When I decided to throw a weekend brunch for my book club, the one aspect of the party that was a big question mark was the coffee. Ever since I ditched my drip coffee maker for a Chemex, making coffee for more than four people has meant a lot of me standing around in the kitchen slowly pouring hot water over coffee grounds while everyone else is having fun in the other room. I didn't want that to happen at this party.

Instead I experimented with using a coffee concentrate — the same type I had used in the past to make stellar iced coffee — and discovered the process turns out a cup of hot coffee that is just as good: rich, flavorful and mellow. Even better, making a pot of coffee for a crowd of people with this method is literally as easy as boiling water.

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?

This week I've been sharing a spring brunch I hosted for my book club, a dressed-up daytime party spent gathered around a pretty table talking books, sipping sparkling wine cocktails and coffee, and eating quiche with friends. 

Here's a look at the full party and the recipes I used, beginning with fresh strawberry-basil cocktails and ending with a buttery lemon cake with elderflower whipped cream. Can you think of a better way to spend a sunny weekend morning?

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.

Every dip, like every food, has a season. So if warm, oozy baked brie is just the thing for winter, what's the best dip to serve come spring? Well, it should be cool and refreshing, and desperately crying for the attention of some crunchy, fresh from the farmers' market crudité. This creamy Parmesan dip — an ode to Caesar dressing — does just that, and more! 

A few years ago my friend Haley requested an "icebox cake" as his birthday dessert of choice. He (yes, he) described a towering black and white confection of stacks upon stacks of chocolate layers nestled between blankets of snowy-white whipped cream. I was excited at the very thought of mastering this mysteriously named "icebox cake." And then I Googled it...

Much like training for a 10k, planning a dinner party looks manageable from afar. Decide on the menu the week before, clean on Tuesday, buy groceries on Wednesday, and so on until Friday night rolls around and the party has practically come together on its own. However, just like that first long training run that leaves you huffing and puffing, wondering if you'll ever see the race start, let alone the finish line, more than once I've found myself an hour into the menu planning, surrounded by cookbooks and blogs, having underestimated the feat ahead. This is why I turn to braised beef. 

These spongettes are exactly the kind of dessert I am craving right now. They're cool and creamy with a whisper of lemon in each spoonful. They're also a hoot to serve a dinner parties as guests discover how the soft pudding layer gives way to tender sponge cake beneath. Topped with a handful of berries or a dollop of whipped cream, these little treats make the ultimate springtime dessert. More

Q: I've got endless party recipes for foods to have out on tables when people arrive, but can you or your readers recommend recipes that can be made in advance of a party, then heated or cooked in an oven mid-way through a party? 

So things are looking good with you and your special someone. Hooray! Good enough that you've decided it's time to introduce each other to your respective parents. Double hooray! And you've decided that the perfect setting for these introductions would be a cozy home-cooked meal. Um... gulp. Let's talk about a menu that will make sure the whole evening goes smoothly, shall we?