Memorable Meals

As a child, Hoffmann never imagined that she would one day have her own TV show, let alone two, and in different languages. "I thought, if I can swing this, then I would have made [for] myself the perfect dream job," she says. "I love what I do. I do it with passion."

Not one to rest on her laurels, this chica is still dreaming: she wants her own talk show and plans to continue focusing on developing healthier food products.

The one thing she didn't dream about, she says, was that her dad would become her fashion critic. "He'll call and say, ‘I didn't like that shirt on you,'" Hoffmann says, laughing.

Chica Entertaining Tips

1. Stock up on frozen arepa dough. You can defrost it in your fridge overnight and cut fun shapes from the dough with cookie cutters. Use it instead of toasted bread for bruschetta.
2. Buy a few wide banana leaves (or other nontoxic tropical leaves) in your grocery store's floral department, and use them to line plates. They add an exotic and very hip feel to even the most classic, traditional foods.
3. If you find a gorgeous bunch of broccoli at the market, use it as a centerpiece for your table. Trim the bottom of the bunch and wrap raffia all the way around the stem like a bouquet. Place the broccoli in a pretty vase with a little water and you have a stunning arrangement.
4. Bubbly alternative: Many hosts are serving Spanish Cava, Italian Prosecco, and other sparkling wines in place of champagne—less expensive but equally festive.

Source: Simply Delicioso: A Collection of Everyday Recipes with a Latin Twist