Martina McBride Recipes, Holiday Entertaining

She’s one of country music’s most celebrated voices, but Martina McBride says she’s ready to add ‘domestic diva’ to her list of talents.

“I don’t think of it as a replacement for singing, I just feel like it’s an extension of who I am,” McBride tells PEOPLE of sharing her entertaining know-how. The singer, nearly as famous in Nashville circles for her spectacular parties as she is for her musical accomplishments, put her hosting expertise to the page earlier this year in Around the Table, a book of recipes and entertaining tips. Now, she says she wouldn’t mind following in the footsteps of country colleagues like Reba McEntire and Trisha Yearwood in creating her own lifestyle brand.

“The idea of being able to be creative and create beautiful, practical things for people to have in their homes just makes sense to me,” McBride says. “It’s like a little bit of you that people can enjoy.”

Despite growing up “very isolated” in a tiny farming town in Kansas, McBride was already putting together elaborate family dinners at the age of 9 – though with limited success. “I was too ambitious! I remember trying to do a menu of 12 different things and being in the kitchen going, ‘What have I done? I’m not going to be able to finish!’ ” recalls the singer, who opens her home in a country bonus section in the latest issue of PEOPLE. “I didn’t know the planning it takes.”

These days when she throws a party, even if guests include friends like Tim and Faith or Keith and Nicole, McBride has it well in hand. “It’s all in the details,” she says. “My favorite part is dreaming about how I want to set the vibe so when people walk in the door, they feel welcome and warm and that I’ve made an effort. It’s something I’m passionate about.”

For more on McBride, including some of her favorite holiday recipes, and news from country music’s biggest stars, download the enhanced digital issue of PEOPLE Country in the PEOPLE app for iPad. Or if you’d like PEOPLE Country delivered as part of your PEOPLE subscription, go to people.com/customerservice, login to your account and click the PEOPLE Country Bonus Content offer in the section marked Special Offers on the left.