Last weekend I hosted a small dinner party in my apartment. (You'll hear all about it next week!) At the end of the meal I served a lemon verbena tisane — essentially, a handful of lemon verbena leaves steeped in hot-but-not-boiling water — with a splash of St. Germain. It was delicious: fresh, delicate, and cleansing, like spring in a teacup. As a result, lemon verbena may just be my new favorite herb. Here are 5 ways to use it:

Dukkah, the crumbly Middle Eastern spice mix, is making its way into mainstream recipes and blogs these days, and for good reason: it lends a nice, slightly salty crunch to everything from bar nuts and baked pitas to grilled chicken and roasted fish. But without breaking out a cookbook, how best to use it at home?

Q: I love grilling pizza and want to host a grilled pizza BBQ in the next few weeks. I have thought about precooking the dough on one side before the party, and then putting it back on olive oiled parchment paper so people can either build their own pizzas, or I can top several and have them ready for the grill. 

Q: I have an All-Clad, Stainless Nonstick 10" frypan. I got it with the intention of cooking without using fats/oils, however, every time I make my beloved scrambled eggs, they stick! What's up with that? 

It feels unnecessary sometimes to take something that's so good in and of itself and change it in any way — a little over the top, or just a waste of time. That is not the case, however, with frying an avocado. It will always be worth it. Here's why:

Springtime is tough for home cooks. This is non-intuitive; after all, the markets! Ramps! Asparagus! Green good things all of a sudden! There's a lot going on, but for many of us, those exciting little bits of produce don't really show up until mid-May, leaving us bored and tired of our winter cooking routines. I don't know what it is about springtime, but I find my cooking motivation dropping off. What about you? Do you experience this? 

Do manners matter? Well, yes, of course. White gloves may not be relevant in most circles these days, but a little courtesy never hurt anyone. I'm not sure where I got "White Gloves and Party Manners," because my mother wasn't terribly concerned with rules for situations that would likely never happen. (Her advice on complicated place settings: use the silverware from the outside in and, when in doubt, do whatever the oldest lady at the table does, because manners dictate that she's always right.) I teach my own children manners, constantly and without drama, just like my mother taught me.

Q: I was just gifted the Paderno vegetable slicer. So far I've just made zucchini pasta (great for texture without the carbs). Does anyone have any other suggestions  or recipes for using this tool?

Sent by Gina

Q: I've been making my own chicken broth for years. After cooling and straining, I fill old spaghetti jars (leaving room for expansion), put them in the freezer (lids off), then put the lids on after they're frozen solid. And yet, I've broken more jars than I can count. Help! How do I prevent this?

Sent by Jen

There's nothing more refreshing than a glass of cool lemonade on a warm day.  Sure there are those cartons of pre-made stuff and cans of concentrate, but if you'd like to avoid preservatives and flavor enhancers, then there's nothing easier than making your own.  It's really not that hard, and if you keep a supply of simple syrup in the refrigerator, it's actually quite fast.  Read on for our classic lemonade recipe, plus five easy and delicious variations.