When it comes to easy and crowd-pleasing appetizers, cream cheese will always have your back. Spread it on toast bites and top with sliced radishes for an elegant hors d'oeuvre or warm it up with beans and spices for a party dip. Whatever the scene, whatever your need, cream cheese is your willing and able ally in the appetizer department.

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Hello, spring! Doesn't it feel like warmer weather is just around the corner? A bowl of this creamy, slightly spicy cauliflower soup is the perfect antidote to these lingering chilly nights. If you're having friends over to share your meal, make some herby new potatoes and a batch of socca with spring pesto to serve alongside. Watching the Mad Men premiere after dinner? This classic sidecar cocktail is a definite must.

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Easter may be over, but I bet you've still got peeps on the brain! How's about trying your hand at making your own?! Also from this time last year, we have a foolproof quiche, ideas for feeding the babysitter, awesome mix-ins for your oatmeal, a smart tip when preheating the oven, and much more. Take a look!

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Remember when Odwalla's Superfood smoothie was the only green juice around? I'd buy it in the big jug size and marvel at just how tasty drinking my vegetables had become. But then I looked at the sugar content. Made from mostly fruit juices, it wasn't quite the health tonic I had hoped for. These days green juice packed with vegetables is all the rage, and can be made with a variety of ingredients, from the trendy kale to collard greens, mango, and cilantro. Read on for five recipes worth trying. More

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.

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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!

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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:

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We don't know why, but there is something universally appealing about customizing your own meal — which makes a build-your-own bar an easy dinner or dessert option for you and a fun party experience for your guests. From a baked potato bar to an avocado party, here are nine ideas for fun meals that your guests assemble themselves.

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Going for a quick drink after work or checking out a new restaurant is always a treat, but many (most, really) Friday and Saturday nights find us making a cocktail at home, for ourselves or for friends. And even though there are no pretenses that it will be a dinner party, I always like to have something simple on hand to snack on beyond the ordinary crackers/cheese/olives scenario. 

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One-dish dinners are so called because one big scoop contains everything you could want or need to fill your belly. Everything from the veg to the meat gets layered into the same skillet, pot, or casserole dish, and cooked together. Sometimes they're ready in a matter of minutes and sometimes they bubble away for hours. Either way, these are big dishes that will easily feed a crowd — all without a pile of pots and pans to clean up afterward.

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