After visiting a za'atar farm in Lebanon and bringing home a couple bags of the tangy, herbaceous spice blend, I'm inspired to start using it more in my cooking. Luckily, I'm not the first to fall in love with this Middle Eastern spice, so it isn't hard to find tons of great recipes that use za'atar in unusual and tasty ways. From za'atar-rubbed roasted chicken to Yotam Ottolenghi's roasted butternut squash with za'atar, here are nine recipes that use this intriguing spice.

Ready for a batch of our favorite posts from a year ago, direct from our archives to your computer? Oh, yeah! We have a great tip for regrowing your celery from a leftover root, how to measure sticky ingredients, a perfect spring recipe for lemony lentil soup, shopping like a Parisian, best budget wines from Trader Joe's and oh so very much more. Pour another cup of coffee and take a look!

A few years back, some friends and I got into a real Saturday night routine. We'd gather at someone's house, order Chinese food, and bring out the games — Settlers of Catan, Risk, Monopoly (old-school!), you name it. When the food arrived, we'd take a break and fill up our plates. I'm thinking it's time to bring back these Saturday game nights — but this time, I'll do the cooking!

Who says you have to have a crowd to entertain? Sometimes a day, a week, or a personal milestone deserve an event for one — a night out with you, your thoughts, and something delicious. Use these simple recipes to plan your own personal dinner party.

Spring is in the air, finally! In celebration, I went looking for verdant and vibrant kitchen things in all shades of green. Here's to the end of dark, grey days and the beginning of a beautiful season — outside and in your kitchen!

While there's a lot to love about a dramatic light fixture hanging over the dining room table — I'm still smitten with these copper pendants — I always go back to a simple, classic drum shade pendant. The natural fabric and unfussy shape gives off the loveliest diffused light — great for creating ambience and mood throughout dinner. Here are five classic picks:

We've finally reached the tipping point between yearning for the arrival of fresh green things and actually seeing them start to show up in stores. Asparagus! Spring arugula! Artichokes! Pea shoots, soon to be followed by actual peas! It's time to satisfy our cravings for all things crisp, fresh, and green, and here are 10 vegetarian pasta dishes that will surely do the job right.

Is it 5:00 yet? Because the drinks and snacky bites from this past week are looking mighty tempting. I'm thinking those real Mexican margaritas would go mighty fine with a handful of cheddar olives. A coupe glass with that pretty Four Bitters Cocktail would also be excellent company for our radicchio salad with red quinoa and avocado. Or go full-on springtime with a strawberry gin smash and a plate of risotto studded with asparagus spears. And a bowl of caramel popcorn for dessert. Bring on cocktail hour!

I absolutely love a good cocktail party and think we should all be throwing them a lot more often. It's less pressure than hosting a full-on dinner party, you get to invite more people to stand in clusters around your apartment's tiny living room, and you still get to pull out your high heels. Plus, cocktail appetizers are the best. When else do you get to eat half a dozen bacon-wrapped potato bites with well-shaken Manhattan and call it dinner?