Book excerpt: After catering for many years, Paula began to share recipes that resonated with family, friends, and clients in a monthly food column. She also shared pictures of her food with recipes, her passion for flower arranging and her knack for creating pretty dining spaces on social media. The feedback was beyond encouraging and enlightening. Prior to the shutdown of our country with the COVID-19 pandemic, Paula sensed a common craving by many to get back in the kitchen armed with fresh, simple and approachable recipes that never fail and never disappoint. This is what Cooking & Dining with Heart and Soul is all about. The stay at home orders in the spring of 2020 forced many to see the value of cooking and dining at home. The kitchen may be the heart of the home but Paula has always believed the dining room is the soul of the home. Time around a family dining table nourishes all of us in many ways for years to come