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.

Q: I am going on vacation with my husband's family in Hawaii in April, and each family is responsible for cooking dinner at least one night. I am a vegan so I'm wondering what kind of of vegetarian/vegan meal can I make, possibly using fresh local ingredients, that will satisfy the meat-eaters?

Sent by Melissa

You may already know online store Minted for their stationery and holiday cards. But did you also know that they have a lovely selection of menu card designs?

Recipe: Ortine's Mediterranean Platter

I have been busy testing recipes for a big, exciting project (one that we're going to share more of with you later this week!). While making spicy-sweet popcorn and pan-fried potstickers, I've been thinking about appetizers and their role in a meal. An appetizer is often my favorite part of a meal — here's why.

I am an unabashed lover of romantic comedies. And like most diehard romantic comedy fans — if you'll permit me to be a curmudgeon for a moment — I also believe the genre had its heyday in the 90's, mostly due to Nora Ephron, writer and director of such classics as Sleepless in Seattle, When Harry Met Sally, and You've Got Mail. (Thanks to Ms. Ephron, I learned the word "tweaking" from that film, and how much I wanted Meg Ryan's haircut. And wardrobe. And irresistible charm.) Nora Ephron died last June, and I've since discovered she was an avid home cook and dinner party hostess extraordinaire. What made her parties so memorable? Well, one clue can be found in her Rule of Four theory:

Q: I've got endless party recipes for foods to have out on tables when people arrive, but can you or your readers recommend recipes that can be made in advance of a party, then heated or cooked in an oven mid-way through a party? 

At a dinner party, where you sit and who you sit next to can make the difference between a fun-filled two hours and an evening of awkward conversation and polite boredom. Choosing the right seat isn't as easy as you might think; you have to consider the shape of the table, the number of seats, and — heaven forbid — what if there are two tables? Lucky for us, designer Alex Cornell has created a helpful (and funny!) infographic on finding the right seat at the table.

Q: I found your terrific recipe for Fruit Crumble. We will be baking a variety of fruit crisps and crumbles for 200 people for a wedding and had planned on using aluminum pans — the flimsy kind — for this task. Are we wrong to use these pans? From bake to serve, will be about 6 hours. Thanks!

Sent by Peg

Any excuse to eat dessert in the middle of the afternoon, right? But a wedding shower makes a little pre-dinner dessert action even more justifiable! This particular spread of lovely bite-sized treats is easy to put together and still feels classy and elegant — important details if you happen to be the one organizing the shower.