When throwing a dinner party I invariably relax as the night goes on, but those initial moments can rank high on the stress meter. That's why I like to have an appetizer ready to go, something simple that I don't have to worry about too much. This goat cheese spread from BBC Good Food fits the bill — it's so pretty yet easy to make and serve. 

Dinner parties don't have to be grand, formal affairs. Nor do they have to center around a big platter of meat. This easy, vibrant vegetarian spread feels special without the need for culinary fireworks. All you need is a few friends, a few chairs, and a free evening to bring everyone together.

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...

I always link brunches with spring and its warmer mornings, longer and more leisurely days, and friends with whom you need to catch up after a long winter of occasional hibernation. If you'd like to host more brunches this spring but are nervous about the time or work required, I have a tried-and-true way you can be assured to do it: just plan your brunch around simple, albeit delicious low-key food!

The first time I saw mini grilled cheese sandwiches sticking out of a small glass of tomato soup, I thought: what a brilliant idea. Take a favorite food pairing — crudites and dip, shrimp and aioli, milk and cookies — and put it all in an easy-to-handle shot glass (or other small container). No fiddling around, just fun all-in-one finger food that make perfect party appetizers. Here are a few ideas:

We've talked about the delicious sweet treat that bacon becomes when it's candied in the oven. (Seriously, if you haven't tried it, then there's no excuse for not running to the store this instant.) But this time around, you might want to grab a bottle of beer to put a new twist on this gooey, crisp, irresistible snack. More

Q: Thanks to an incredible meal during our honeymoon, my meat-and-potatoes husband learned that he loves caviar and would like to eat some at home for an upcoming special occasion. I'd love to put together a special little tasting menu of sorts, but I have no idea where to start! 

Apologies for the fuzzy iPhone photo and the messy kitchen — you see, I was struggling not to drop an 18-pound turkey at the time. And this turkey, well, he was the whole reason we had gathered together on a day that was definitely not Thanksgiving. A turkey dinner in February? That's just how I roll.

I love entertaining, whether it's a small group on the porch, a crowd for Frogmore stew in the kitchen, or an all out bash with 150 of our closest friends. (That last one only happens once a year.) All of our parties have one thing in common: my favorite blue pottery chip-and-dip dish. Nothing says "party" at our place like pulling that dish out of the cabinet. Along with most of my fellow southerners, I believe every gathering needs food for dipping! That dish has seen a lot of action.

At the start of spring, the whole world seems to be bursting with tiny, irresistible signs of new life: green leaves sprouting from branches, fuzzy kittens popping up in my Facebook feed, and tender, sweet new potatoes making their brief annual appearance at the market. They may not last long, but when preparing ingredients this fresh and fleeting, the upside is that you don't have to do much to make them stand out. Simply boiled and tossed with fresh herbs and anchovy-flecked butter, new potatoes are a savory, soul-satisfying way to celebrate spring.