"I love to cook and I love to entertain, but I will not be in the kitchen while my guests are in the living room having fun over cocktails, exchanging sweet gossip and discussing the latest political scandal. So, over the years, I have developed a number of recipes that do not require constant attention and can be finished in a few minutes. This of course takes careful planning, doing as much as possible before the guests arrive...I try to give the impression that I wave a magic wand and the food marches out of the kitchen...All the dishes have been served in my home many years, and for many years my friends have been asking for recipes. I hope you will enjoy these meals as much as my guests have." From the back cover. Book is hardbound.