Cocktails beg for snacks, and in our house, when we think snacks we usually go for simple crackers and good cheese. Alternatively, if we're having people over, I love making bar nuts tossed with olive oil and herbs. But with the ushering in of a new season comes the drive to do something new in the kitchen, so lately I've been looking for snack ideas beyond store-bought crackers and bar nuts. 

When planning a cocktail party, I always make sure to have one "straight-from-freezer-to-oven" recipe, and I make extra. You can keep refilling the tray as long as you need to, and any leftovers stay in the freezer for the next party. There's only one problem. With these cheddar olives, my favorite straight-from-freezer-to-oven recipe, there are never any leftovers. Ever. No matter how many I make. People just can't get enough of the warm, cheddary, slightly crumbly pastry enclosing a juicy olive. More

Love the cool, crisp flavor of a gin and tonic during cocktail hour? Lucky for us, there's no good reason that fragrant lime flavor has to be relegated to a cocktail shaker. Why not bring it on over to the dessert side of things? 

My favorite part about the weather slowly turning warmer are more opportunities to eat together with friends, preferably outdoors. Potlucks are the easiest way to go about that, and lucky for us, there's a whole world out there beyond potato salad. 

Q: I am baking some cakes, cupcakes, muffins, and brownies for an event. This is a 2-day event and I need to start baking in advance. How can I store the products if I start baking three days prior to the event? How long will frosted cupcakes and cakes stay for? I will be using whipped cream and buttercream frosting. 

I'm guilty of always reaching for the same appetizers when having friends or family over: good olives, flatbreads, interesting cheeses, and rosemary bar nuts. If you've been to our house for drinks or dinner, this likely sounds pretty familiar. The reason for the repetition is ease, but what if there were a creamy, lightly-fried bite of polenta that was just as simple? An appetizer that would trump olives and bar nuts any day of the week?

Looking for something a little different from the usual crostini hors d'oeuvre? How about a sweet potato — sliced into rounds, roasted, and topped with a zingy miso sauce. It's a flavorsome little bite to whet the appetite, plus it's perfect for gluten-free and vegetarian folks.

Party appetizer rut? Trying to impress the coworkers? Want to elevate date night to a whole new level? It may be time to break out the waffle iron. 

"Go ahead and lick the spoon — there are no worries when you bake vegan!" As a guilty spoon-licker myself, reading this made me laugh out loud. I had to concede the point. These are the exact same decadent, caramel-drizzled, chocolatey, creamy desserts we know and love, but made without a single egg or drop of dairy milk entering the picture. Chloe Coscarelli won Food Network's Cupcake Wars with her vegan Chocolate Orange Cupcakes (yes, the recipe is in the book!), and with Chloe's Vegan Desserts, she shows us that cupcakes are just the tip of the iceberg.

What's a dinner party without a basket of warm rolls on the table? The softer and fluffier the better, I say. All the better to sop up those last bits of sauce. Here's how I make my absolute favorite, foolproof dinner rolls, a perfect addition to any table.