjoy watching this video, in which I share two quick and simple recipes using Green Giant frozen vegetables.

Green Giant's recipe for Cheesy Broccoli Puffs With Sriracha Sauce is a great appetizer to bring to a holiday potluck or to pass around while your guests are sipping on wine or champagne. You can make the puffs with crumbled bacon as the recipe suggests, or leave the bacon out for vegetarians.

My Cheesy Broccoli Potato Soup is another tasty starter for a holiday party. I love giving my guests something warm to sip as they walk in the door, especially at this time of year.

The video also contains some great advice and easy entertaining tips from my friends (and one from my mother), all experienced hosts and hostesses.

Enjoy the video! (But ignore the weird expression on my face in YouTube's screen capture above. I don't really look like that, do I?)

Note: Green Giant compensated me to produce the Hangout video above and share my Cheesy Broccoli Potato Soup recipe. Definitely one of the most fun projects I've done lately.

The birth of Trufflepalooza: "Meanwhile, Back at Cafe du Monde..."

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Last month I did something I've never done before: I agreed to get up on stage and tell a story.

When Peggy Sweeney McDonald asked me to be part of her food memoir performance series Meanwhile, Back at Cafe du Monde... I said yes. And then, later, I thought: Wait a second. I just agreed to get up on stage? Among professional actors and comedians? And recite a monologue about the birth of my annual Trufflepalooza party?

I experienced a moment of panic. No, not a moment - several weeks.

Turns out once I was up there it wasn't too bad. In fact, look at the length of the video: I couldn't shut up.

I'd written a seven-minute essay that I planned to read. But after hearing a few of the other performances I decided reading to the crowd wasn't going to cut it. When it was my turn, I tossed aside my script and started talking.

Feel free to watch some or all of the video above. Apologies for the length. Next time someone needs to wave red flags at the back of the room (Patti Londre, I'm looking at you).

It's bittersweet for me, watching this, as I just announced yesterday that I'm not holding Trufflepalooza this year due to scheduling conflicts. But I'm already looking ahead to Trufflepalooza 2014.

Average Betty makes Idaho mashed potato pops

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My friend and fellow food blogger Average Betty features my Idaho mashed potato pops in her most recent video recipe. I love her variations: She makes a Jalapeno Popper Pop with pepper jack cheese and bacon, and a Garlic Parmesan Pop with garlic powder and grated parmesan cheese.

Click the video above to watch her make these easy and completely delicious Idaho potato snacks. Isn't she adorable?