Amanda Comer has a lot on her plate. Pun intended. That’s because the cheerful chef is busy running Solomons’ Lotus Kitchen, Blue Heron Inn bed and breakfast, and Bistro Belle Maison located inside the Inn. The Bistro is her latest endeavor. Open since July 2012, it treats diners to small plates, an intimate atmosphere and breathtaking views of Back Creek and The Narrows, the Patuxent River, and the Chesapeake Bay beyond.

When the air turns nippy, one product appears on the shelves of groceries, big box stores, hardware stores, garden centers and even dollar stores. No, not snow shovels: amaryllis bulbs. Although the term amaryllis includes many varieties of lilies, most people use it to refer to the one people grow indoors around the holidays. These bulbs, prized for their large showy blooms, have solid or striped petals in shades ranging from dark red to white.

This year’s holiday menu comes to us from Hardesty Haven Catering in Prince Frederick. For the past six years, Dee and Richard Hardesty have brought their 30-foot-long mobile kitchen to sites around the area for weddings, banquets, and events ranging from Rolling Thunder to the St. Leonard Volunteer Fire Department Concert Series (they catered for the bands and their staff throughout the concert season).

The below recipes are perfect for a family-oriented holiday dinner. With lots of easy, comforting recipes, this menu is sure to make your holidays a little happier.

The term organic is used to describe a method of agriculture as well as to label products that are produced using organic means. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines organic foods as those grown or produced “through approved methods that integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity.” Besides prohibited pesticides, “synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering” may not be used.

Nicolletti’s Pizza in California, Md., has you covered.

Ponds in a garden create tranquility and beauty. The downside is that water is a breeding ground for bugs – they lay eggs and create more bugs. So what would take that fear out of having a water feature in your own garden?

Simple:  Just add fish.

What better time for a review of Southern Maryland’s barbecue joints than the summer? These spots offer simple, satisfying fare that’s perfect for enjoying at the picnic table – whether at the restaurant itself or a family gathering some place else. Almost all of the places listed below cater, so consider them before your next event.

Roast Prime Rib of Beef •  Butternut Squash Soup
Beautifully Bright Green and Perfectly Cooked Asparagus
Roasted Turned Vegetables •  Wild Rice Pilaf
Apple-Oatmeal Pie •  Pumpkin Bars

This beautiful and festive holiday menu was provided to us by the new Canards Catering and Event Production, based in Solomons. Chef-owner Michael Kelley and executive sous chef Christopher Chesbro prepared the meal, and the descriptions were written by Kelley. Many thanks to Canards for allowing us to share these recipes with our readers!

As I opened the door to Ouzo’s Greek & Regional Cuisine in La Plata, I was met with the sight of a server presenting a fiery skillet to a table of guests – I would find out later the source of the flames was saganaki cheese topped with brandy and lemon – and shouts of “Opa!” from throughout the restaurant. With the friendly employees and the lively music playing in the background, there was a definite air of conviviality to the place.