One of the challenges of entertaining these days are the many food allergies, issues, sensitivities and aversions guests can bring with them to the table. It's impossible to please everyone, but this soup goes a long way towards universal satisfaction and joy. Made with ground cashews instead of cream and kicked up with an array of savory herbs and spices, it is the perfect thing to serve when you have mixed company. But don't make it just because it's vegan-friendly and easy. Make it because it's absolutely, amazingly delicious.

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The only possible cure for the late-winter blues is brunch. A big brunch. One with friends dropping by, trays upon trays of sticky buns, mimosas and coffee, and muffins for nibbling when you think you're almost full. Oh, yes! Let's do this.

Pizza? Check! Popcorn? Check! Netflix movie? Check! There were far too many of those Oscar movies that we didn't see, and this Friday seems like the perfect time to remedy that situation. Send out the email alert: it's time for a Pizza Night.

I've never in my life come across bad mashed potatoes. (I take that back. Potato flakes and a blender are coming to mind.) But usually my taste buds do not discriminate: cream, buttermilk, garlic, and Parmesan are all welcome additions to my favorite spuds, and I will never turn my nose up at cream cheese, truffle oil, even powdered ranch. I can assure you that I will eat any mashed potatoes — all mashed potatoes — with joyful glee. However after devouring these gouda smashed potatoes for the second time, my standards may have just changed. More

The Oscars are here! The Oscars are here! If epic movies and sparkly floor-length gowns are your scene, then we know exactly where we'll find you this weekend. How's about a glass of bubbly and a decked-out spread of nibbles to go with your evening of red carpet glam?

We are smack dab in the middle of the Dungeness crab season here on the West Coast. Which means, of course, it's crab fest time! Boil 'em, steam 'em, or roast 'em, just be sure you get your fix while they're here. A big batch of crabs requires company, of course, so here's a menu to make it a crab fest to remember.

Any plans for Mardi Gras this year? If grand parades and collecting beads aren't your quite your style, I highly recommend calling up some friends for a New Orleans-style feast. Hand your guests a Hurricane cocktail as they walk in the door, serve up plates of gumbo, and pass out giant slices of King Cake before they leave. Get some good jazz to play on the stereo, and the Mardi Gras spirit will find its way to you.

A panade is one of those dishes that is way better than it has any right to be -- or than it looks to be. It's an assembly of day-old bread, shredded cheese, and handy pantry ingredients (in this case, cranberry beans, swiss chard, and sausage) that gets doused with broth and baked until bubbly. Not quite a soup and not quite a casserole, it's something more: the best of both worlds.

This Sunday is Super Bowl Sunday, a time for gathering and celebrating with friends to watch the biggest game from America's most popular sport. Even if you don't care too much about sports or football, there's still plenty to get excited about.The Super Bowl is a good reason to do something special, like firing up that grill or cooking a steaming pot of stew. This year, the game involves teams reigning from Baltimore and San Francisco, so in a nod to those great cities here are some recipes that'll have people paying attention to more than just the game. More

I have absolutely zero interest in football, so for me, the annual gathering of friends on Super Bowl Sunday is all about the food. The spread always includes a few of the grubby, nostalgic snacks we grew up with — cheesy queso dip, I'm looking at you — as well as some fresher, lighter snacks that often incorporate flavors from one of the many international cuisines that surround us here in Los Angeles. You're looking at my contribution this year: a Korean take on the usual pulled-meat slider, a juicy sandwich loaded with gingery, chile-spiked shredded chicken and tender kale braised with garlicky kimchi.