When planning a cocktail party, I always make sure to have one "straight-from-freezer-to-oven" recipe, and I make extra. You can keep refilling the tray as long as you need to, and any leftovers stay in the freezer for the next party. There's only one problem. With these cheddar olives, my favorite straight-from-freezer-to-oven recipe, there are never any leftovers. Ever. No matter how many I make. People just can't get enough of the warm, cheddary, slightly crumbly pastry enclosing a juicy olive. More

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?

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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.

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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! 

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Our first house, a perfect 1927 bungalow, had an enormous yard, easily twice the area of the house. "We love the outdoors," we said to ourselves, envisioning croquet parties on the lawn, along with more athletic pursuits. And picnics! We would have picnics. As it happens, we do love the outdoors, but the maintenance? Not so much. The lawn overwhelmed us. Even the minimal upkeep of the mower was challenging. Our next house was twice as large, with less than half the lawn.  More

Appetizer ruts happen much like any other rut. And they happen for a reason: we're creatures of habit. I know what I like to have around the house, and I'm in the routine of stocking up on good cheese, crackers and olives at the store. But for evenings when something more exciting is called for: baked ricotta is often the answer. 

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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.

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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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Have you ever wondered what would happen if Goldilocks jumped down Alice's rabbit hole? Well it might look a little something like my quest for amazing homemade churros. It took some experimenting, you see. The first round of churros? Good but not great. The second batch? Still not quite. Third time? Well you know what they say — third time's the charm!

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When I hear the word appetizer, I often think of dinner gatherings or cocktail parties. When folks are standing around waiting for the larger meal or event, it's nice to have something to nibble on. But what about when it's just you and your partner or family at home making dinner? That's occasion enough for appetizers too, and in my opinion, toasts are often the answer! More