I love a hearty salad.

And when I say hearty, I mean a salad that actually feels like dinner—not one that leaves you wandering back into the kitchen an hour later looking for something else to eat.

This Roasted Potato, Chicken & Apple Salad with Blue Cheese checks all the boxes for me: chicken, roasted potatoes, crisp apples, salty pistachios, fresh basil, scallions, and plenty of blue cheese.

But one of my favorite things about it is that it works year-round.

In the winter, I’ll serve it with the chicken and potatoes still warm. The blue cheese softens just a little when everything is tossed together, and it becomes cozy enough for a cold-weather dinner.

In the summer? I’ll make the whole thing ahead and serve it chilled. Same salad. Completely different feel.

And you know how much I love a recipe that can do double duty.

I also love that there really isn’t a traditional dressing to make. Just a splash of white wine vinegar and olive oil brings everything together. The blue cheese adds creaminess, the apples add sweetness, and the pistachios give you that little bit of crunch.

Why You’ll Love This Salad

• Hearty enough to serve as the entire meal
• Delicious warm or chilled
• Easy to prep ahead
• A great way to use leftover chicken or roasted potatoes
• Full of sweet, savory, creamy, and crunchy flavors
• Just as good for an everyday dinner as it is for a casual lunch with friends

And because most of the work can be done ahead, this is exactly the kind of recipe I love when I’m entertaining. Roast the potatoes, cook the chicken, chop a few things, and you’re practically done.

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Roasted Potato, Chicken & Apple Salad with Blue Cheese

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1½ pounds baby potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 2 apples, diced
• 3 scallions, chopped
• ½ cup chopped fresh basil (about ½ bunch)
• ¼ cup chopped pistachios
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 ounces crumbled blue cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
2. Toss the potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with kosher salt and black pepper. Spread in a single layer on the prepared pan. Roast for 25–30 minutes, stirring once, until golden brown and tender.
3. Meanwhile, pat the chicken breasts dry and season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 5–7 minutes per side, or until the thickest portion reaches 165°F.
4. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before chopping into bite-size pieces.
5. In a large bowl, combine the roasted potatoes, chicken, apples, scallions, basil, and pistachios.
6. Drizzle with the white wine vinegar and gently toss. Taste and season with additional salt and black pepper as needed. Drizzle with oil and toss again.
7. Add the blue cheese and gently fold it into the salad, leaving some larger crumbles throughout.
8. For a cool-weather dinner: Serve while the chicken and potatoes are still slightly warm.
   For a warm-weather dinner: Cool completely, refrigerate, and serve chilled.

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Easy • Easier • Easiest

✳️ Easy

Cook the chicken and roast the potatoes earlier in the day. Refrigerate them separately, then chop the remaining ingredients and assemble when you’re ready to eat. Warm the chicken and potatoes slightly if you want the salad served warm.

✳️ Easier

Plan this salad for the day after you’re already serving chicken and roasted potatoes. Make extra of both the first night, and most of tomorrow’s dinner is already done.

✳️ Easiest

Use refrigerated cooked baby potatoes and a store-bought rotisserie chicken. Warm the potatoes briefly in the oven or air fryer for the winter version—or use everything cold for an almost no-cook summer dinner.

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Make It for Guests

This would be such an easy lunch or casual dinner when you’re having friends over because you don’t need to be standing at the stove when everyone arrives.

For summer entertaining, make the entire salad ahead and serve it chilled with a loaf of crusty bread and something bubbly.

When the weather turns cooler, prep everything ahead but warm the chicken and roasted potatoes before tossing the salad together.

Either way, dinner is basically waiting for you—which means you can actually sit down and enjoy the people you invited over.

Ready to Gather More Often?

Hosting doesn’t have to mean spending the entire day in the kitchen. That’s exactly why I create my Complete Dinner Party Plans—the menu, recipes, prep timeline, shortcuts, table inspiration, and all the little details are already planned for you.

✨ Shop my Complete Dinner Party Plans.

❤️ Follow me on Instagram or Facebook for weekly recipes, real-life cooking, entertaining inspiration, and simple ideas for gathering your favorite people around the table.

Because great food brings people to the table. Meaningful moments keep them there.

Save me a bite!
Colleen 🥂

There’s a funny little stretch of September when I’m ready for fall…but I’m not quite ready for FALL. You know what I mean.

The days are getting shorter. Dinner outside suddenly requires a sweater. I’m lighting candles earlier. I’m starting to crave warmer, cozier food. But the tomatoes are still beautiful. There are peaches at the market. My hydrangeas haven’t given up yet.

And I’m definitely not ready to put a pumpkin on every available surface. This might actually be my favorite time to set a table. Because instead of decorating for a season, I can simply let the table shift into it.

Start With What You Already Have

You don’t need a box marked FALL DECOR to create a beautiful September table. In fact, I think some of the prettiest fall tables don’t look particularly “decorated” at all.

Start with your everyday dishes. Keep the linens you’ve been using all summer. Leave the hydrangeas on the table if they’re still beautiful. Then add a little warmth.

A woven placemat under your regular dinner plate. A heavier linen napkin. Wooden serving pieces. A few branches clipped from outside. Suddenly, the table feels different without changing everything on it.

Let the Grocery Store Be Your Decor Aisle

This is one of my favorite entertaining tricks. Decorate with things you can eat. Put apples or pears in a pretty bowl. Scatter a few figs or grapes down the center of the table. Fill a small dish with nuts. Even the food you’re serving can become part of the table.

A beautiful salad. A rustic loaf of bread on a wooden board. A casserole brought right to the table. It feels abundant and seasonal without looking like you tried too hard.

And bonus: you don’t have to find somewhere to store it in January.

Change the Color, Not the Theme

You also don’t have to suddenly turn everything orange and brown. If your summer table has been blue and white, keep the blue and white. Add olive green, deep burgundy, golden yellow, and warm cream. Use natural wood.

Those few deeper tones are enough to take the same dishes you used in July and make them feel completely at home in September. That’s a much easier transition than reinventing your entire table every season.

And Then There Are the Candles

If you do only one thing, light the candles. September evenings practically beg for them.

I love candles at different heights, and I don’t think everything has to match. A couple of tapers, a few votives and maybe one larger candle can completely change the feeling of the table.

Remember what we talked about last week? The feeling comes first.

Candlelight tells everyone to settle in. Dinner isn’t being rushed. We’re staying awhile. And really, isn’t that what we’re trying to create?

Fall’s First Table

This exact in-between season is what inspired my newest Complete Dinner Party Plan, Fall’s First Table, which I released last Thursday.

I wanted a dinner that felt like September actually feels—not quite summer anymore, but not deep into fall either. It celebrates that beautiful overlap when we can still enjoy the last of summer’s produce while beginning to lean into the warmth and coziness of a new season.

And I’ve planned the whole evening for you. The menu. The cocktail. The prep timeline. The table inspiration. The shortcuts. Even a little something for your guests to take home.

So instead of spending hours figuring out what goes with what and when everything needs to happen, you can concentrate on the part that matters: Who do I want around my table?

👉 [Get Fall’s First Table: The Complete Dinner Party Plan]

Your Little Hosting Challenge This Week

Before you buy a single pumpkin, walk around your house… Look for something woven, something wooden, a pretty bowl, candles you forgot you had. You can even have kids help by creating a scavenger hunt for them.

Then step outside and see what you can clip from the yard. Add a bowl of apples or pears from the grocery store. There’s your first fall table. No theme required.

Just a table that feels a little warmer, a little cozier and ready for people to gather around it. Because great food brings people to the table. Meaningful moments keep them there.

Cheers,
Colleen 🥂

P.S. If you’re not quite ready to host a full dinner, start smaller. Invite someone over for cocktails and something to nibble on. The gathering doesn’t have to be elaborate to matter.

And if you’d like me to do the planning for you, Fall’s First Table Complete Dinner Party Plan is ready for you. [GET THE PLAN]

Follow along with me on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok @SliceDiceDish for everyday cooking, easier entertaining, Pampered Chef favorites and plenty of real life in between.

September is such a funny little month, isn’t it?

We’re starting to think about sweaters, apples and everything cozy, but meanwhile the tomatoes are still gorgeous, the corn is still sweet, and the peaches are practically begging us not to move on quite yet.

So before we rush headfirst into pumpkin season, I think September deserves a dinner party of its own. And that’s exactly what inspired my newest Complete Dinner Party Plan: Fall’s First Table.

This one is about that wonderful little space between seasons—when the evenings are getting cooler, but there’s still enough summer left to enjoy.

And after everything I’ve been talking about lately—casual dinners, simpler entertaining, taking shortcuts and actually being a guest at your own party—this plan may be one of my favorites yet.

A Dinner That Feels Special… Without Being Complicated

I wanted this gathering to feel warm, relaxed and just a little nostalgic.

The kind of evening that starts while there’s still daylight and somehow ends with candles glowing, another glass of wine being poured and nobody particularly interested in leaving.

And the food reflects that.

We’re hanging onto some of September’s best flavors—peaches, tomatoes, sweet corn and fresh herbs—while adding just enough warmth and comfort to remind us that fall is right around the corner.

I’m not going to give you the whole menu here. But I WILL tell you that we’re starting with a Peach & Basil Gin Smash and ending with warm Peach Blossom Crumble.

That should give you an idea of where we’re headed.

And Remember: You’re Not Supposed to Do ALL THE THINGS

This is really important to me with my newer plans. I’ve simplified them because I don’t want you opening one and immediately thinking:

Well, this looks wonderful…but when exactly am I supposed to do all of this?!

Nope.

You get to decide what your dinner looks like. That’s why you’ll find Easy, Easier & Easiest shortcuts throughout the recipes. There’s even a slow-cooker option for the entrée.

And if someone asks, “What can I bring?” Let them!

Hosting doesn’t mean doing absolutely everything yourself. Your guests aren’t coming over to be impressed by you. They’re coming over to spend time with you.

I’ve Already Thought About the Rest

This is the part I want you to stop worrying about.

✅ I’ve thought about when to prep the food.
✅ I’ve thought about how to set the table.
✅ I’ve thought about the flowers, music and lighting.
✅ I’ve thought about how to serve everything.
✅ I’ve even given you a conversation starter, a place-setting guide and an idea for a little something your guests can take home.

There’s a complete hosting timeline that walks you through what to do ahead of time, the day before and the day of your gathering.

In other words… I’ve done the planning so you can do the hosting.

And yes, my 45-minute HARD STOP is in there too. When that time comes, put down the dish towel, get yourself ready, light the candles and turn on the music.

Dinner can be five minutes late. There can be dishes in the sink. When everyone sits down, YOU sit down too.

Don’t Rush Into Fall Just Yet

There will be plenty of time for apples and pumpkins. But right now? There are still tomatoes worth slicing. Corn worth eating. Peaches worth turning into dessert. And evenings worth spending around the table. So let’s give summer one last proper send-off.

Paid Subscriber?

✨ Your Fall’s First Table Complete Dinner Party Plan is ready on Substack. Open it, pick your shortcuts, choose a date and SEND THE INVITATIONS. Don’t just save this one—use it. I want to see this dinner on your table!

Not a Paid Subscriber Yet?

If you’ve been reading along thinking, I really do want to have people over more often…I just don’t want all the work that comes with figuring it out, this is exactly what my Complete Dinner Party Plans are designed to solve. Head over to my Substack and subcribe for just $7 each month!

I give you the menu, recipes, shortcuts, timeline and experience. You choose the people.

✨ Get Fall’s First Table, put a date on the calendar and let me take “What am I going to serve?” off your plate.

Because great food brings people to the table. Meaningful moments keep them there.

✨ Follow me on Instagram or Facebook for weekly recipes, entertaining inspiration, behind-the-scenes hosting tips, and simple ideas to help you gather more often.

Save me a bite!
Colleen 🥂

I’ve hosted a lot of people around my table over the years. Some dinners have been carefully planned. Some have come together at the last minute. Some have had beautiful tables and several courses.

And some have basically been, Come over. I’m making dinner.

But somewhere along the way, I realized that the dinners I enjoy hosting most all have one thing in common: I don’t start with the food.

That probably sounds a little strange coming from someone whose business has the word Dice in the name. But before I decide what I’m cooking, I decide what I want the evening to feel like.

✅ Do I want everyone lingering around the table for hours?
✅ Do I want something casual where we’re eating outside and nobody cares if we’re using paper napkins?
✅ Is it cozy? Celebratory? A little fancy? Completely relaxed?

Once I know that, everything else gets easier. And without really realizing it, I had developed a formula.

The SDD Hosting Method™

Plan the vibe → Choose the menu → Prep ahead → Set the table → Enjoy your guests.

It’s the order that matters. (Read more about my method here.)

Plan the vibe.

Before recipes, before Pinterest, before buying flowers—decide what kind of evening you’re creating. Sometimes my entire plan is: good food, a bottle of wine and people I want to spend time with. That’s enough.

Choose the menu.

Now I think about the food. And I’ve learned that more food does not necessarily make a better dinner party.

I would much rather serve a really good main dish, a simple side or two and a dessert I know works than spend the entire day making seven different things because I think that’s what entertaining is supposed to look like.

Choose food you actually want to eat—and food that allows you to enjoy the evening too.

Prep ahead.

This might be the most important part of the whole formula. Whenever I choose a menu, I’m already asking myself: What can I do before anyone gets here?

Chop the vegetables. Make the dressing. Assemble the casserole. Set up the cocktail ingredients. Make dessert. Anything I can move out of that final hour is a win.

And this is also where the right kitchen tools make a huge difference for me. I cook for a living, and I still don’t want to spend all day chopping, slicing and prepping. The Pampered Chef tools you see me use aren’t sitting in a cabinet waiting for a demonstration—they’re the things I actually reach for because they make getting dinner on the table easier.

Set the table.

Here’s something I’ve learned: A welcoming table doesn’t have to be an impressive table.

Put out the plates. Add napkins. Light a couple of candles. If you have flowers, wonderful. If you clipped something from the yard, even better. And please use the things you already own.

The good dishes don’t need to wait for Thanksgiving.

And then—the most important step.

Enjoy your guests. Sit down. Pour yourself a drink. Eat while the food is hot. Listen to the stories. Laugh. Stay at the table longer than you planned.

Because this is the part we sometimes forget when we’re worried about whether everything is perfect.

The dinner party isn’t the meal.

The meal simply gives us a reason to gather. That’s really what Slice, Dice & Dish has become for me. Yes, I love creating recipes. I love a beautiful table. I love finding easier ways to get dinner made.

But what I really love is what happens after everyone sits down. And that’s why my formula always ends the same way: Enjoy your guests.

Because great food brings people to the table.
Meaningful moments keep them there.

Ready to host? Grab a Complete Dinner Party Plan here.
Need inspiration? Follow me on Facebook or Instagram.

Cheers,
Colleen 🥂

I read something this week that made me VERY happy: The dinner party is making a comeback.

But not the dinner party you may be picturing. Not twelve people around a perfectly set table. Not five courses. Not an elaborate centerpiece you spent three hours recreating from Pinterest. Not a spotless house. And definitely not a host who spends the entire evening in the kitchen.

The CASUAL dinner party is coming back.

And all I can say is… IT’S ABOUT TIME.

Somewhere Along the Way, We Made Dinner Too Complicated

There was a time when having people over wasn’t necessarily an event.

You simply said, “Want to come over for dinner Saturday?”

Then life got busier. Going out became the default. Takeout and delivery got easier. Workdays got longer and budgets got tighter.

And then we added perfection. Suddenly we needed a tablescape, a theme, matching dishes, a signature cocktail, a spotless house—and apparently not one dog hair anywhere.

What was once “Come over for dinner” started feeling more like a performance. No wonder we stopped inviting people.

But Something Is Changing

A recent Miami Herald article talked about how dinner parties are helping Americans reconnect in 2026.

Supper clubs, recurring dinners and casual meals at home are making a comeback. And today’s dinner party is less about formality and more about connection.

One line really stuck with me:

“The unexpected result was that people remembered how to have each other over.”

I LOVE THAT. Maybe that’s exactly what we need to remember: How to simply have each other over.

What Does a Casual Dinner Look Like?

Here’s my definition: People you enjoy + something good to eat + a welcoming place to sit.

That’s it. Maybe it’s lasagna and salad. Maybe you grill burgers. Maybe it’s soup, good bread and a bottle of wine. Maybe you make the entrée and your friends bring the appetizer and dessert.

And yes… Maybe you order pizza.

The point isn’t proving you can cook everything yourself. The point is getting people together.

I’ve said before that I love gatherings of eight or fewer. Four people counts. Six is wonderful. Eight is plenty. Everyone can be part of the same conversation—and you, the host, can actually sit down and enjoy it.

Your House Does NOT Need to Be Spotless

I feel like someone needs to hear this: Your friends are not coming over to inspect your baseboards. Clear the clutter where people will gather. Wipe down the bathroom. Get the kitchen reasonably presentable. Then STOP. Close the doors to the rest.

I’d much rather walk into someone’s slightly messy house and find a relaxed, happy host than walk into a perfect house with someone who’s completely frazzled.

Casual Doesn’t Mean We Stop Making It Special

This is important:

✅ Light the candles.
✅ Use the cloth napkins.
✅ Put grocery-store flowers in a pitcher.
✅ Pull out Grandma’s silver.
✅ Use the china you’ve been saving.

Not because you’re trying to impress anyone. Because it’s Tuesday and your friends are sitting around your table. That’s occasion enough. Thoughtful without being fussy. That’s my kind of entertaining.

And PLEASE Take the Shortcut

You don’t get extra points for making everything from scratch. Buy the appetizer. Use the rotisserie chicken. Pick up dessert from the bakery. Make cocktails in a pitcher.

And when someone asks, “What can I bring?” LET THEM BRING SOMETHING.

Hosting does not mean doing everything yourself. I don’t need my guests leaving saying: Wow, she did ALL of that herself!

I’d much rather hear: “We need to do this again.”

Don’t Forget My 45-Minute Rule

Forty-five minutes before your guests arrive, everything stops.

Put down the dish towel. Get dressed. Pour yourself something. Turn on the music. Whatever didn’t get done probably didn’t need to be done. Because your guests didn’t come to watch you cook.

They came to spend time with you.

Maybe We Don’t Need More Occasions

Maybe we need more ordinary dinners.

“ Come over Thursday. I’m making pasta. Bring wine. Come around 6:30.”

That’s it. No birthday. No holiday. No reason other than we haven’t seen each other lately. Imagine if we all did that a little more often. Because I’ve said it before: The goal isn’t a crowd. It’s connection.

So Here’s My Challenge

Think of four people you’d enjoy sitting around a table with.

✅ Text them.
✅ Pick a night.
✅ Make something simple.
✅ Clear off the table.
✅ And have them over.

You just need to open the door. ❤️

Because great food brings people to the table. Meaningful moments keep them there.

Ready to Put a Date on the Calendar?

If figuring out what to serve, when to make it and how to pull everything together is the part that stops you, let me do that part for you.

My Complete Dinner Party Plans give you the menu, recipes, hosting timeline, Easy/Easier/Easiest shortcuts and ideas for creating the experience—without turning your dinner party into a giant project.

✨ Choose a Complete Dinner Party Plan, put a date on your calendar and invite the people. I’ll take care of the plan so you can enjoy the gathering.

Don’t save hosting for a special occasion. Having people you care about in your home IS the special occasion.

✨ Follow me on Instagram or Facebook for weekly recipes, entertaining inspiration, behind-the-scenes hosting tips, and simple ideas to help you gather more often.

Cheers!
Colleen 🥂

I had a bit of a lightbulb moment recently. All year, I’ve been talking about the value of gathering and encouraging you to keep entertaining simple.

Invite the people. Use what you have. Take the shortcut. Stop worrying about perfection. Be a guest at your own party. I truly believed that creating my Complete Dinner Party Plans was helping you do exactly that.

And then I realized something. I wasn’t taking my own advice. We’ve all been there, right?

Somewhere Along the Way, I Made It Too Much

I started these plans because I wanted to take away that “I’d love to have people over, but where do I even begin?” feeling.

So I gave you everything. And I mean EVERYTHING. More recipes. More ideas. More choices. More details. Because more must mean more helpful, right?

Except… it wasn’t.

At some point I looked at one of my own plans and realized that even I was overwhelmed by the thought of doing ALL of it. Well, that’s a problem.

If I’m telling you that entertaining doesn’t have to be complicated, my dinner party plans shouldn’t make it complicated!

So I went back to the reason I started Slice, Dice & Dish in the first place. I want to make it easier for you to gather people around your table. Not give you another giant to-do list.

So, I Changed Them.

And I am SO excited about it!

Starting with my newest plan, Summer Abundance, and going forward, my Complete Dinner Party Plans are going to be simpler, more flexible and much more doable.

The calendar may say September, but the farmers markets and backyard gardens are still overflowing with ripe tomatoes, sweet corn, crisp cucumbers, colorful peppers, juicy peaches, and fragrant melons. The days are still warm, the grill is still calling, and the evenings seem to beg us to stay outside just a little longer. There’s something special about these last weeks of summer and this menu celebrates that.

You’re still getting everything you need to create a really special evening. I’m just taking away some of the things you don’t need.

Each plan will give you:

• A complete, thoughtfully planned menu so you’re not trying to figure out what goes with what.
• A printable menu card you can put right on the table for your guests.
• All of the recipes, with my Easy, Easier & Easiest options so YOU decide how much you want to make and where you’d rather take a shortcut.
• A hosting timeline that tells you what you can do ahead so you’re not frantically chopping something when the doorbell rings.
• Ideas for creating the mood and experience—the table, flowers, lighting, music and those little touches that make people want to linger.
• A conversation starter because the best part of dinner isn’t always what’s on the plate.
• Kitchen and serving-piece suggestions—with a very important reminder to USE WHAT YOU HAVE.
• A place-setting guide so you don’t have to Google which side the fork goes on five minutes before everyone arrives.
• A simple take-home treat if you’d like to send your guests home with a little something.
• And, whenever it makes sense, make-ahead options, shortcuts and a slow-cooker option for the entrée.

Most importantly? You are NOT supposed to do everything.

The new plans actually tell you to read through the ideas and choose what works for you. That’s the whole point.

And There’s One Rule I’m Keeping

If you’ve been reading my newsletters, you probably already know this one. Everything comes to a full stop 45 minutes before your guests arrive.

In Summer Abundance, it’s right there in the timeline. Put down the dish towel. Go get dressed. Pour yourself something. Turn on the music. Light the candles. And if something didn’t get done? It probably didn’t need to get done.

Because when that doorbell rings, I want you opening the door excited to see your friends—not thinking about the three things still sitting on your kitchen counter.

This Is What I Want Slice, Dice & Dish to Be

I don’t want to teach you how to throw the most impressive dinner party. I want to help you actually have one. I want you to look at a plan and think, I can do this. I want you to feel comfortable buying the dessert instead of making it. I want you to let someone bring the appetizer when they ask, “What can I bring?” I want you to use the dishes you already own, set a table that feels welcoming instead of perfect, and serve food that lets you sit down and eat with everyone else.

And more than anything, I want you to invite the people. Because the goal was never a perfect dinner party. The goal is gathering.

Now I Want You to Actually USE These Plans

Don’t buy a Complete Dinner Party Plan and save it for “someday.” Pick one. Pick a date. Invite the people.

My brand-new Summer Abundance Complete Dinner Party Plan was created with this new philosophy in mind—a relaxed late-summer gathering filled with seasonal food, easy shortcuts and plenty that can be prepared ahead, so you can actually enjoy the evening you’ve created.

And if you’ve been thinking, I’d love to entertain more, but it just feels like too much work…

This is exactly why I created these.

✨ Shop my Complete Dinner Party Plans, choose the gathering that sounds like you, and put a date on the calendar. I’ll take care of the planning. You take care of bringing the people together.

Don’t wait for the perfect house, the perfect menu or the perfect time. Your table is ready now.

✨ Follow me on Instagram or Facebook for weekly recipes, entertaining inspiration, behind-the-scenes hosting tips, and simple ideas to help you gather more often.

Because great food brings people to the table. Meaningful moments keep them there.

Cheers!
Colleen 🥂