Last spring we took the whole month of April to party, party, party! It was a month of entertaining, with tips on throwing birthday parties, picking out wine, and making tasty appetizers and snacks. Here's a look back at some of the recipes and ideas that emerged that month, from crisp cheesy poufs, to an addictive gluten-free flatbread. There are ideas for little bites on toasts, and one of the best spicy nut mixes we've ever tasted. More

We are a bunch of eaters on the go — not only during the busy holiday travel season, but also during the rest of the year as we rushing off to classes, meetings, and who knows what else. Our schedules don't have to mean resorting to take-out or scarfing handfuls of trail mix every day. Here are all our best recipes from 2012 that can be made ahead, packed up, and eaten on your schedule. More

In the usual order of things, one decides to have a party, and then figures out which dishes to serve. But in this case, it was a stellar pomegranate and olive relish that got the ball rolling. "We have to throw a holiday party so people can taste this!" exclaimed my partner, and pretty soon we were discussing the guest list between bites. More

Whether they are students, new parents, or friends with demanding jobs, you probably have a few loved ones who would appreciate the gift of healthy, homemade, energy-dense snacks that are easy to eat on the go. From a helpful step-by-step guide to making classic granola bars to a no-added-sugar, grain-free Larabar lookalike, these 6 recipes will have you well on your way to a big batch of high-energy snacks for gifting — or for keeping on hand to fuel you through the season ahead. More

It's about to begin, the parade of sweet treats through your office, your holiday parties, and probably your very own kitchen. Consider this granola a much-needed savory break for you and anyone lucky enough to receive it from you as a gift. Savory curry granola?, you may be thinking. That's right: salty, crunchy, curry-spiked granola studded with toasted pecans and browned coconut chips. You don't need milk or yogurt to enjoy this granola -- it's good enough to eat plain by the handful, but if you're nice you'll make a double batch to give out as gifts as well. More

Sometimes two common ingredients or recipes are brought together in a delicious marriage and you wonder how it is you hadn't thought of it sooner. This was my exact reaction to Smitten Kitchen's crunchy, toasty, slightly sweet granola-crusted nuts. More

Our friend Deb Perelman, who runs the enormously adored cooking site Smitten Kitchen just published her first cookbook and I got to spend an afternoon in her kitchen making one of the recipes, an insanely decadent breakfast treat: think pretzel meets chocolate meets the most tender brioche dough you've ever laid teeth on. (Here's a peek into her kitchen!)

This is just one of over 100 recipes (and more than 300 photographs, all by Deb) 105-plus recipes. 300+ full-color photos. Smitten Kitchen fans will be pleased to know the book has almost all new material, with just a few old favorites from the site, re-tested and re-worked to perfection. More

Throwing a cocktail party this holiday season? Going to a potluck? Doing any kind of entertaining at all?! Yup, Salty Snacks is going to be a lifesaver. With clever ideas for everything from cheese straws to something simply (and temptingly) called "Deviled Bacon," we definitely won't be bringing the same dish twice to any parties this season. More

As I think about the many stories I could write about cooking my way through last week's hurricane, I feel an abundance of gratitude that I can sit here and even ponder writing about the meals I made by candlelight, the cocktails invented with lack of ice, and the ways having a gas stove made it possible to not just survive but to thrive in my dark yet dry fourth floor walk-up just a few short blocks from some of the most devastating flooding to ever occur in Manhattan.

I won't complain. I am instead grateful to be able to tell you about how, when the power came back on, my daughter and I rode our bike uptown to the barely opened Trader Joe's to buy a few simple ingredients and a box of zippered plastic bags to eventually make ten pounds of granola for those whose hurricane stories were less romantic than our own. More

Is it just me, or is anyone else always on the hunt for good snack ideas? I can usually manage coming up with a healthy lunch or an inspired dinner, but my afternoon hunger often caves to chips, salsa, and melted cheese. Seriously, you'd think I would have outgrown that old standby by now... More