Q: I am taking a trip to Florida with my extended family, and as the trip coincides with the Super Bowl, we were planning a little family party. One of my sister-in-laws is essentially an egg-eating, no-soy vegan. What would be some good soy-free, vegan appetizers and mains for a Super Bowl party? More

Here are the reasons that you, a grown adult of sound mind and body, should go sledding: it's good clean fun that doesn't cost a dime, there's no one to stop you from going on the steep path, and you get to bring a flask. Also, that dinner that you slow-cooked earlier in the day is going to taste amazing when you and your buds tromp in from the snow. Yup, sledding party: it needs to happen. More

If you're looking for a little guidance or inspiration for your party planning, take a look at our 15 best entertaining and party tips from the past year. There are guides to throwing all types of parties — from a summer crêpe party to an awesome ice cream party — advice on managing your time on party day, and one essential tip for setting up a buffet. Read on and get ready to host your best gathering yet! More

Q: My husband and I are planning a New Year's Eve party, and we want to serve an entree that will please both vegetarians and meat-eaters. Could you recommend a make-ahead (or low-attention) party entree that might keep for an hour on the buffet table?

Sent by Liz More

Until gathering all these recipes together, I didn't quite realize how far and wide we'd traveled this past year -- at least through our kitchens! We have a spicy noodle salad from Thailand and soft potato flatbreads from Norway. We learned how to stir-fry chicken in a wok and how to make stuffed grape leaves the traditional way. That's just the beginning! These are twenty recipes from all corners of the globe that you really have to try for yourselves. More

There were a few recipes that really flew under the radar this past year. Maybe their humble appearances didn't quite tell the whole story. Maybe the ingredients sounded a little too far out or too simplistic. Maybe the timing just wasn't quite right. Whatever the reason, we absolutely love these "sleeper" recipes and think they deserve a little more time in the lime light. More

One of the most rewarding aspects of cooking is sharing the food you cook with others. But whether you're preparing a romantic meal for two or a three-course meal for a crowd, entertaining can also be quite stressful. Luckily, our readers are always ready to help, fielding questions about Hunger Games parties, makeshift punch bowls, the best way to feed 150 wedding guests for under $2000, and more dinner party dilemmas. More

These are the special recipes. The ones that are a little more indulgent, a little more complicated, and a little fancier than the ones we make on an average weeknight. They get an extra splash of cream and a sprinkle of parsley on top. Start planning your next dinner party now because here are our most favorite dishes and small bites for special occasions from this past year. More

Q: My Puerto Rican mother has been cooking Christmas Eve dinner for my Italian father's family since the '90s. The problem: they only eat pasta or plainly-seasoned meat, which creates some creative roadblocks for my mother. Any ideas for dishes to serve to a large, picky Italian crowd?!

Sent by Dana More

You may not think you know foothills cuisine, but you really do. This is the homey, soul-satisfying, belly-filling food that takes the best and freshest foods of the season and puts them on our plate. We're talking green tomato pie and lamb meatballs with green garlic, roasted peaches and brook trout with grits. The dishes in this book come from the kitchens of Blackberry Farm, lauded as one of the country's finest farm-to-table restaurants. There, foothill cuisine isn't just a collection of recipes — it's truly a way of life. More